Here is a list of french terms used to talk about queer culture, some info and also ressources you might want to check out. Let me point out right away that I indicated slurs because they have been reclaimed by the community. I’m hoping no one here will use them to hurt anyone.
gay : homo(sexuel-le), pédé (fag) / lesbian : lesbienne, gouine (dyke)
bi : bisexuel-le, bigoudou (fam)
ace : asexuel-le, ace (ep)
straight : hétéro(sexuel-le)
transgender : transgenre (ep) / cisgender : cisgenre (ep)
third gender : troisième sexe (m)
butch : butch, camionneuse (female truck driver)
androgynous : androgyne (ep)
non-binary : non binaire (ep) - more about that in the pinned comment
pronoun : pronom (m) / she : elle / he : il / they : iel
agender : agenre (ep) / feminine : féminin / masculine : masculin
Please note : all the specific vocabulary (grey, demi…) is kept in the english version but you change the last “a” for a “e” just as you see above.
gender : genre (m) / identity : identité (f)
sexual orientation : orientation (f) sexuelle
sexuality : sexualité (f) / birth : naissance (f)
coming-out : faire son coming-out (m)
getting out of the closet : sortir du placard
same : même (ep) / binder : binder (m)
transitioning : transitionner, v / transition (f)
hormon : hormone (f) > testostérone-progestérone-oestrogène
treatment : traitement (m)
pride : fierté (f) / walk : marche (f) / justice : justice (f) / fight : combat (m)
top : actif/ve, dominant-e
bottom : passif/ve, dominé-e, soumis-e
have sex : coucher, v / fuck : baiser, v / make love : faire l’amour, v
one-night stand : coup (m) d’un soir (m)
fuck buddy : plan (m) cul (m)
looking for sex : chercher du cul (: ass), v
condom : préservatif (m), capote (f)(fam)
Marriage has been opened to same-sex partners in France on the 13th of may, 2013, despite lots of pressure, especially from a large group called LMPT ‘la manif pour tous” (’the protest march for all’) - whose slogan was ‘on ne lâche rien’ (we won’t give up) and linked to the right and far-right french parties and the catholic church. They have been criticized and/or sued for homophobia, racism and children instrumentalization.
While gay women can give blood since 2002 (had been forbidden to ‘gay and bisexual people with multiple partners’ since 1983 because of health prejudice linked to AIDS), gay men can since july 2016 if they have been single for a year. It’s still asked on the form when you go give blood currently.
Queer Zones + Sexpolitiques by trans activist and uni teacher Sam or Marie-Hélène Bourcier (who introduced queer theory to France, where gender studies are barely a thing)(I’m mentioning his dead name bc the transition is recent and most of his work is only available under it)
La Pensée Straight, Monique Wittig, 1992
C'est pour un garçon ou pour une fille ? Georges-Claude Guilbert, 2004
Le Journal, Fabrice Néaud, 1996 : a man draws the story of how he fell in love with another man then gets dumped, when gay men had to hide. It’s very pretty, very sad and absolutely beautiful.
En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule, Edouard Louis, 2014 : autobiographic novel from a bright young man ; his life, his bullies, his acceptance.
Sodome et Gomorrhe, Marcel Proust, 1921 : not a gay novel but a gay relationship within one of the biggest french novels of the last century.
Le bleu est une couleur chaude, Julie Marot, 2010 : you might have heard of La Vie d’Adèle aka Blue is the warmest color. It’s from that comic.
Mémoires d’Hadrien, Marguerite Yourcenar, 1951 : a book about Hadrian, roman emperor, who built a wall and was very gay.
Corydon, André Gide, 1911 : essay about homosexuality
Corps à corps, journal de SIDA, Alain Emmanuel Dreuilhe, 1987 : autobiographic, a man’s fight with AIDS.
Sarrasine, Honoré de Balzac, 1830 (trans, gay, cross dressing, v v pretty)
Tomboy, Célina Sciamma, 2011 (transgender, kids)
Laurence Anyways, Xavier Dolan, 2012 (transgender)
N’être ni fille ni garçon, TV documentary, 2010 (intersex)
Le Mystère Alexina, René Féret, 1985 (intersex)
Huit femmes, François Ozon, 2002 (lesbians briefly, cluedo movie)
Elles, Małgorzata Szumowska, 2011 (lesbians) > french movie but amazing polish director who also made In the name of (gay, religion)
Les onze mille Verges, Éric Lipmann, 1974 (after Guillaume Apollinaire’s novel, 1907, that’s amazing and pretty graphic)(the title means literally ‘the 11 000 penises’) (porn, gay, orgies, bdsm, necrophilia…)
Guillaume et les garçons, Guillaume Gallienne, 2013 (trans, sexuality)
Yves Saint-Laurent, Jalil Lespert, 2014 (gay)
ellievsbear
jbbartram-illu
blakekathryn
dededos
