At first, I was planning to visit Sales Gloss Ink for my second field study, but as it happened to be closed, I had to think of another option. I then decided to do something completely different from my first chosen locations and made the trek all the way up to La Basilique de Fourvière. There was something extremely fascinating about taking the LGBTQIA+ analytical eye and applying it to something historically constructed for the Catholic Church; especially since religion has such a huge impact on the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals, since it is commonly used to delegitimize the rights that queer people are entitled to.
Looking up at Fourvière is always a wonder. The beautiful basilica, constructed in the 19th century with a Romanesque architectural style, truly captivates the eye. On the outside, it is well lit and stands beautifully aglow (both day and night). Walking in, your eyes are drawn through the center, where you are engulfed in detailed gold accents and a contrast of cool and warm tones. Rich gold tones reflect within the blue, and the candlelit ambience adds on to the beauty. Its beauty is unarguable, yet its history is questionable.
I always find myself reflecting on my views on the Catholic religion while visiting churches, for my experiences as a queer individual in Catholic school and how common it is for members of the Catholic Church to speak negatively about the LGBTQIA+ community, do not always reflect on it highly. It is also worthy to note the differences between the relationship between the church and the LGBTQIA+ community within the USA and France.
In effect of the political turmoil going on in America, I have been hearing a lot of politicians use religion as a mean to justify hateful laws and beliefs surrounding women and LGBTQIA+ rights. Since then, it has been hard to keep the belief the church has over queer identities out of my mind, especially in the states. As we discussed earlier in class, France does seem to have more of a handle on keeping religion and politics separate, or at least the idea of being “universal”, making it seem as though it is safer for members of the community. However, there are indeed churches in America that accept queer individuals and have pride flags hanging outside of them. In France, I don’t believe that the hanging of pride flags around churches is very common. It is also important to note that as of now, I have not had many discussions with French citizens on the subject!
In addition, I feel as though many queer people who grew up with some sort of influence from the Catholic church hold tension around the subject. Since France has a very strong Catholic influence and history, it is important to remember the way that the LGBTQIA+ community has been treated within those times, and how fragments of that ring true today.
I think going into any church and investigating it critically with these ideas of queerness is always going to produce something fascinating. Not everyone is able to do that, unfortunately, as Catholic churches and spaces are present a deep well of trauma. I loved how you addressed these complex ideas in your post. I also enjoyed how you described the church. Not everyone will agree with me on this, but Medieval Christian churches are just gorgeous. For me, the physical beauty of the space is undeniable, and that itself presents an irony about these spaces. That is, so much beauty, art, and care was taken into consideration to make this space feel like a safe haven; but for who? And does those same pieces of art or images of saints really welcome everyone? How is this space also threatening, despite the grandeur and beauty? I do find it interesting that you choose Notre-Dame de Fourvière. The church is a staple for Lyon, and attracts everyone. What would the original clergy think about this space now welcoming anyone? I think that they should be happy in that regard, but I think the more likely answer is that many of them are rolling in their graves at the thought. I think churches and the intersection between religion and queerness (or any other identities or human aspect that a particular faith particularly disapproves of) should be addressed more. It is so important, like what you did here, to confront these spaces with their complicated history, place them within their context, and for once put them under the spotlight for justice and penance.
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