Homophobia in France stains a would-be role model for equal rights
President of High Council for Equality is ousted for homophobic, racist, Islamophobic remarks
France often presents itself as the homeland of the Declaration of Human Rights, a role model for homophobic nations to embrace by repealing their anti-LGBTQ laws.
But just last month an incident revealed a different, tarnished image of the country, when the president of France’s High Council for Equality was challenged for making racist, homophobic and Islamophobic remarks.
Homophobes in France’s former colonies will see the incident as evidence of
a double standard, with France making moralizing pronouncements about its former colonies at the same time that its domestic reality is far from glowing when it comes to equal opportunities and the fight against discrimination.
Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette, the president of the High Council for Equality, was challenged by numerous employees for making racist, homophobic and Islamophobic remarks in public. She was forced to tender her resignation, but that did not happen quickly.
An expected but belated resignation
The government’s Official Journal on July 17 confirmed that, by ministerial decree, Pierre-Brossolette had been replaced by Bérangère Couillard, the former Minister for Equality between Women and Men and the Fight against Discrimination.
Pierre-Brossolette was not forced to step down until seven months after her employees publicized her objectionable comments in early January.
Making the High Council for Equality exemplary again
The French LGBTQ rights advocacy group Stop Homophobie says that, at a time when racism and homophobia are on the rise again in France, future appointments to the chairmanship of the High Council for Equality should be made more carefully so as not to further divide French society.
Stop Homophobie also urges the government to revoke two honors it has bestowed on Pierre-Brossolette. The honors of Officer of the Legion of Honour and Commander of the National Order of Merit are incompatible with racism, negrophobia, rejection of Muslims, homophobia and misogyny, Stop Homophobie says.
The group also calls for transparent disclosure of measures taken against the other co-chairs of the High Council for Equality, who have also been charged with making objectionable, discriminatory statements.
