Coinciding with the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, local association Mon’Arc en Ciel has launched a new website dedicated to raising awareness about LGBTQ+ rights, ending discrimination and offering support to LGBTQ+ people in the Principality.
Every year, 17th May marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. The date is particularly significant in Monaco in 2024 as it coincides with the unveiling of a brand-new website spearheaded by Mon’Arc en Ciel – ‘My Rainbow’ in English – that is seeking to boost awareness of LGBTQ+ rights in the Principality as well as act as a vehicle for support and education.
Founded in 2023 by a group of young people who felt compelled to champion positive changes to the rights and protections afforded to their community, a statement published on Mon’Arc en Ciel’s new website reads, “Young LGBTQ+ people in Monaco must be able to grow up in an environment where they feel safe and valued, without fear of discrimination or rejection.”
Monaco’s record on rights and laws regarding homosexuality is relatively good. The nation has been historically very tolerant of same-sex relations, which were decriminalised way back in 1793. Same-sex partnerships via co-habitation agreements such as the Contrat de Vie Commune and PACS have been legally accepted since 2020.
Discrimination safeguards do not specifically single out people with certain gender identities or sexual orientations, but they cover general civil rights, such as equality before the law, due process, privacy rights, right to practice any religion and free speech. The Principality has made hate speech a crime and has adopted anti-harassment and anti-discrimination laws to protect all.
Furthermore, the National Guard, the closest thing to armed forces in Monaco, recruits people of all sexual orientations.
Though the protections are significant, there are areas the LGBTQ+ community would like to see improved. For example, same-sex marriage is still not recognised and nor can same-sex couples adopt a child in the Principality. There is no right to change gender legally and access to IVF for lesbians remains prohibited.
To learn more about Mon’Arc en Ciel and its projects, click here.
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Photo via Mon’Arc en Ciel