Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne visited a reception center for LGBT+ people in Orléans on Thursday morning August 4 to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the abrogation of discrimination between heterosexual and homosexual relationships. A way for the head of the executive to definitively clarify the government’s position on LGBT rights, after the controversy aroused by the comments deemed homophobic by Caroline Cayeux, his Minister of Territorial Communities.
“ Barely 40 years ago, you could still be convicted of homosexuality in France. The Prime Minister underlines the progress since the end of the repression of homosexuality in 1982, date on which the last discriminatory provisions introduced by the Vichy regime in the penal code were repealed. Among the advances, the PACS, marriage for all and more recently, under the Macron five-year term, the opening of PMA to all women and the ban on conversion therapy, recalls our special correspondent Lucile Gimberg.
But Elisabeth Borne says it herself: “ The battle of mentalities is not yet won » and the hatreds persist: « it is because of them that some believe it is safer to hide, that children are still rejected by their own families, that suicide is a scourge among young LGBT + “says the Prime Minister during her visit to GAGL45, the Gay, Lesbian Action Group of Loiret.
40 years after the decriminalization of homosexuality, LGBT+ people are still victims of discrimination and violence. At the LGBT+ center in Orléans, I say this forcefully: we will continue the fight so that everyone is free to love whoever they want. pic.twitter.com/mPCmR9UW7F
— Elisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) August 4, 2022
The former socialist promises a fund of three million euros to create ten additional reception centers, so that there are at least two centers in each region of France and at least one center in each region overseas. -mer, as well as the appointment of an ambassador for LGBT+ rights ” before the end of the year “.
This ambassador will coordinate the action of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs for the protection against discrimination and the promotion of LGBT+ rights and will carry the voice of France “, indicates Ms. Borne, in particular to defend ” the universal decriminalization of homosexuality and transidentity “.
Make people forget the Cayeux affair
This trip was also intended to close theCaroline Cayeux caseMinister of Territorial Communities, who had caused an outcry in mid-July, in particular for having designated homosexuals by the formula “ These people “.
The head of government deplores hurtful expressions but reaffirms his support for his minister. “ The person who may have made these remarks had the opportunity to apologize. There is no ambiguity on the commitment on all the members of my government who carry the same vision of a progressive society. Insufficient excuses for some in the opposition who are still calling for the resignation of the minister.
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Regarding the bill brought by PS Senator Hussein Bourgi, which seeks compensation for people convicted of homosexuality between 1942 and 1982, the Prime Minister said that she “ heard him » and that she was going « to look at “.
“ It’s not a simple subject to know how to repair wounds that may have been caused by discrimination. “, she observes, considering “ important, already, to note that the introduction of discrimination in the law had been a fault, and to salute and commemorate the repeal of these provisions “.