| Marguerite Coppin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Marguerite Aimee Rosine Coppin 2 February 1867 Brussels, Belgium |
| Died | 1931 (aged 63–64) England |
| Nationality | Belgium |
| Occupation | feminist, poet |
Marguerite Aimee Rosine Coppin (2 February 1867 - 1931) was born in Brussels and became woman Poet Laureate of Belgium and a noted feminist and pioneer in female emancipation and equal rights for women.[1] She was compared with Women's rights activists Amelia Bloomer and Emmeline Pankhurst.[2]
The city of Bruges was scandalised when Coppin rode a bicycle down the streets of the city with her skirts clipped up to each ankle to function like trousers. The bicycle was recognized by 19th-century feminists and suffragists as a "freedom machine" for women contributing to Female emancipation. "A woman on a bicycle? Brazen!" said the shocked people of Bruges according to a 1937 news article. Like Amelia Bloomer, Coppin devised a convenient and comfortable trouser like garment for women to use for bicycle riding.[2]
In 1914 with the outbreak of war Coppin fled to England where she worked as a French teacher[3] until her death in 1931.[2]