LGBT culture in Paris

Gay village in Le Marais
Le Marais, Paris
Paris Pride

LGBT culture in France is centred on Paris, the capital city, where there is an active LGBT community.

In the 1990s, 46% of France's gay men lived in Paris. As of 2004, Paris had 140 LGBT bars, clubs, hotels, restaurants, shops, and other commercial businesses. Florence Tamagne, author of "Paris: 'Resting on its Laurels'?", wrote that there is a "Gaité parisienne"; she added that Paris "competes with Berlin for the title of LGBT capital of Europe, and ranks only second behind New York for the title of LGBT capital of the world."[1] It has France's only gayborhoods that are officially organized.[1]

History

Tamagne stated that beginning in the 19th century Paris became known as a centre for LGBT culture. She wrote that during the early 20th century Paris was seen as a "queer" capital, even though Amsterdam, Berlin, and London all had more meeting places and organizations than Paris; this was due to the "flamoyance" of LGBT quarters and "visbility" of LGBT celebrities.[1] Tamagne stated that in the 1930s the LGBT populations socialized with migrant groups, some youth groups, criminal groups, and other groups who were "marginalized" in society.[2]

According to Tamagne, Paris retained the LGBT capital image after the end of World War II.[1] Tamagne stated that in the 1950s and 1960s the police and authorities tolerated homosexuals as long as the conduct was private and out of view.[2] In the 1960s, gay males received more harassment from police than lesbians. Between the years of 1953 and 1978 the annual numbers of women convicted of homosexuality ranged between one and twelve.[3] Tamagne characterized this number as "relatively low".[4] Drag performances used male-to-female transsexuals because the police did not allow cisgender males to perform in drag.[2] Gay bar raids occurred during the 1950s and 1960s; there were occasions when the owners of the bars were involved in facilitating the raids. Lesbians rarely visited gay bars and instead socialized in circles of friends.[3] Lesbians who did go to bars often originated from the working class; other women had internalized self-loathing and/or did not want to damage their reputations.[4]

By the 1970s police files on gays and lesbians were destroyed, and many laws against LGBT conduct and people were repealed.[4]

An anti-gay marriage demonstration occurred in the Esplanade des Invalides in 2013.[5]

Geography

Le Marais is the main gayborhood of Paris.[6]

In the early 20th century, Montmartre and Pigalle were meeting places of the LGBT community.[1] By the 1950s the meeting place shifted to Saint-Germain-des-Prés.[7]

Economy

Les Mots à la Bouche.

LGBT businesses in Paris include bars, clubs, restaurants, and shops. Stéphane Leroy stated that 70% of these businesses are in arrondissements one through four. Of the businesses in all of Paris, 40% are in Le Marais.[8]

Frommer's described Les Mots à la Bouche (FR) in the 4th arrondissement, which carries materials in French and English, as "Paris's largest, best-stocked gay bookstore".[9]

Media

The lesbian magazine La Dixième Muse and the gay male magazines Têtu and Préf are in Paris. These three magazines include English texts.[9]

Historical publications include Juventus, which was published in 1959 from May to November, and Arcadie (FR), which was published by the Arcadie organisation.[3]

Politics

Tamagne wrote that Paris "is not the trendiest LGBT city" and "cannot compare with cities like San Francisco, New York or Sydney, or even its nearer former rivals London and Berlin" in regards to nightlife and LGBT activism.[1]

In October 1966 Coutrot, a socialist counselor, criticized LGBT persons for being open with their sexuality, stating that this was "shocking" the "honest citizens" and damaging Paris's international image, "notably regarding the tourists."[4] In May of the following year Edouard Frédéric-Dupont, a conservative councillor, requested that the police increase levels of surveillance in an area bounded by boulevard Raspail and Saint-Germain-de-Pres square. The police complied with his request and arrests resulted.[3]

Recreation

Paris Pride or La Marche des Fiértes LGBT de Paris is the gay pride parade in Paris.[10]

Religion

In 2012 Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, who originated from Algeria,[11] stated that he wished to open a mosque in Paris that was LGBT friendly.[12] He planned to open the mosque in an undisclosed Buddhist temple in the east side of Paris.[13] The mosque opened in 2012. This mosque also aimed to welcome transgender and transsexual individuals. The director of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Dalil Boubakeur, stated that it is not possible to have an LGBT-friendly mosque that follows the rules of Islam.[14]

Notable residents

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tamagne, p. 240.
  2. 1 2 3 Tamagne, p. 242.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Tamagne, p. 243.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Tamagne, p. 244.
  5. ↑ Morgenstein, Mark. "Protesters against same-sex marriage fill central Paris plaza" (Archive). CNN. Monday May 17, 2013. Retrieved on September 24, 2014.
  6. ↑ Sibalis, p. 1740.
  7. ↑ Tamagne, p. 242-243.
  8. ↑ Tamagne, p. 250.
  9. 1 2 Paris Side Trips: Frommer's ShortCuts. Frommer's ShortCuts. Google Books PT90. Retrieved on September 24, 2014.
  10. ↑ Dunlop, Fiona. Fodor's Paris' Twenty-five Best. Fodor's Travel Publications, 2012. ISBN 0307928128, 9780307928122. p. 162.
  11. ↑ Würger, Takis. "Suras and Tolerance: Meet Europe's Gay Imam" (Archive). Der Spiegel. 13 August 2014. Retrieved on 26 September 2014.
  12. ↑ Zahed, Ludovic-Mohamed. "Why I want to open a gay-friendly mosque in Paris" (Archive). The Guardian. Monday 25 November 2012. Retrieved on 24 September 2014.
  13. ↑ Jovanovic, Dragana. "Gay Mosque to Open in Paris, Address to Be Secret" (Archive). ABC News. 28 November 2011. Retrieved on 26 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "‘Europe’s first gay-friendly mosque’ sparks controversy" (Archive). France 24. 5 December 2014. Retrieved on 26 September 2014.

References

Further reading

External links

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