French Left Transforms Joan of Arc Into LGBT Symbol With Vandalism
Activists in France vandalized a Joan of Arc statue with a rainbow banner and promoted her as an LGBT icon at pride events, prompting condemnation from local officials.
A statue of Joan of Arc has been vandalized in a small French town, draped in a rainbow banner by activists seeking to claim the medieval saint as a symbol of modern LGBT causes.
The incident occurred overnight between Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 in Romagné, a commune near Fougères in Brittany, according to Valeurs Actuelles. The statue of the Maid of Orleans, which overlooks the town’s war memorial, was found adorned with a painted rainbow flag. No specific demands or statements accompanied the act.
Mayor Aline Le Bouedec condemned the vandalism while acknowledging the right to expression. She noted that the town would need to hire a specialized company to repair the damage, as the statue is made from a specific alloy requiring expert handling. The unauthorized decoration will cost taxpayers money to reverse.
The timing was no coincidence. The vandalism occurred on the same day as a Pride march in nearby Fougères, where approximately 200 people marched to demand freedom and equality for different sexual orientations. Activists appear determined to rewrite history by conscripting a medieval figure to legitimize contemporary political movements.
Compiègne Pride Promotes Joan of Arc as LGBT Icon
The appropriation of Joan of Arc extends beyond simple vandalism. In Compiègne, where the historic French heroine was captured in 1430 while commanding five hundred men, organizers of the June 13 Gay Pride event have featured her prominently in promotional materials. The event poster depicts Joan with a shaved head, piercing, and split eyebrow, holding an LGBT rainbow flag against a Palestinian backdrop.
This stands in stark contrast to the actual standard Joan commissioned in Tours, which featured fleurs-de-lis and Christ in majesty. The organizers show little concern for historical accuracy in their quest to make the Pucelle a universal symbol for every fashionable cause.
Western Activists Rewrite Joan of Arc as Transgender Figure
The reimagining of Joan of Arc as an LGBT icon has roots in American popular culture and academic circles. Pop star Madonna released a song titled “Joan of Arc” that reinterprets the saint as a transgender woman, concluding with lyrics celebrating queer identity.
In 1936, poet Vita Sackville-West published a so-called biography claiming Joan was a lesbian, citing trial testimony that she sometimes shared sleeping quarters with women rather than men. Playwright Carolyn Gage took the revisionism further in 2008, portraying Joan as anorexic, a runaway, victim of an incestuous and alcoholic father, and claiming she died because she wore men’s clothing.
Transgender author Leslie Feinberg, known for the novel Stone Butch Blues, classified Joan among the most significant transgender warriors in history. LGBT specialist Sarah Prager included her in a book for teenagers listing 23 figures who supposedly prove that history was not exclusively heterosexual and cisgender.
Political Motivation Behind Historical Revision
The effort to rebrand Joan of Arc appears motivated by a desire to counter her association with French nationalism and conservative values. The son of singer Khaled summarized this view on RMC radio on June 5, calling Joan of Arc an emblematic statue for racists in France. This characterization apparently justifies any degree of historical distortion.
The vandalism and propaganda represent a broader pattern of activists seeking to impose contemporary ideological frameworks onto historical figures who lived in entirely different contexts and held entirely different beliefs. Joan of Arc fought to restore the French monarchy and died a Catholic martyr, making her an unlikely champion for causes that would have been incomprehensible in her time.
With information from Valeurs Actuelles
