School Harassment, Transphobia, Immigration Law: Erwann Le Hô, Coordinator of the LGBTQIA+ Center in Nice, Discusses the Demands Shaping the 2023/2024 School Year.
Since 2011, the LGBTQIA+ Center in Nice has been dedicated to welcoming and supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual people, and others who need help or information on matters of sexual orientation, gender identity, or sexual prevention.
On Sunday, September 24, the organization began its new year. This house of associations works year-round to advance LGBTQIA+ rights while defending the values of “living together and respecting people in their differences“. This annual event is of particular importance to Erwann Le Hô, former volunteer president and salaried coordinator of the queer center in Nice for the past year.
This evening indeed allows the community to gather and integrate new members around a convivial moment. Exhibitions, speeches, aperitifs, artistic demonstrations, and a DJ set marked the evening. It is also an opportunity to present the new features of the year.
During the summer, the Roquebilière street center underwent significant renovation work, notably modernizing the association’s bar to be “more welcoming and warm”. The premises have been made accessible to people with disabilities.
In a desire for inclusion, many member associations were able to showcase their sports activities, from self-defense to women’s and LGBT football, including yoga, during this festive reopening.
Immigration Law: “We Think What Is Emerging Is a Mistake”
As the head of a center specializing in health care access, Erwann Le Hô is concerned about the content of the immigration law project being prepared by the government and especially “the potential reductions in access to state medical aid”.
“We think that what’s emerging is that access to care for migrants will become more complicated, and we rather think it is a mistake because if we want to prevent viruses from spreading, people should be allowed to access the healthcare system without hindrance”, the coordinator states.
He testifies: “Here, we welcome LGBT people who flee their countries because they are threatened with death, torture, or risk imprisonment.” In this regard, he does not want to see these individuals, who may have experienced various forms of violence and trauma, denied or reduced access to care, jeopardizing their health and the health of others. “Viruses don’t care about administrative statuses and skin colors”, he concludes.
Sustaining the Sexual Health Center of 8 Baquis
In January 2022, the LGBTQIA+ center inaugurated a community sexual health center, known as 8 Baquis, in partnership with the Alpes-Maritimes department. Since its opening, 800 people have visited this center at least once.
The flagship facility of the center, Erwann Le Hô proudly reflects on this project, a rarity in France. “Our goal was to design a health center for those most exposed to AIDS, especially LGBT people”, he explains.
This space offers specific medical specialties such as “HIV and STI testing, psychology, risk reduction in chemsex, addiction, and hormonal follow-up for transgender individuals”, he lists.
“Trans People Are Still at the Prehistory of Their Rights in France“
“Trans people are still at the prehistory of their rights in France”, Erwann Le Hô declares. The current situation of transgender individuals is a real cause for concern for the collective. “People face many attacks in political, psychological, and medical spheres”, he claims.
Erwann Le Hô denounces normalized transphobia that exists notably in right-wing and far-right politics. This hatred and contempt, he says, are expressed through aggressive speeches during “political discourse”, or “op-eds in major magazines”.
“The path for trans people remains complicated in France since their civil status change can only be obtained in court“, laments the spokesperson.
“These are individuals who are already more isolated, more rejected by their families or even the medical environment, with less access to the labor market, making them more vulnerable. We find it particularly cowardly to target individuals who are already weakened“, he states. He calls for a free, simple, and accessible civil status change process at town halls.
Sex Education in Schools as a Means to Combat Harassment
The month of September, synonymous with the start of the school year, is also an opportunity to speak out about school bullying. For him, one of the keys to “preventing a number of bullying situations” lies in education.
More specifically, in the three mandatory annual education and prevention sessions on sexuality in French schools, colleges, and high schools as provided by law. These moments are also meant to address topics like respect for consent, gender equality, sexual orientation, and gender issues.
Three national associations, Sidaction, Family Planning, and SOS Homophobie, sued the state last March to compel it to enforce the law. “The goal isn’t to attack the state, but to say: ‘Let’s stop lamenting over each suicide attempt following bullying situations, and implement the law!‘”, he insists.
Practical Information
The LGBTQIA+ center is located at 123, rue de Roquebillière, 06 300 Nice.
Social assistance and individual support, open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 3 pm.
Association bar, open Monday evenings from 5 pm to 8 pm and Saturday evenings from 4 pm to 8 pm.
For more information, the center’s website is: centrelgbt06.fr
