In conversation with MAG Jeunes LGBT+

Since 1985, MAG Jeunes LGBT+, or ‘the MAG’, has carved out a profoundly important space within French and Parisian society – a place where young, LGBTQIA+ people can come together. MAG began as a place for students in the 80s. Now, it’s expanded and grown into an association that welcomes anyone from the ages of 15 to 30. More than just a place to get together, the MAG runs a series of outreach programmes that involve educating school kids on LGBTQIA+ topics, hosting spaces at events and festivals, as well as continuing to welcome young people through their doors. UGG® is proud to support the MAG’s work — their enduring commitment to reducing prejudice, discrimination, and isolation for LGBTQIA+ individuals is one that aligns with what the ‘Feel Heard. Feel Seen’ campaign is all about.

Here, we sit down with the MAG’s former co-president and continued volunteer, Yzel Estrade, to explore the impact of the association and the effect it has on France’s LGBTQIA+ community today…

HUNGER: Could you tell us a bit about the work the MAG does?

Yzel Estrade: The MAG is a charity for young LGBTQIA+ people from the ages of 15 to 30. We are a national association, created in 1985, so it’s been 40 years now. We do prevention about STDs and HIV, for example, with stalls in festivals and so on. We also do workshops in high schools where children can learn about how MAG works, LGBTQIA+ issues, discrimination, consent and what it is to be a marginalised population in France. We hold diversity groups for each of the letters, like for lesbians, gays, and trans people. We have a centre in Paris and we welcome people to come and play games, talk with each other, work, and eat food. It’s a place where they can be safe and be around other people like them. We can also redirect people to other charities if they need something more specific because though we are for young people, sometimes they need something different [to what we can offer].

What was the initial starting point for the MAG? 

In the beginning, it was a charity for gay students. Then they decided to bring in other gays and get together to do activities. It was basically the same thing as it is today, but only for gay students. Now it has become more important and spread [beyond that]. 

How would you say your work has been received by young people?

They feel a lot better in general. Most of them go to our charity because they might feel isolated, or because they live in the street, or their parents kicked them out. And most of the time they decide to volunteer when they feel better to give others what we gave to them. It’s like a circle. Sometimes when we are at festivals or events, we see people who went to the MAG maybe 20 years ago. They come and say, ‘I was a volunteer before and I’m happy that you are still doing things because it helped me a lot then’. We are an important charity.

What’s it like for young LGBTQIA+ people in France right now? 

I think for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, it’s maybe better than it was before. But for trans people, it’s horrible because we currently have transphobic law proposals. [The government] don’t want trans people to be able to transition and to have access to hormones. It’s complicated, especially for young trans people and intersex people. 

How do you think Pride has changed over the years? 

Pride is becoming more and more commercial in France. I don’t know how it is in other countries, but in France – and especially in Paris – it is. We also have other more radical Prides that are more political. We have three kinds of Prides: the big commercial Pride, and two more political Prides. But there are disagreements between activists in Paris because some of them want the events to be something joyful, and others are like, ‘But we are actually dying so we need something more political’. I think both are interesting because we need something political, but we also need to be happy. It’s a good thing to be able to go out and be with your friends and share that you’re LGBTQIA+. 

What would you like people to know about the impact of the work that the MAG does? 

We create links between people and a community. Sometimes, because it’s for young people, it’s the first time meeting other young LGBTQIA+ persons. It can be their first community. And it’s the beginning of something — of being friends with other people from our community, of volunteering and doing activities with others to help more people. It’s the beginning of activism and the beginning of community. 

Do you think there’s been a regression in the progress of communities?

There’s a lot of backlash, and I think trans people are currently facing the same thing gay and lesbians were facing back in the 80s or 90s. Maybe it’s going to be better in 20 years. We hope so, but we need time. Gay and lesbian people are still facing violence [too]. But [the situation] has been getting better. And with the help of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, young people feel represented, and they can chat with other trans people, for example. But when there is progress, there’s also backlash — that’s a societal thing. When something is getting better, something is often getting worse at the same time.

Finally, what’s one thing you’d like to say to politicians?

We need free healthcare for trans people. We need more access to hormones. We need more access to transitions. And we also need housing for young LGBTQIA+ people, as well as other homeless people. We need actual measures, because there’s a lot of talk about doing things, but they’re not actually doing them.