Please tell me who inspired Chauvinist. I learned it from context as my mother used it, and it’s never occurred to me that it might have to do with a person. My cursory Googling only turned up a literary character, but I saw no mention of his feelings of superiority toward women.
Originally it had nothing to do with sexism, but extreme patriotic nationalism. Not sure exactly when it acquired its association with the attitude of absolute male superiority, but it’s easy to see the parallels.
A Nicolas Chauvin was supposed to have served in the French army under Napoleon, but no conclusive proof of his existence has been found. He is thus probably a fictional (albeit legendary) character.