这项《反性别歧视与性倾向歧视法案》将会在下个月提交给法国议会讨论，这项法案“禁止人们基于性别或者性倾向而对相关人员进行歧视、憎恨或者采取暴力行为”，法案声称如果发生这样的歧视行为，犯罪人员将会被判处一年有期徒刑，最高可处罚金5万4千美元。

　　法国司法部部长多米尼克·培尔邦（Dominique Perben）在每周例行性的内阁会议结束之后告诉记者说：“这一法案将会加大对憎恨同性恋行为的打击力度，有可能会对这种憎恨同性恋的行为采取法律行动，我们将会把这一项工作提升到与打击种族主义和反犹太行为同样的高度。”

　　据法国总统希拉克的发言人称，希拉克本人也已经表示他希望这一法案将会“结束那些针对同性恋者的严重歧视行为”。法国政府之所以开始讨论并批准这一法案是因为今年1月份在法国北部曾经发生过一起男性同性恋者塞巴斯蒂安-诺切特被泼洒汽油的歧视事件。这一事件引发了法国国内各阶层以及法国政府和司法界对保护同性恋者权益的重要性问题的大讨论。用司法部长培尔邦的话说：“这一法律从某种意义上是为诺切特制定的，也可以说是他为同性恋者的权益而争取到的。”

　　据路透社称，记者无国界组织对法国方面通过这项法案则表示了谴责，声称这一提案是一次“真正的退步”，此外，另外两家杂志发行联合会也声称，对妇女及少数同性恋者的特别保护将会为其他人群的要求呼声越发高涨打开一扇大门，最终会导致公众越来越对这些问题的争论失去兴趣。这一法案草案同时也将会受到一些男女平等主义者以及教师群体的批评，他们声称这一法案为一些侮辱女性的行为提供了合法依据，却去保护同性恋者。

　　据路透社报道，男女平等主义组织“保护女性”组织声称，这一项法案无疑是在发出一种危险信号，那就是法国政府在保护同性恋者权益的同时却不那么严肃地对待女性受歧视甚至受侮辱的现象。“保护女性组织”在其所发表的一份声明当中指出：“骂一个人是同性恋者可以被认为是对别人的一种严重侮辱行为，并且法律上找到对其进行惩罚的依据，而骂一个女人是个婊子或者是个荡妇却不会受到任何处罚，这是一种很不公平的现象。”

France to ban sexist insults

Wed 23 June, 2004 16:05

By Sophie Louet

PARIS (Reuters) - France's conservative government has approved a draft law against sexism and homophobia that has worried press freedom watchdogs and angered feminists, who say it puts gays' rights over respect for women.

The bill, due to be submitted to parliament in July, aims to change France's 1881 press law to punish insults based on sexual orientation, including comments against homosexuals as a group.

The bill would also punish incitement to discrimination, hate or violence on gender grounds. Feminists complained that offensive names for gays would be outlawed while women could be called "whores" or "sluts" with impunity.

The law was prompted by an attack on a gay man last January in which he was sprayed with petrol and severely burned. President Jacques Chirac contacted the victim's companion after the attack to express his indignation and sympathy.

"I expect this law to put a stop to such serious acts as insults and provocations to sexist or homophobic violence, hate or discrimination," Chirac told the weekly cabinet meeting that approved the draft.

Justice Minister Dominique Perben indirectly confirmed that homophobia was the bill's main target in comments after a weekly cabinet meeting approved it.

"This law will put the fight against homophobia on the same level, in terms of possible legal action, as the fight against racism and anti-Semitism," he told journalists.

HIERARCHY OF INSULTS

Reporters without Borders, a Paris-based watchdog for press freedom worldwide, criticised the draft last week as "a real step backwards" that could limit the publication of opinions that challenge or shock parts of the population.

Two associations representing magazine publishers have also protested, saying that giving special protection to women and sexual minorities was "an open door to other demands that could lead to a total anaesthetisation of public debate."

A joint declaration by several gay, teachers and trade union groups criticised the draft for creating what it called a legal hierarchy of insults.

A feminist group called "Chiennes de garde" (Guard Bitches) said it would be dangerous "to send a signal that it is less serious to insult a woman because of her sex than to insult people because of their sexual orientation."

"Calling someone a dirty dyke or a fag would become a serious insult in legal terms while there would be no punishment for calling someone a whore or a slut," it wrote in a statement published in the daily Le Monde.

If passed, the law would carry punishments of up to one year in prison and 45,000 euros (30,000 pounds) in fines.