The situation of gays in Switzerland

The Gay Pride event in Fribourg took place on June 25. Wandering from one pavilion to another, sipping a beer here and there, contemplating the sensuality of charming drag queens or virile damsels, I also spotted people of all types: young and old, men and women were there to feast together. Dancing to the rhythm of Travel, travel sung by its author Desireless, who was present for the event, I end up stopping at the stand of the Geneva Federation of LGBT Associations. I exchange a few words with its representative.

Le Regard Libre: You're in charge of the Geneva Federation of LGBT Associations stand here at the Fribourg Gay Pride. Can you tell us about your association's work?

Delphine Roux: I coordinate the Fédération Genevoise des Associations LGBT - lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres - which is made up of five associations: «Association 360», «Dialogai», «Lestime», «Parents d'homos» and «Think out». Each of these associations has its own specificity, and they joined forces in 2008 to develop common projects. «Association 360» has a Bi group, a Trans group, a Homoparents group and a Tamalou group (for LGBT seniors). «Dialogai» is for homosexual and bisexual men, «Lestime» is for lesbian and bisexual women, «Parents d'homos» is for parents of homosexuals, and «Think out» is the association for LGBT students at Geneva's universities and colleges. One of the Federation's projects is our «Totem» group, which provides listening, support and meetings specifically for young LGBT people up to the age of twenty-five.

Are you committed to helping people who suffer discrimination??

Above all, we offer a meeting place for young people. Nevertheless, it's true that we help many people who suffer from discrimination, whether at school, in the family, or within their circle of friends... It's easy for people close to them to react negatively to a «coming-out». Our aim is to give these young people a space where they can talk about their difficulties, but also to offer them the opportunity to meet other young people who are going through similar situations. The whole process is supervised by a team of volunteer animators. We also work with schools. We organize workshops to prevent homophobia. We've been doing this since 2009, in partnership with the Département de l'Instruction Publique.

Is cooperation with the state important to you?

Absolutely. One of our main aims is to work with public institutions. Two years ago, we worked with the Lycée-Collège des Creusets in Sion.

Right, then. Let's move on to the event we're experiencing here tonight. Do you see it more as a party or a place to make demands?

Pride has several aims. The first is festive, because it's a space where everyone can be themselves. However, demands are always present, so Pride is also political. We march together to be ourselves, to celebrate that, but also to expose our opposition to insults and discrimination against others. In so doing, we are also asserting our rights. Pride is all these things at once, and that's beautiful. You can see people marching in sequins, in drag, or simply with their banners, or people in drag with banners.

As far as the situation of homosexuals in Switzerland is concerned, do you think it's lagging behind the rest of Europe or, on the contrary, that it's already very good?

We stand for equality, without compromise! This means total legal and social equality. At present, Switzerland lags behind the rest of Europe and the West generally. However, we have made progress, which is good news. In particular, a few weeks ago, the adoption of a child by one of the homosexual partners was made possible. Nevertheless, there are still many steps to be taken. Think of gay marriage! Of course, not everyone wants to get married, but we must give everyone the choice to do so if they so wish. With same-sex marriage, we also demand all that it implies, i.e. adoption, medically-assisted procreation, automatic filiation and so on. We also strongly defend the children of rainbow families!

And what would you say to someone who, opposing your claims, asserts that there can only be marriage between a man and a woman??

These comments are part of a social and, above all, religious construct, but everything is bound to evolve. Please don't think that we want to destroy heterosexual marriage. We're simply asking for absolute equality of all rights, because we all have the same duties. What's more, opening civil marriage to same-sex couples would not take away any rights from married heterosexual couples.

You are requesting a right to for same-sex couples, but what about the rights of children from the child himself?

Let's talk about children's rights! That's exactly what we're fighting for. Children of homosexual parents are discriminated against solely because of their parents' sexual orientation. We want to legally protect children living with two parents of the same sex. Because if the biological parent dies, the child has no guarantee of being able to live with the non-statutory parent to whom he or she is attached. We place the child's well-being at the heart of this debate. What's more, forty years of international research show that a child grows up just as well in a heterosexual couple as in a homosexual one.

However, for there to be a In order to create a child, you need a man and a woman.

No! You need a sperm and an egg, not a man and a woman.

Of course, but you're talking about a male genital organ and a female genital organ, which implies a man and a woman.

No, because we can use medically assisted procreation. The latter is used by far more heterosexual couples than homosexuals. One couple in seven is currently infertile. But then again, what is the norm? What is nature? Is everything as natural as we think?

Finally, are you confident about the future situation of homosexuals in Switzerland?

Of course we are! A lot of great steps will be taken soon. We'll be moving in the right direction; I hope we'll take a leaf out of Canada's book, which has become very advanced on these issues. Equality will come, and even sooner than we think.

Interview by Loris S. Musumeci.