Arcadie (French homophile organization)

The Association Arcadie, or simply Arcadie, was a French homophile organization established in the early 1950s by André Baudry, an ex-seminarian and philosophy professor. From its creation in the mid-1950s through the mid-1970s, Arcadie played a dominant role in the lives of French homosexuals as both a political and a social organization.

The Association Arcadie was founded in 1954 as the first homophile group in French history. The goal of the organization was "to present homosexuals as respectable, cultured, and dignified individuals deserving of greater social tolerance". The Arcadie association also aimed to "educate adult homophiles, who, too weak and lacking knowledge, could not on their own live with dignity" through social activities and through its publication, Revue Arcadie.

The Association Arcadie began publishing the literary review Arcadie: revue littéraire et scientifique, which became the most important French homosexual publication of its time, in January 1954, though some sources claim that it began publication in 1957. During its years of operation, Arcadie became popular amongst a number of prominent French intellectual figures; Jean Cocteau contributed a drawing of a boy to the first issue of the review.Revue Arcadie remained in continuous publication until 1982 when the laws regarding homosexual conduct were changed to be identical with those relating to heterosexual behavior. Its emphasis on "dignity" and "respectability" lead the Revue Arcadie to be increasingly out-of-step with the more revolutionary gay political organizations demanding civil rights for gay men and lesbians in France. Upon seeing that the review's message was no longer effective in creating social change and seeing more progressive organizations securing rights for homosexuals, the editors decided to cease publication.

In 1957, the Club Arcadie secured a clubhouse in Paris, from which it sponsored social gatherings, talks and cultural outings.

The club strove to present gay and lesbian individuals as conventional members of French society. Historian Michael Sibalis describes the belief of the group "that public hostility to homosexuals resulted largely from their outrageous and promiscuous behaviour; homophiles would win the good opinion of the public and the authorities by showing themselves to be discreet, dignified, virtuous and respectable." As such, Arcadie prohibited overt demonstrations of romantic affection such as kissing on its dance floor.

At various points in its history, Arcadie also sponsored activities in the French provinces and in Belgium. The Arcadie club was also known as the Club littâeraire et scientifique des Pays Latins (CLESPALA) and the Paris-Club.

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