Paris 2024 Olympic Games: the selection of a drag queen as a torchbearer unworthy of Internet users and the far right

La maire de Paris Anne Hidalgo a condamné vendredi “les propos homophobes et transphobes” visant la drag queen Minima Gesté.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo condemns attacks targeting drag queen Minima Gesté.

The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo condemned on Friday "homophobic and transphobic remarks" targeting the drag queen Minima Gesté, whom she selected as bearer of the Olympic flame during her visit to the capital on July 14 and 15.

Broadcast on Wednesday, the video presenting Minima Gesté and her motivations as a torchbearer "was the target of numerous homophobic and transphobic comments that the City of Paris condemns without reservation", indicated the latter in a press release. The town hall explains that it chose Minima Gesté "to help it carry its message of love, openness and equality".

Visibility remains one of the pillars of acceptance of the LGBTQIA community +

"One of the messages that I would very much like to carry with this relay is the pride of my community that I bring with me because ten years ago it’s something that would never have been possible, having a drag queen carry the Olympic flame", said Minima Gesté in this video, emphasizing that "visibility remains one of the pillars of acceptance of the LGBTQIA + community".

Digital harassment

"Yes I am proud and yes Paris is proud that a drag queen carries the flame and therefore the values ​​of peace and humanity’ quot;, declared Anne Hidalgo, quoted in the press release. The elected socialist "provides her total support to Minima Gesté" that the Town Hall "will help in the legal action that it could give" in the face of "this digital harassment, notably relayed by the media ;rsquo;far-right".

Ms. Hidalgo also proceeded, under article 40 of the code of criminal procedure, "to the reporting to the prosecutor of Paris for comments that she considers potentially constituting the offense of public insult of a homophobic or transphobic nature", specifies the Paris municipality.

The very critical extreme right

Interviewed Thursday on TF1, Marion Maréchal, the head of the Reconquête list! in the European elections, criticized the representations "particularly vulgar, hyper sexualized" of Minima Gesté. "I do not consider that this is a good way to represent France in the eyes of the world", added the candidate of the party of ;Eric Zemmour.