Sisterhood is powerful: exile and feminist mobilizations in France in support of the “Three Mary’s”

Abstract

Exile in Europe is described by many women as the moment when they discovered feminism.In this article, we take as a point of departure the mobilization in support of the “ThreeMary’s” (Maria Isabel Barreno, Maria Teresa Horta e Maria Velho de Costa – authors of NewPortuguese Letters) to examine how the Group of Latin American Women in Paris (1972-1974)organized itself and how it forged alliances. The mobilization allowed the creation of ties ofsolidarity between Portuguese and Latin American women in France, which were fundamentalfor the construction of an international support movement. The feminist struggle blended withthe struggle against dictatorial regimes.