French Senate Passes Bill Acknowledging Past Discrimination Against Homosexuals
The French Senate has unanimously passed a bill recognizing the historical discrimination against homosexuals by the French Republic, addressing the repercussions of discriminatory laws active until 1982. Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti and socialist senator Hussein Bourgi were key figures in advocating for this recognition. The bill, which now awaits the National Assembly’s approval, acknowledges the Republic’s responsibility for enforcing discriminatory sexual orientation laws, causing widespread suffering and trauma. Conservative opposition in the Senate led to the exclusion of financial compensation for victims, with the right-wing senators also rejecting a proposal to criminalize the denial of homosexual deportations. Socio-historian Régis Schlagdenhauffen’s research indicates that these laws resulted in 10,000 convictions and significant financial penalties, although this number likely underestimates the true impact. Read full article