Carla Sofia Gascon, who won the Best Actress award for ‘Emilia Perez’, during the Palme d’Or winners’ photocall at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival | Photo Credit: Getty Images
French gay organisations have filed a complaint against far-right politician Marion Marechal-Le Pen, accusing her of “transphobic insults” following comments about Carla Sofia Gascón’s historic best actress win at the Cannes Film Festival. Gascón, the first trans actress to win the award, shared the honour with co-stars Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz for their roles in Jacques Audiard’s gangster musical. Emilia Perez.
Maréchal-Le Pen took to social media to criticise the award, posting on X: “So a man has won the award for best actress… The progress of the left is to erase women and mothers.” His comments were quickly condemned by several LGBT+ groups, including Mousse, LGBT Families, Adhéos, Quazar, the LGBTI+ Federation and STOP Homophobia. These organisations have collectively filed a complaint with the Paris public prosecutor, citing “insults due to gender identity”, a charge that can result in up to a year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros under French law.
In response to the filing, Maréchal-Le Pen appeared on France Inter, dismissing the legal threat posed by what she described as “LGBT militant-activists”. She maintained her stance, arguing that biological sex is an immutable reality: “The truth is that being male or female is a biological reality, whether you like it or not. The XX and XY chromosomes cannot be undone.”
Maréchal-Le Pen, who is campaigning for the European Parliament elections as the leader of the right-wing party Reconquet! founded by Eric Zemmour, has faced strong criticism from gay advocates. Etienne Deshoulieres, a lawyer representing gay groups, said Maréchal-Le Pen’s comments denied the existence and struggle of trans people.
Terrence Khachadourian, general secretary of Stop Homophobia, highlighted the dangerous impact of such rhetoric, linking it to rising violence against gay people. “Since 2016, violence against LGBT+ people has increased by more than 129%, with the biggest increase affecting transgender people,” he said, stressing the urgent need to protect this vulnerable community.
