Louky Bersianik

Lucile Durand (a.k.a. Louky Bersianik) poet, author (born 14 November 1930 in Montreal, QC; died 3 December 2011 in Montreal). Louky Bersianik embodied Quebec’s "feminist conscience" in the 1970s and 1980s. Through words, she questioned and pushed the limits of women’s image in modern society, setting the tone for the generations of feminist literature that would follow. She is best remembered today for her first novel, the triptych L’Euguélionne (1976).

Education

Very early on Lucile “Louky” Durand began to recite her poems on stage during tours with her playwright father. After studies at the Faculté des lettres and l'École de bibliothéconomie (library science) at the Université de Montréal, she earned a BA in library science, a master's degree by thesis on Georges Bernanos, and pursued doctoral studies at La Sorbonne (1953–55).

Career Highlights

On her return to Montréal, Louky Bersianik worked at the Bibliothèque municipale (1956–58), then at the library of the CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal (1968–70). From 1954 to 1981, she had various jobs in television (Radio-Canada, Télé-Métropole, ORTF) and with film companies. In addition, she wrote lyrics for chansonniers, and was a professor of creative writing at Concordia University, then at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).

Bersianik was the author of children's stories, essays, articles, novels and poems in which she often championed lesbian love (see 2SLGBTQ+ Rights in Canada). In 1976, Bersoamol was frequently in the news with the publication of a triptych, L'Euguélionne, a true feminist bible, constructed like a Greek tragedy and rich in cultural references. This work laid out a detailed systematic account of sexist views, and their opposing positions in order to maintain the balance of power between men and women, in both scientific and literary fields.