Brigitte Macron, the First Lady of France, comes under habitual attack. A video has since surfaced in which she called feminist protesters the c-word at her theatre performance in Paris. The whole thing played out in the wings at Folies Bergère. Inside, Macron joined a dialogue between young people and comedian Ary Abittan, whose show had been abruptly interrupted by activists demanding accountability for his previous accusations of sexual misconduct.
During this video, Macron called the protestors “salle conne” which translates to “dirty, stupid bitch.” This comment has drawn the ire of politicians and activists on both sides, especially on the left. Criticism escalated when it was revealed that she delivered those comments in an off-the-record atmosphere. This announcement raised concerns over her support of feminist initiatives.
Her office subsequently released a statement to clarify her intentions. She was just as diligent in trying to comfort Abittan. After the interruption his show experienced the night before, he was understandably worried. The office defended Macron’s comments by stating, “In no way is she attacking a cause. She does, however, disapprove of the radical methods used to prevent an artist from performing on stage.”
Despite this defense, her comments were met with scathing rebukes from multiple high-profile political and public figures. Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a lawmaker for the National Rally, suggested that if everyone were filmed in private conversations with friends, there would be numerous comments to scrutinize.
Judith Godrèche, a prominent voice in France’s #MeToo movement, responded on social media by declaring, “Me too – I’m also a salle conne (dirty, stupid bitch) and I support all the others.” Meanwhile, Green senator Mélanie Vogel expressed her outrage with a post that read, “And a very good day to all the stupid bitches of our country.”
Furthermore, singer Camélia Jordana showed her support by posting a photo of herself with “#saleconne” scrawled across her forehead. French celebrities and politicians have been loudly condemning and mocking Macron’s remarks. Their reactions speak to a harmful perpetuation of gender inequality and a lack of basic decency to victims of sexual violence.
The incident is even more surprising in light of Ary Abittan’s notorious history. He had been accused of rape in 2021, but the investigation was shuttered due to a lack of evidence. Activists have pointed out that allowing such individuals to perform without addressing their past actions sends a troubling message about accountability and respect for victims.