Protests greet homophobic TV interview in Martinique

Moïse Manoël-Florisse, is an African-Caribbean online journalist keeping an eye…

In Martinique, human rights defenders quickly protested against a local television station that broadcast a sidewalk interview containing LGBTphobic conspiracy theories related to France’s April 24 presidential election.

Kanal Martinique Télévision (KMT) is a well-known local TV channel that broadcast mostly in French-Creole. — **Kanal Martinique Télévision (KMT) is a well-known local TV channel that broadcasts mostly in French-Creole.**

On March 22, Kanal Martinique Télévision (KMT) broadcast interviews about the then upcoming presidential elections, including references to persistent rumors and conspiracy theories about President Emmanuel Macron, who went on to win re-election on April 24.

**The location of Martinique in the Caribbean Sea. (Map courtesy of Wikimedia)**

The rumors question Macron’s sexual orientation, aiming to undercut his ability to lead the country. Similarly transphobic rumors allege that his wife, Brigitte Macron, is actually an older trans woman.

KMT viewers were surprised to hear an interview with a garage owner who expressed his hope that, in the future, “there will be no more faggots or lesbians in the government” and claiming that currently “there is only that” and that “we cannot be led by this kind of people”.

That unedited interview brought to light an ambient homophobia among some of Macron’s opponents, including some in Martinique, which as an overseas territory, is part of France.

Seeking to stop such homophobic public statements, the LGBTQ+ rights group Kap Caraïbe filed complaints with Martinique’s public prosecutor, with the region’s Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (ARCOM), and with the Secretary General of the Territorial Audiovisual Committee of the Antilles-Guyana. They also notified the French LGBTQ+ rights association FLAG!, which combats homophobia in France, including its overseas regions.

In order to remind KMT of its legal obligations and to inform the public, Kap Caraïbe submitted the following press release to Erasing 76 Crimes.

We, an association that works against discrimination and for the human dignity of LGBT+ people in Martinique and more widely in the Caribbean, firmly denounce the “sidewalk interview” broadcast on Kanal Martinique Television (KMT) during its “television news” of March 22, 2022, which was brought to our attention today [April 1, 2022].

The channel knowingly made the choice to keep in the edit an individual making odious, criminally reprehensible remarks, the content of which is the following: “I would have liked
that the government, that there are no more fags, lesbians, because there are only that, fags and lesbians.I wish the government had no more fags or lesbians, because that’s all there are, fags and lesbians. We can’t be led by, by this kind of individuals (…)”

KMT, which defines itself as a “local television service with social and educational goals”, has an immense responsibility in those missions which it it claims to have.

The broadcasting of such remarks is unacceptable and irresponsible, especially in a territory where
homophobia remains common and where LGBT+ people are subjected to aggression including
attempted murder, harassment at school and expulsion from their homes for the sole reason
of their sexual orientation.

We remind KMT of its ethical and legal obligations. A complaint was filed today with the Public Prosecutor.

As a reminder, the 1881 law on the freedom of the press was strengthened in 2004 with criminal sanctions and penalties against persons inciting hatred, violence, discrimination against a person, or a group of people because of their sex or sexual orientation. Penalties can extend to five years of imprisonment and 45 000 euro fine.

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Furthermore, we invite all journalists to consult this information packet [“How to treat LGBT issues with accuracy and respect to persons]”: https://www.ajlgbt.info/informer-sans-discriminer/

Signed by:

KAP CARAÏBE, Culture Égalité, Le mouvement du Nid, ASSOKA, Les Amazones Martinique, UFM, Aides Territoire Martinique, Fédération Socialiste de Martinique, ESA, ILGALAC, FLAG!, Comité IDAHOT France, Réseau Afrique Occident Solidaire, DIVINESLGBTQI+, Amalgame Humani’s, Gay Attitude Guyane, SAFE Saint-Martin, Orizon Réunion, Autonome pour l’Inclusion et l’Émancipation Sociale, ORAH, Héritage pour la Protection des
Droits Humains, UPLCDS Sud Cayes, Pasteur Jonathan, « Mathieu et Alexandre », Moïse
Manoël, Nadia Chonville, Raphaël Constant.

Press contact : Association KAP CARAÏBE : 06.96.17.78.53 / kap.caraibe@live.fr

Source : https://www.facebook.com/kapcaraibe.asso/

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