The puritanism of our society is shocking in that the acts denounced by groups like MeToo and other organizations are the result of well-known facts that have been known for a long time. These acts are perpetrated by the privileged, who, like in the times of empires, reserve the right to sexual coercion—a practice known as ‘droit de cuissage.’ For those unfamiliar with the term, it is worth researching the practices of European nobility in the past. Colonialism also employed such savage practices. Victims of this brutality in modern times were often initially consenting victims because it was customary to go through such experiences to secure a role or advance in a company. This marks a patriarchal society that operates under the mode of submission to the other.

It is all the more tragic because it demonstrates that despite an increasingly intellectualized society, individuals who undergo or have undergone such abuses are not aware of their power. By simply filing a complaint systematically, they could have contributed much more to advancing society than by having their voices carried by denunciation organizations, which often go beyond realities by taking for granted statements made by individuals without real evidence and sensationalizing every potential new case.

Let’s take the case of the French actor Gérard Depardieu entangled in such affairs. Clearly, we are in a privileged environment with political contacts at the highest level, a president of the republic who defends him rather than remaining silent, which should have been the rule, and fellow actors who are among the highest paid and also with significant political support rallying to his defense. Thus, from a patriarchal system, we fall into silence, or rather into an opaque and mafia-like system.

I am not one to condemn any character in advance or one to mock them, but if we want to be just, we must let the investigations progress. Some individuals have filed complaints against the actor, which is a good thing, and they should be supported. However, only their words hold value, not the spokespersons of groups or associations who ultimately play into the hands of the media and, therefore, into the hands of those who fuel this system, as unfortunately, misery sells well.

For once, French society has awakened, and a hundred intellectuals, teachers, and ordinary people have denounced both the actors supporting Gérard Depardieu and the president of the republic who has become an accomplice to these supporters. This is the right path because it is the society’s responsibility to watch over its own, not the interest groups or associations, which, for various reasons, can push them towards excesses.

I personally have no friendship with this actor, nor anything to do with him. I also do not appreciate him as an actor. However, what is certain is that the denunciation systems that have existed for some years are counterproductive and end up benefiting from an extremely negative image due to a lack of moderation in their statements and actions. These groups are, in fact, the result of a macho and patriarchal society, and that is what needs to be brought down and addressed. The rest is a matter of justice, and there is a big difference between helping a victim file a complaint and publicizing a victim to serve a cause, even if it starts with good intentions. Publicizing a victim is the work of a lawyer in a case if the need arises, not that of a group. Once again, let’s watch over each other, and it will be much more productive.

Thierry De Clemensat

Editor in chief

Bayou Blue Radio/Bayou Blue News