María Elena Oddone

María Elena Oddone
Born	Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Occupation(s)	Women's rights activist, writer, editor, teacher
Years active	1972–1994
Known for	Leader in Argentine second-wave feminism; founder of Women's Liberation Movement (MLF), Argentine Feminist Organization (OFA), and Court of Violence Against Women; editor of Persona magazine
Notable work	La pasión por la libertad: memorias de una feminista

María Elena Oddone stands out as an influential Argentine advocate for women's rights and an accomplished writer, recognized as a prominent leader in the nation's second-wave feminism. She was instrumental in founding groundbreaking feminist entities such as the Women's Liberation Movement (MLF), the Argentine Feminist Organization (OFA), and the Court of Violence Against Women. Between 1974 and 1986, she served as the editor of the notable feminist magazine Persona. Oddone is also the author of La pasión por la libertad: memorias de una feminista (The Passion for Freedom: Memoirs of a Feminist).

Biography

Hailing from Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires, Oddone initially worked as a teacher and homemaker. Her feminist awakening occurred at age 42 after reading influential works by Simone de Beauvoir and Victoria Ocampo. Following her divorce, she dedicated herself entirely to feminist activism.

Her contributions appeared in publications like La Opinión and Claudia. In 1972, her objection to a sexist joke motivated her to create the Feminist Liberation Movement (MLF), drawing inspiration from feminist movements in the United States and Europe. Through MLF, she launched Persona, a pioneering periodical that featured contributions from authors such as Kate Millett, Evelyn Reed, Susan Sontag, Juliet Mitchell, and Simone de Beauvoir. The MLF worked alongside the Argentine Feminist Union (UFA) and urban middle-class activists to advance women's rights. The military regime that took power in 1976 disbanded the organization, compelling Oddone to leave Buenos Aires temporarily.

Following political relaxation in 1980, Oddone reestablished the movement under the name Argentine Feminist Organization (OFA) and resumed publication of Persona. She led initiatives advocating for equal parental rights, creating a commission with prominent activists including Irma Block and María Luisa Bemberg. In 1983, she founded the Court of Violence Against Women to aid survivors of sexual offenses and confront judicial leniency toward offenders.

On 8 March 1984, during the first International Women's Day after the end of dictatorship, Oddone boldly called for abortion legalization, employing a provocative slogan that challenged conventional female roles.

In 1985, Oddone became part of the Fighting Front for Women but was later expelled due to ideological disagreements. She also distanced herself from other organizations that supported the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo or legislation concerning widow pensions. Nonetheless, she maintained connections with LGBTQ+ groups such as the Sexual Policy Group (GPS) and Homosexual Liberation Front (FLH). From 1989 until 1994, she penned a weekly column in El Informador Público, focusing on issues related to sexist violence and institutional shortcomings.

Her memoir was released in 2001.