LGBTQ Individuals Who Have Received France's Highest Honours
France offers several national honours for civilians who have made remarkable contributions to the country, its language and culture. The most notable of these awards include the highest civilian honour Légion d'honneur (Legion of Honour, created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802) and the Ordre du Mérite (Order of Merit, created by Charles de Gaulle in 1963). These awards are available to both French nationals, and to individuals from other countries who have upheld the ideals of the country. Honours may be made by the President of France or by Ministerial order.
The vast majority of individuals honoured with the awards come from the arts and cultural professions. This includes poets, writers, photographers, artists, dancers, historians, musicians, fashion designers, and actors. Several business leaders and politicians have also been honoured with the awards.
Individuals from the LGBTQ community have not been absent from the awards list. Prominent LGBTQ French national recipients have included: the AIDS activists Daniel Defert, Yves Navarre, Donald Potard and Jean-Luc Romero; fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent; and actor Nicole Stephane. International LGBTQ recipients include jazz singer Josephine Baker of the United States, photographer Sir Cecil Beaton of Great Britain, ballet dancer Serge Lifar of Russia, and author Elif Shafak from Turkey. Recognition of LGBTQ individuals who have contributed to France and its culture is important for the community since it reveals the active participation of a minority group in upholding and promoting the ideals of the larger nation state.
We have identified LGBTQ Individuals who have received France's highest honours from Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Great Britain, Italy, Lebanon, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. Simply click on their names to reveal their fascinating biographies.
Brazil
Canada
- AA Bronson, artist
- Edith Butler, musician
- Rene Cormier, politician
- Clemence Desrochers, author and broadcaster
- Phyllis Lambert, architect
- Charles Pachter, artist
- Mario Silva - politician, lawyer and academic
- Michel Tremblay, novelist and playwright
Cuba
- Joaquin Nin-Culmell, pianist and composer
France
- Stephane Bern, magazine editor
- Abel Bonnard, author
- Alain Danielou, historian and musicologist
- Daniel Defert, AIDS activist
- Gisele Freund, photographer
- Stephane Grappelli, jazz violinist
- Pierre Hardy, shoe and fashion accessories designer
- Pierre Loti, writer
- Yves Navarre, author
- Donald Potard, fashion
- Jean-Luc Romero, politician
- Yves Saint Laurent, fashion designer
- Jean Schlumberger, jewellery designer
- Nicole Stephane, actor and film producer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet, classical pianist
Great Britain
- Sir Cecil Beaton, photographer
- Dirk Bogarde, film and theatre actor
- Elton John, singer/songwriter
Ireland
Italy
- Valentino Garavani, fashion designer
Lebanon
- Etel Adnan, poet
Russia
- Serge Lifar, ballet dancer
Spain
- Nacho Duato, ballet dancer and choreographer
Switzerland
- Hugues Cuenod, Opera singer
Taiwan
- Lin Hwai-min, theatre director and choreographer
Turkey
- Elif Shafak, author
United States
- Josephine Baker, entertainer
- Bill Cunningham, photographer
- Richard Howard, Poet
- Ellsworth Kelly, artist
- Anna Elizabeth Klumpke, artist
- Paul Taylor, dance choreographer
