“Keep your old world, we want one without sexist and sexual violence”: a collective of feminist associations is calling for rallies in France on Thursday, three weeks after President Emmanuel Macron supported Gérard Depardieu.
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“We call on everyone who defends the rights of women, children and gender minorities and rejects sexist and sexual violence to rally,” writes the feminist collective Grève in a press release.
“Progress has been made since #metoo. We must not allow this progress to be undone by irresponsible, serious and sexist statements by the President of the Republic that undermine the rights of victims and the rights of all women and children,” the collective adds.
A meeting in particular is planned for 6 p.m. in Paris. More are announced in around thirty cities, including Marseille, Lille, Lyon.
Emmanuel Macron appeared on public broadcaster France 5 on December 20 and supported Gérard Depardieu – who is accused of rape and is the subject of three complaints of sexual assault or rape, which he denies – and called him a “great actor” , which “makes the world proud.” France” and denounces a “manhunt”.
The head of state's comments, made after the broadcast of a report on another public channel in which the actor multiplied misogynistic and offensive remarks while addressing women, shocked a part of the population.
Feminist associations described the President of the Republic's statements as “spitting” in the face of victims of sexual violence and denounced a “blame reversal”.
The government spokesman and the president of MoDem, a party allied to the President of the Republic, have now distanced themselves from Emmanuel Macron's position: the first, Olivier Véran, said he was “shocked” by Gérard Depardieu's statements and the second, François Bayrou said he had “no leniency” towards the actor.
“President Macron, who declares himself a champion of the fight against violence against women, turns out to be neither more nor less a defender of the alleged aggressors,” says Grève feministe, deploring that the head of state “did not say a word of solidarity with the alleged aggressors.” have the victims.
The call for demonstration was signed in particular by the Feminist Collective Against Rape, the National Women's Solidarity Federation, the Human Rights League, Family Planning and Dare Feminism.