Jean Le Bitoux

Jean Le Bitoux (16 August 1948 – 21 April 2010) was a French journalist and gay activist. He was the founder of Gai pied, the first mainstream gay magazine in France. He was a campaigner for Holocaust remembrance of homosexual victims. He was the author of several books about homosexuality.

Early life Jean Le Bitoux was born on 16 August 1948 in Bordeaux, France. His father was an admiral.

Career Le Bitoux worked as a substitute music teacher.

Le Bitoux joined AIDES, an HIV/AIDS awareness non-profit organization, in 1985. He co-wrote many HIV prevention documents. In 1994, Le Bitoux co-authored the memoir of Pierre Seel, a French homosexual who was deported by the Nazis for being gay. However, Marc Boninchi, a Law professor at the University of Lyon, has argued that the first instance of legal discrimination dates back to prosecutor Charles Dubost's 1941 recommendations.

Personal life Le Bitoux was openly gay, and was rejected by his family for being gay. Drawn to Maoism in his early twenties, he also left due to homophobia. He contracted HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s.

Death Le Bitoux died on 21 April 2010 in Paris, France. A memorial service conducted by Patrick Bloche was held in his honor at the city hall of the 11th arrondissement of Paris, with a performance by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. He was buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery.

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