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Doris Veillette Hamel

Black and white photograph of journalist Doris Veillette Hamel. She is wearing a blouse and a pearl necklace.
Appartenance Mauricie Société d’histoire régionale, Le Nouvelliste Fonds (F15528-001). Unknown photographer.

Doris Veillette Hamel died on January 4, 2019, at the age of 89. From 1968 to 1995, she enjoyed a successful career as a journalist at Le Nouvelliste. In her column, titled “Interdit aux hommes” (For Female Eyes Only), Hamel took a progressive approach to feminist issues, such as women’s financial independence, the importance of professional fulfillment, contraception, abortion and sexual violence. She also addressed the treatment of women as second-class citizens in the workplace and the courts. For instance, she encouraged women to assert themselves in an article published on January 26, 1974: “Never let up. Those women who continue to express their point of view have arguably done more for […] society […] than the others […].”

In a society undergoing rapid change, Doris Hamel stood out for her contacts with prominent figures, like Lise Payette, and her contributions to gender equality in key areas.