Louky Bersianik

Louky Bersianik, pseudonym of Lucile Durand, poet, author (b at Montréal 14 Nov 1930). Very early on she 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 U de Montréal, she earned a BA in library science, a master's degree by thesis on Georges Bernanos, and pursued doctoral studies at the Sorbonne (1953-1955). On her return to Montréal, she worked at the Bibliothèque municipale (1956-1958), then at the library of the CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal (1968-1970). 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 U, then at the U du Québec à Montréal.

Bersianik was the author of children's stories (Togo, apprenti-remorqueur, 1966), essays (Les Agénésies du vieux monde, 1982; La main tranchante du symbole, texts et essais féministes, 1990), articles (Liberté, Le Devoir, La Nouvelle Barre du Jour, Études littéraires, etc), novels (Le pique-nique sur l'Acropole, 1979; Permafrost 1937-1938, 1997), and poems (La page de garde, 1978; Maternative: les Pré-Ancyl, 1980; Au beau milieu de moi, 1983; Axes et Eau, poèmes de "La Bonne Chanson", 1984; Kerameikos, poèmes, 1987) in which she often championed lesbian love. In 1976, she 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. Embodying the Québécois "feminist conscience" in the years 1970-1980, Louky Bersianik was unquestionably someone who, through words, pushed her fight to defend women's image in our society to the limits.