France pushes through bill to deal with homophobia

damien · 10-12-2004 9:18pm #1

http://uk.gay.com/headlines/7249

Yesterday France came a step closer to creating a new law, making homophobic or sexist comments illegal and outlawing homophobia in the workplace.

The country’s national assembly gave the bill a second reading with its aim being to combat all types of discrimination. If the Senate approves the bill in its current state later on this month it will widen the penalties currently in place for racist abuse to all insults based on ‘gender, sexual orientation or handicap.’

If the proposals become law anyone convicted of making such remarks, either in writing or verbally risks a prison sentence of one year and a fine of up to £31,000. This new law would put France at the forefront of tackling homophobia and sexism. The new law has President Chirac’s backing.

Christian Vanneste, the UMP deputy for the Nord département (the Lille region), said that the idea of making "homophobia" illegal was a "contradiction in terms ... This will bolster the notion that homosexual behaviour has the same value as any other kind of behaviour, when, in fact, it is obvious that it is a threat to the survival of humanity."

Christine Boutin, another UMP deputy who has staunchly opposed equal rights for gay people, managed to persuade deputies, against the advice of the government, to amend the draft law to include insults against "the handicapped".

It seems as though Mme Boutin's intention was to suggest that homosexuality was a sort of handicap. In the context of a law also forbidding sexist insults, the amendment could also be seen to suggest that being a woman is also a handicap.

The proposed law would also make it a criminal offence in France to incite violence or hatred against women or gay people and to discriminate against them in employment, accommodation or services.

parasite · 10-12-2004 9:25pm

does this mean i'll get broadband sooner ?

Astro1996 · 10-12-2004 9:27pm

parasite wrote:

does this mean i'll get broadband sooner ?

LOL!

bizmark · 10-12-2004 9:35pm

God damn it you can’t make a joke now against someone’s gender (read as long as their not men) or sexuality (read as long as their not straight) now wtf is this world coming to? I can’t imagine many sane people being able to take this ultra political correctness world for much long someone some where has to stand up and speak out forcefully against this crap and soon before we lose all freedom of speech.

(should be posted else where)

seamus · 10-12-2004 9:36pm

Jesus damien, if that's not a sign that you need to unplug from IOFFL for a bit, I dunno what is

damien · 10-12-2004 9:45pm

Af for fcks sake. Yeah. 4 hours sleep does this to me.

Stark · 10-12-2004 10:12pm

and they have a lot of anti-nazi laws too.

Why would France have a thing against the Nazis?

I was reading about this bill earlier today, apparently there are fears that it's hugely excessive. For example, the kinds of gay jokes frequently seen on TV - "little britain", "league of gentlemen", "family guy" being examples could become illegal. Though I do love the implication that the Old Testament may become banned literature

And I'd love if the Simpsons were banned from using gay jokes, that would cut off the last of the writers' material

France pushes through bill to deal with homophobia

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