Le Figaro Bordeaux
In premises loaned by the city of Mérignac and thanks to volunteers and public funding provided by the CAF, the Gironde department and the town hall (296,226 euros in 2022, Editor's note), the MJC CLAL, one of the “
Youth Centers and culture”
of Mérignac, regularly organizes activities for young audiences.
For the next February school holidays, between a robot workshop and a circus event, the organization aimed at
"popular education"
has also decided to offer young people, from 11 years old,
"a drag course that breaks the codes",
hosted by the Bordeaux LGBTI+ center, Le Girofard
.
As a concerned parent, I am deeply troubled by this internship which does not appear to be in the best interests of the children.
Rémi Corbier, president of AFC Bordeaux Nord Gironde
Objective of the week: create your drag queen character by choosing
“a drag name, a gender and a code”
, share time for reflection
“on gender, codes, stereotypes and how to play with them”
, learn to parade in heels with the appropriate look and expression or even put yourself on stage in a drag performance.
“For the moment, there are four children registered and four waiting
,” says Le
Figaro
a source close to the matter, who evokes “
a whim of the management”
.
Aged between 11 and 15 years old according to our sources, these young people could still see their ranks grow, because registrations for the course are still open.
Read alsoLyon 2: a drag queen dances half-naked in a busy amphitheater
“Drag queens belong to an adult world”
While voices are being raised against this internship, the MJC CLAL of Mérignac, contacted several times by
Le Figaro
, refuses to speak out.
“Is 11 an age to learn to walk on heels and do a drag performance while immersed in this environment, full of cleavage and excessive makeup?
Drag queens belong to an adult world
,” denounces Virginie Tournay, spokesperson for the Parents Vigilant association in Gironde.
Before becoming indignant:
“There is a desire to sexualize children and trivialize them.
We raise property taxes to waste public money on propaganda among children.”
Comments shared by the Bordeaux Nord Gironde branch of Catholic family associations (AFC), at the origin of a petition to demand the cancellation of this course and which has gathered more than 600 signatures since it was put online on Monday.
“As a concerned parent, I am deeply troubled by this internship which does not appear to be in the best interests of the children.
It is crucial that they are protected against potentially inappropriate influences
,” writes the association, recognized as being of public utility since 2004.
“Let the children grow up in peace”
An opinion also expressed by the signatories of this petition.
“Grotesque, abject and manipulative”
,
“Let the children grow up in peace!
They will have plenty of time to play adults later”
,
“I consider this activity on drag queens to be dangerous for the psychological balance of minors”,
some argue
.
“This hypersexualization is harmful for children and it is not being queer-homophobic to say it, it is common sense”, “Children must grow up without influence on their gender or sexual orientation.
A free choice in adulthood implies that they have not been influenced beforehand,”
others add
.
In an open letter addressed Monday to the mayor of Mérignac, which
Le Figaro
was able to consult, the president of the Gironde branch of the AFC, Rémi Corbier, questions the relevance of this internship in the names of the members of his association
“hurt”
by his organization .
“What message do you want to convey to young people?
Do you think that at 11 years old children are capable of developing themselves in full freedom of conscience?
Does this workshop correspond to a request from parents, the first educators of children?
When requested, the town hall of Mérignac reminds that popular education associations are free in their programming and
“do not express a particular position”
with regard to this drag queen course organized for children aged 11 and over.