Le Torchon Brule.

(Paris): Imprimerie Spéciale du MLF, 1982.  First edition thus. Softcover. 39cm by 27cm.  Reproduction of all six issues of Le Torchon Brûle a collective publication created by women involved in the Mouvement de Libération des Femmes (MLF) in France.  The title being a French idiom roughly equivalent to “trouble’s brewing” or “all hell’s breaking loose,” but literally translates to “the rag is burning” — a pointed metaphor alluding to menstruation and domestic labor.  Published during the height of second-wave feminism in France, Le Torchon Brûle was a bold, defiant platform that challenged patriarchal norms, traditional gender roles, and the political invisibility of women. Its contributors, mostly anonymous to emphasize collective voice over individual authorship, tackled issues like abortion rights, sexual freedom, domestic violence, and gendered labor divisions.  Unlike mainstream media, it rejected hierarchy and embraced horizontal organization. The tone was intentionally provocative, witty, and unapologetically militant. It played a pivotal role in awakening consciousness and fueling feminist activism in France during a time of major social upheaval. Though it only ran for a few years, its impact on French feminist thought and the cultural lexicon remains profound.  This is a very good copy in wrappers, reproducing the cover of the first issue.