Sarah El Haïry Makes History as France's First Female Minister to Come Out as Gay

Sarah El Haïry, a politician and the youngest serving minister in France, has made history as the country's first female minister to come out as gay.

In an interview with Forbes, the 33-year-old state secretary for youth at the Ministry of National Education casually mentioned her partner while discussing her social media use. El Haïry has been a vocal advocate for women's and LGBTQ+ rights since being appointed youth secretary of state.

Her announcement, described by Forbes as "discreet," came shortly after former National Assembly member Olivier Dussopt also revealed that he is gay in an interview with French magazine Têtu.

While the current French government is supportive of LGBTQ+ rights, there are still concerns about the rise of the far-right in the country. Emmanuel Macron's victory over far-right rival Marine Le Pen in the 2022 presidential election spared LGBTQ+ people from a dire scenario, but anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment remains an issue in France. Homophobic attacks are still worryingly prevalent, with a 27.6% increase in reports of offences committed "because of sexual orientation or gender identity" in 2021 compared to 2020, according to Le Monde. El Haïry's announcement is a significant step forward for LGBTQ+ representation in France and a reminder of the ongoing fight for equality