This is 100% a comeback, please call it that
Member Léa on running and Sine Qua Non, book club, and Dinner for One crowdfunding!
Well, hello there! It has been a while and I became an expert at putting off this “writing a monthly newsletter” thing. In all honesty, it feels like everyone is better at forming an opinion about what is going on in the world. AND YET! I would also like to share my thoughts on France, feminism, and the things that I enjoy doing, seeing, and eating. It isn’t that deep (but also, it is).
If you are new here, let me paint you a picture of where I’m currently at in my life…
I’m Lou, I’m originally from the UK but now have my French passport, I’m a freelance copywriter and social media consultant. 2026 will mark my 17th year of living in France. I moved to Paris for my relationship, after graduating with a French degree from the University of Bristol. The man is still on the scene and we live in Montreuil with an 8 year old cat (Oscar) and a 2 year old Golden Retriever (Maggie).
Last year was mostly spent managing my emotions around turning 40. And having recently hit that milestone, it turns out that I’m pretty at peace with how my life looks - child-free by choice, in a long-term relationship but not married, freelance and looking to diversify my professional activity. I say this with all the privilege of a white woman, yes, but building a life for myself in France has been a decade and a half of conscious work, involving several mishaps and two significant estrangements that have not stopped me from surrounding myself with a coven of wonderful women.
The FBC Paris started in 2018 at Shakespeare and Company Bookshop. Today, we meet monthly at Ici-Même, a cosy wine bar in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. The concept is simple - we read women and that includes trans-women. We are an international community and my feminism is ever-evolving, thanks in part to the wonderful people who come to monthly meet-ups and share their thoughts and experiences.
In fact, this feels like a good moment to introduce you to Léa, a long-standing member of The FBC Paris and ambassador for Sine Qua Non. Literally, this means without which, not and in more concrete terms, SQN believes that gender equality in public spaces isn’t optional, it’s fundamental.
This past Saturday, around ten thousand people showed up at Place de la République to run in the 8th edition of the SQN run (6KM and 10KM) and take a stand against street harassment and sexual violence. As a runner myself, I really appreciate that movements like Sine Qua Non exist. Over to Léa!
Please introduce yourself in a few words?
EN: I’m Léa, I have lived in Paris for the past 10 years and am an ambassador for Sine Qua Non in the 18th arrondissement, an association that advocates for gender equality through sport in public spaces (running, football, boxing, skateboarding…)
FR: Je m’appelle Léa, j’habite à Paris depuis 10 ans et je suis ambassadrice de l’association Sine Qua Non pour le 18è arrondissement, une association qui milite pour l’égalité des femmes et des hommes dans l’espace public via le sport (la course à pied, le foot, la boxe, le skate …)
Describe your relationship with running?
EN: I grew up seeing family members (my dad, aunt, and uncle) run marathons but sport was never my passion. Even now, I’m not into the competitive element of the sport, I’m more interested in how it plays a positive role in my overall health, including my mental health. Being a part of Sine Qua Non has allowed me to meet people with the same spirit of community, while running as part of a collective.
FR: J’ai toujours vu les gens de ma famille courir quand j’étais jeune, mon père, ma tante et mon oncle sont marathoniens, mais le sport n’a jamais été ma passion. Et même aujourd’hui, je n’ai toujours pas « découvert » le sport-compétition mais plutôt l’aspect sport-santé ; santé physique pour avoir une activité régulière pour grandir et vieillir en bonne santé ; et santé mentale pour rencontrer des gens qui partage une certaine idée de la vie en communauté, me vider la tête, m’engager en groupe.
How did you get involved with Sine Qua Non?
EN: My cousin had been telling me about her best friend’s association to fight sexism for a little while, and one day I just said to myself “Why not give it a try??” I got the vibe that it would be a group where I’d feel at ease, a safe space if you will, with no pressure to focus on times and speed. Basically, the perfect conditions for me to start running. And that’s exactly what I found, with a great mix of running levels, which has helped me improve at my own pace!
FR: Ma cousine me parlait de sa meilleure amie et de son association engagée contre le sexisme depuis très longtemps et un jour, j’ai eu le déclic, je me suis dit « pourquoi pas tenter » ? J’avais le sentiment que ça allait être un groupe où je me sentirais à l’aise, une safe place, en sécurité pour démarrer la course et trouver des personnes qui ne voulait pas forcément performer et c’était exactement ça. Il y a autant de sportifs très entrainés que de débutants et c’était parfait pour évoluer à mon rythme !
What does running mean to you today, as a SQN ambassador?
EN: At its core, running can be a solitary sport, but SQN brings a strong sense of community and team spirit. Especially during the winter months when motivation is very low to get out of bed and run in the dark / cold / rain. We show up because we made a commitment to each other! And in addition to running together, it’s also an opportunity to reflect as part of a group. How can we, collectively, reclaim public spaces and live our best feminist lives?
FR: La course c’est un sport individuel et faire partie de cette asso remet le goût du communautaire et de l’esprit d’équipe dans l’entraînement. On le voit au plus fort de l’hiver, quand on ne veut pas sortir courir sous la flotte et qu’on n’a pas de motivation. On trouve la discipline pour honorer le rendez-vous qu’on s’est donné ensemble. C’est cette cohésion du groupe qui nous fait faire communauté autour d’une activité et de réflexion sur le partage de nos espaces de vie. Comment faire ensemble pour se réapproprier l’espace public et vivre des vies féministes !
If you’re a runner looking for community, check out Sine Qua Non’s schedule.
On Léa’s bookshelf (and please note, she is currently into the Heated Rivalry series.)
Book Club
Our next book club session will take place on Sunday 19th April and we will be discussing The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, which won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It is my first Louise Erdrich, I’m a couple of chapters in and the best way that I can describe it, is that I feel like I’m in good hands.
In the next newsletter, the main focus will be Louise’s career and sharing some excerpts from interviews and podcasts.
But for now, I need your help with book titles for upcoming sessions. Please choose two books that appeal to you - I’m hoping that the results will give us two clear winners for May and June. Following our discussion during March’s book club session, we may well be tackling a “classic” later on this year. I’ll be counting on you again to help me pick the title!
Dinner For One Crowdfunder
My talented friend Sutanya is taking her supper club for single women on the road! Here’s what she has to say:
In 2024, two years after starting Dinner for One Supper Club in Paris, I started dreaming about sharing this experience with single women in other cities, but I hoped that a brand would see what I was building and sponsor me. That hasn't happened yet. So instead of waiting for someone else to make my dream a reality, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands. I’m bringing Dinner for One on tour this spring, and I would be so grateful for your support.
Su has currently confirmed dates for London, Marseille and Munich. She is currently in the process of confirming Dublin, Istanbul, Rome, and Stockholm. If you want to support her world tour (I think it’s just me calling it that) then you can find out everything you need to know via her GoFundMe page. And if you aren’t already, follow her on Instagram for delicious food shots, inspiring quotes and pics of the beautiful lady herself.
à bientôt,
Lou