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Homosexuality: a bill aims to rehabilitate convicts
Homosexuality: a proposed law aims to rehabilitate convicts – (franceinfo)
Between 1942 and 1982, loving a person of the same sex was a crime in France. A bill aims to rehabilitate and compensate people convicted at the time.
Repairing forty years of humiliation is the aim of a proposed law aimed at compensating people convicted of homosexuality. Between 1942 and 1982, loving a person of the same sex was an offense in France. “Homosexuals, at the time, were mentally ill, unnatural people. In short, we were social scourges”, testifies Michel Chaumara. He was arrested in a gay bar in 1977. He was fined 500 francs, around 80 euros, for violating public morals.
Compensation of at least 10,000 euros
More than 10,000 people were reportedly sentenced, some to prison terms. The bill intends to compensate them with a minimum of 10,000 euros. The proposal is supported by associations fighting against homophobia. For them, recognition of the State’s responsibility in discriminating against homosexuals is essential. Other countries have already adopted such a reparation law such as Germany, Austria, Canada and Spain.
