Gai Pied After Ten Years: ‘A Commercial Success, ‘A Moral Bankruptcy? Jan Willem Duyvendak, PHD Sota: intone ae eee Hpoaeteneateeen mere Sake eecaweiren os Hevea ieee ore cota erramacmcanamt Sassen ip Wits Dye 95) ms gd a res sot Bu Mts Daye 195) sade cap Ase. (Mawr coins nla Pl fe Ten Year A Cane sah sal Butgcy/™ Dayana on Wes, at ain Dupe Sopa Stuns i te Zuma of Anse be Hah Secartny vor as ho. 2 198, pr S28 any Ses fe Frc Cuno: ear race, om, Br Cae a eer. {Sa Rage ge cindy he ‘in 99, p 20631 Mico ee rts y= cis fw 0 twos Dunes Delve Cen. Cal A ‘Yomi (sn et so ermsen.00- 5.0) ad kor DOCUMENT Dauveny core (01990 by Te Here re x As reried. 206GAL PLED JE TAIME (nthe occasion ofits seventh bitsy, dhe French gay wekly mapa Gai Pld offered a seven-day tp to Grete fo he wine Fis love lever cones. More tan 500 eters were set i and irate of mizuls, oe ofthe winning eters was adres othe ‘panne ise “Ga Ped, je Cie” (Gel Ped, I love you), "n 198), Gal Pld cele ent anniversary. Was tere to tea new devlariton of love? No, more ofan explanation of love ‘Gy ten ear go, amusingly inte incoming aout, Prancepro- aaod le fet ey gaze ected a te gay commun a We {ip the cutie wold, Gal Ped (prondued "xy peeay”) Cincy meaning "Gay Foot” the magarne’s name is fay an ‘labore pun The Freneh word "guepe, "pronounced eublly fhe sme way, means 2 "bore est” The Pench slang expres ‘Shon "pendre son pis" meant to have an orgasm. Put these ‘xpress fogetier, we produce dhe image of @ swarm of gay prole al having orgaens. But he ie coul als be interpreted as Rona gay foot’ ot "onthe way wit gays.” The people who set op th! publisdon ceainy dint lak imagination, aio they ede surpet that one day they would figucavely bring 2 ome set down aout tr own eas fo. Ti 1¥/), Gar Ped sare from seri, even king no scout fas profesional managements canimiy, snd the position it holds ine ow comay. Since 198, fe has been the quen of ‘Europe's gry magne, i France, i tbe most imporant xy “organiza ofthe eighties. "The preparation ofthe sll fom which Gal Pied would fall spring had begun sory afer May 1968. "You think hat sie ‘Soule imegrae gays, Dur say dat gays must Gsistegrte so "sl Francoise @'Faubene, lesbian passionara of the fst ‘te, impressing tis ket upon sn aalence of moderate lesbians nd gay aen in 1970, Athouph he rhetoric subsequently became tes reveluionry in fone, any mls and inellecal ike Cay Hoeguenghem and Michel Foveault(aventor of the name Gat Pied) wail forth ret ofthe decade sr up ne and tie agin ‘he queton: "How ean inegration and autonomy be balanced? ia Fetrunry 1979, the sctit "Groupe 6e Lisérasan Homo: ey Male iy ont Coeesey Eo sexu” published the fist sue ofthe new nonhly Gal Pied. The Tagazie had enough gay sensibility to agpeal 10 host of guys ted of ao and Marx. ""Everything changed tht yar.” The = thors of the Gay Report exited in 1984 tat afr five years Gz ‘ied bad tarped out to bean enormous sss, 2 pbenomenon of ‘profound ifigece on guy life in France. But Gat Pied's appeal ‘ras not, a8 they declafed that Ya bacome the jour of ti Tomouiual movement, On tie courary, Gal Pied had not become the journal of an organization, but an organzation in and of ise. ‘hen te dea of Gat Pled was laocte, te g2y movement es areny om it last os,” one of is fonder acky Fougerey Ivrea retospeet” That way eld Be Duc up as an indepen ‘eat nagarine, However, Frank Aral, careceur de aredaction (editor, point out tat te pol gay overeat at that ne ‘ada’ faded avay yet, but that Gal Pld wrested self fom te ‘one-dimensional coneptions of bamoseniy prevailing a dat tne." Gt Ped has completely detached il from nlianey even thowgh te Homose cause remains te vig force behind i evelopmet'” Gal Ped shows tht the vor of gays conned ‘more than suffering and struggling, more than jst fut and bur- ews, The magazine elf has ensneipated the homosexual wor. ‘Gat Pied soon coveced eves, bt payed an active part in hem. {Sr well tr oypaseeg te acon homopues of Arete mgs “inn the pes with thir raeal plea emit, and the purely ‘comercial magazines filed with Clones. ‘Gai Pied broke With" gaucisma (he pola radial ef) for good, To te arhitets of Gai Pied, the movement of 1968 was 20 fore thin a mater of appronsceship, ant he mother church. The ‘agazie started ut wat lite robb 3 baggage. Thad not ing ore or les fo offer than Is autonony and especie spends that has remained ix nin fen: to curate the gay worl and fo inject with cutie, More tan epreseating the gay word, Gal ‘Pred reflec It pases oa only opars not convictions. Diag {he eights the eda sa was torn wa controversy about de ‘ogres fo which te magazine should poliscize or commercialize ‘Several spits occured, Among the losers was Jean le Bou, te ‘original founder himselfTHE POWER OF IMAGINATION Gal Ped wes no he only gay prides eniring the markt st the end of ie seventies however. omephonts, te jourzal of he potted say organization CUAR’ leo founded in 1999, gave it Eray too, followed soon by Samoura and te more conelasve ‘Masques But in conast to these tree magazives wih were ‘aoa fo fold by 1986, Cal Ped persisted. Ia hs way, Gai Pld ‘exam thr magazine for French 2a, is face inside to th gay ‘word aswell aro the ousige worl, Hence, the neeasd visi {3 of homosertalty in France must fete most part be atibued {0 Gal Ped. And then frit suscesfly change from only {0 weekly publeston, Gal Ped Hebdo (hebdomadare means "weekly ) GPH, ip 198, bind an almost uraseaabe postion cone By mazatine marke That, foros long it sted. "Then « new comminsnion developmant emerged to afer gays snprecneted poses for communiating among emszives ‘without he need t0 resort othe perso 26s (Go inporant Tor ‘Sle nagarines. This Waste "rune," a means of coma ‘ion vi a lphone-computer network. Tasks tots alert and ‘oergetc etrance it hg new market, Ga Ped managed to keep Is predoninan posison by conroling images, wheter the image ‘on ie mil sere ort pr age Ue pon. Ths was anall-iporae sep ine eights ‘Conseqenty, tie competion from ew magazines ine sec- ‘nd half he eighies was quik sated. Mecomagazine perished inthe vey year ofits foundation (1988) because 2 more militant snd eleva, les ero appearance can no longer survive in the Tagavine market. Maer were ferent Where France's biggest ‘explo of the gay worlé-dscos, saunas (bas). porography= David Grud war concerned, His French ediions of Amefican ‘magazine lke Honcho and Playguy forced Gai Pied into more sex Inthe weekly edidon uot ar well a in special pulicatonn. The innocent or boring young Boye posing in Gal Peds salt porn [publications today can no longer manage alone. They ned Fine forcemrt from wee! mtles ro bard safes But forthe presen’ Gal Ped’ pat still sewn with roses since the organioaon's aon profitable elements (especialy Fur (ey Sale soy and Conntary x Ginértion, the say broadcasting station) ae compensated for by the plete periodicals the taveler's guid, sd ti abovesmen- ‘ood mindel. Stil, an enterprise of forty enployees, producing =n Independent weekly on sae in every avvestant inte whole of Franca, is vulnerable, OF neces, cewaton must say above +30,000 because only then dow the French wv on freedom of press ‘and isubution guarantee tat ratinwide dstibution Wl take Dist, if need be with goverameat suppor. Without fis msioal ork (0 atact readers, Gal Ped probly count survive as wee PERFORMER ‘The magazine's coments roughly fill under the henings of coverage ofthe vale ofthe readers ese, developmen wii {he inerational sword, and Ge poston of the gay word ‘witha French sory. Key elemens ae ifs) es based on indivi ‘al resem, ivers ga) wold, and Frame. Goi Pied approsch- ‘eke reader more as aperformes than as consumer. I addresses the major events ofthe gay Ufespe, Ike ‘be bretzough of gy ‘scnion sd spoymiy. coming casing aks Sd he subeutural offerings of theaters, discos, books, fash fin otber actives. The edi forma serves to etble Ge fader to come forward wih his own mses of sje oa his ov [toatve, He ean express himgelf i earixe wa ip setwitea ornogrphie stores, ona regular poge waste highlights of de ‘rook gay Lf, in conact eds, im reades” tal, snd in writen portisr of other readers. The itt page alvays coins he results ‘fhe weekly pols andthe muni-ingury abt some subject collect (by minis The appreciation ofthe rede own performance ‘vances tir commiment othe magazie, series er ierac= tie membership of «segment of the popaason generally invsie, tnd is above all cratve for the mapanne. "The sbces ofthis foro closely rested to he bility of he dori saff to offer a trogen fexesontion of gay Le. ‘But even bere the resus are utsatisfacey. For afr ter coming210 GAYSTUDIES FRow Taig FRENCH CULTURES cut, eaters of Cl Pad em 1 wy ely youn te ‘Mlle ny act coon sve Se msn ‘itm lar gage mae op prem of al readers ey ae ‘ens "qu sglgnbl." Cl Pe aot aie Sci ay sede Te heating “al Savon” (ly Kone Se fae Cok bad abe an senso seinay of eRe bonis. mga doen Drm Sages ery Sree Fas sce ein is sili sao reader soles: it be te ae tei, tmetns os ‘els scales While put off renderhiy comin {tr ofan ocone oof ber lan neal tee eet SRE Tay tcp cing tak io vib, ant pe how up age ah due tp abuts dngucdexarce Stabs Go Ped spina and cape i eter fete re sone peop bay ans to be tember Of FEDS pl Te le san ch ele by he fe ha pil Ge Pied ede rupees he strage Fresca Set spleen op of ey mote men Sree, anf (ore nb poe, of mae ‘Tle sn a i hig con ont 0 poe, Saf mre nes ona sear anal ts an ‘ne ep J vey ve town tat 55 pee fs pub wu Ga Pe i mata sty ral, Ooctne ap ch twa Fenth poesin thin a of Be earn woud ‘scr ving goverament, wires snes thd woud pee ‘Govranat at Les fo be mie of roa, Not even 25 Fels er ieran of ean on sx wih tara be ima est: ey wut an ofl py tat ees 2 fein fe ge yh ura fe ste, For ore ‘S75 yowet of he aie is poly shoul be sine vc Svely a prance, an atta tay oly repedag te or tari iy lew ad AIDS Seen! hry wont mow ia rer Saito 0) Tie The eal want eg to. ay worl at weeny Se ret ce ei ar ee. Sl yar Som ha t oe i Gs Pda a sb eo dW, bas © (Gy Mate sary on Cotas a consider very carefully not only them, buteven the no readers ‘This i the conclosion of socilbust Michel Poll® Consequen- {Dy te image Gal Ped pias of a gay world is ruber tpi, though verid, The maganine carefully keps an uneasy elanoe between crocs, palisizing, apd eannerllizng its contents ‘Therefore the cover, tat serves o draw fresh tension, to Kin- aie caro, an sp Sodoce potential buyers, necessrily 8 Ue ‘sult ofa numberof compromises: no to sexy, ot oo eulued, ‘ot too radial, aot oo aleaatie, not oo boyish, ab oo oh, ‘ottoo sol not fon gay These are he erpromises the ed tors cose in order to keep enering wo Geir eterogenecas pub lies This i unfortunate because whe sles comin on up auto ‘ely, originality preuy’ son ges lost. "At eit sta tht embrses sauce dest have to et ‘alt ge agg to death. I sommes ser as after tn years lof succes, il Pied bas forgotien ds: The editors have begun pander to he redler instead of challenging hin 02 mutal perfor IN THE COMBAT ZONE ‘et op semnin and sami fe ey ast gone unoted by te suse word. Beat tos Enver be Prem newsstands fs lose ir ocene buying & ‘ewopapr, i's Ree prt ofthe ral ih as ra he ae {hl most eveybod) mame sl ouape i 1987 Sece- tay Pingu tcatcedt suppres Gl Pil Never Before had ie ‘htaondnaryponon of Gat Pied in an ote of fe 2) or tansy become clare. The anon Gal Ped es seen sb 0 [Tack on gape hemsves ad he realm prot es eos Sc effne. According to on pion snp, amos two tis ‘te French med apn he rex f age poles teres, a jr oppoed is opresie meer There {Ge Fasqn dropped Hs psn. The Paran sete wer remain fa fein pete. ‘The growing race isnt only th et of Gal Pa’ year oferta informing ad pushing is ery exiserse Sth uit earergansormasons a French socey. Fora d=22 GAYSrumuEs row mu FRENCH CULTURES ‘nistion of is sori place i's extremely iumlating to rea ow forser enemies ow want Io jola as est finds. Evea the van samsuniss. who during the seventies tied to exclude the "pace rom the abo day parades, sess how Ley have alway ‘en misunderstood when the queston of "moral broughtp.® (Ga Ped tas kept om ying to koup clear from this muneald of ‘French pry polis. Prank Artal one sui: "Ifconformism must bescen sa tit ofthe righ and eile aa characters of he 1s, well then Gal Ped kindof est” Don't you bebeve it 1s police sare wo moddle again vith everyting affecting 239 fe, paeeuary boca of AIDS, Gat Pld Was forest to eke @ Sad too, Abd fis momeae bese clear how funtamenly ‘he gay world hed changed. No longer was ere any organization to climb de teskades, Wiat's moe, the baricadesthemseves Ind been prematurely cleared away. Gays were hardly even in ‘modon" anymore, pethape because of the spparent disappearance ofthe neal for tea All fs sudden, Gal Pred stood inte front Tine, as uch inform and mobilize te ay commu ast con- lout te rather angry outer world. Only recent hve ew lis ome ine Being init form of aunty organizations (AIDES for sample) at well asa parlamenary gay organization ie the “Gis pour la Ibert," wit wham the magazine tyson endl terms, Bossy seen of i close es wih De Soule Par. ‘nat nor and outa world in ansformation, Gai Ped remains upright, soar wih reader, alert othe api changes ins Populi. The queadon remains wheber te edits go along too ‘a wi ir poli’ wins in tse. Would it ot be posible for ‘he utopian peal diver of 1979 to Become the swineheré of 19997 [AUTHOR'S NOTE Degen igre nev sci movement ine sie ene cio Pre, Due es oe of Se andes of ep suas eprint ‘ay of wel clomes Prey berg sve dm ‘Seay be Ure of Une Ths re wa en 190 rely Foro oe aiurpearae of Ga Pin sz, Comune ma Sen Sere ES eee a ope 1 ay ee ary and Conety 2s NOTES |. gr Gat, guce ee ve anor Cats) eee FB ES pr Ser of a oe 5 argc mo 2526 hones 198, Myc eran, p10, La psn alin nt conmer? by Foe mae A CE acs sam te ce Soe eae! strom gaeiin naneere al, hihi essa ea ean io eh Peee"usehennin ranean ical em Get on 6,28 Ap 1986, 7 a pain.” [REFERENCES “ey 226 i cite Goh ke meee Nanneael en Prce 1945. 180, Pais hs Sra ane 09), ome Hone. Pati semen ‘iat dae ct puebomossanie owner cus (Gai Pl Io?