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| Xavier Bongibault, a very troubled young man, compares France to Nazi Germany at an anti-equality conference, Friday |
This week I have been to a gay rights event almost every day, whether it was for or against my rights. On Friday 11th, I infiltrated a conference organized by Frigide Barjot, one of the most prominent spokeswomen for the "one father, one mother" side of the debate. Unfortunately - after passing two metal detectors and my bag being searched -, I found she didn't turn up because she was on TV discovering her own book on camera on a political commentary show (she got ripped apart by the panel). Instead, we got the pleasure of being sent 21 year-old Xavier Bongibault (which, I may add, is a ridiculous name), a gay man who apparently is part of "the majority of gay people against the equality bill" in his own words.
I have most of his speech on video as I was recording the event as it happened. During the conference, Bongibault compared France's government to Nazi Germany. He did it again during the anti-equality rally on Sunday, before saying he "got a bit carried away" but he wouldn't take his words back. Lesbian journalist, Caroline Fourest said "he lost it a long time ago to end up as a spokesperson for that movement". The press was all over the comparison so I released the video of the conference on Monday evening, the reason being that if he had got "carried away" he would have only said it once, right? But no, he said exactly the same sentence two days earlier and was applauded by his audience. The video has since been picked up by a few French gay rights news sites.
Here's the video for those of you who can understand French:
But the good point is that the conservatives are divided. They can't decide what marriage is and they all want different things. Some are for marriage but against adoption, others against everything the bill proposes. They're fighting amongst themselves and sometimes forget to fight against the bill. A lot of them are calling for a referendum to be called. In all their arguments, they quote Freud, anti-feminist TV programs, and studies conducted by homophobes such as Baron Cohen. They even dance on the brink of insults. One remark which made me particularly angry at the conference was:
"We're not an apolitical movement, we're not a neutrally religious movement; we're trans-political and trans-religious... In fact, you would say we're a 'trans' movement!"
Xavier Bongibault
Hotel IBIS, Mériadeck, Bordeaux, France - 11/01/2013
On Sunday, when the anti-equality protesters returned from Paris on their chartered TGVs (yes, they had to organise extra trains especially), my activism association, Glimpy, waited for them at the station with rainbow flags and placards in-hand. We organized the "welcoming committee" in the space of two hours and managed to get 20 people together. Some who were returning on the trains were so fed up of the anti-equality demonstration that they joined us in distributing flyers for the pro-equality rally in Bordeaux this weekend. We were confronted by quite a few of the antis as they walked out and one of the so-called "not homophobic" protesters, called one of us a "dirty faggot". It has since been reported to the police (who turned up an hour late). We met many journalists as well, who took the time to interview us and take pictures, despite it being 10 o'clock at night. Here's a tweet from the regional radio station.
À la gare de Bordeaux les manifestants de retour de la #ManifPourTous à Paris sont accueillis par des pro mariage gay twitter.com/Bleu_Gironde/s…According to the latest polls, 56% of French voters are for marriage equality, but only 45% for adoption rights for married same-sex couples.
— France_Bleu_Gironde (@Bleu_Gironde) January 13, 2013
The law will be discussed in the National Assembly from the 29th January and should be voted upon before the end of June.
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