Mais la loi ne fait pas tout: l'homophobie dans la France contemporaine

"Une fois encore, la prévention et la pédagogie montrent leurs limites, leur insuffisance, leur inadéquation. Alors il nous faut dire et redire, prévenir et informer, rester vigilants et ne surtout pas rester indifférents." This remark on the website of the Centre lesbien, gai, bi et trans de Paris et Ile de France (http://www.cglparis.org/) encapsulates the paradox which is contemporary LGBT France. On the one hand the State seeks to protect its citizen by means of a new law against homophobia (though not articulated as such but as loi 2004-1486 'portant création de la Haute autorité de lutte contre les discriminations et pour l'égalité'); on the other, attacks against French and other LGBT people continue. The article traces the developments around the new law within the context of press and political commentary from those within and outside the LGBT 'community', and that of homophobic activity. It refers among other events to the 2005 gay marriage in Bègles and the verbal as well as physical attacks mounted from a variety of positions more generally, seeking to engage with the issue of whether legislation in and of itself is enough to deal with a scourge of society which has been relatively overlooked until recently in France and elsewhere.