Head of French equality watchdog in hot water over 'abusive' comments

The chairwoman of the High Council for Equality, Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette, is facing mounting pressure to step down

The chairwoman of a French watchdog created by the government to promote equality is facing mounting pressure to step down over what employees called sexist and racist comments and her “toxic” management style.

Contacted by AFP, Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette, head of the High Council for Equality, denied the accusations made against her and denounced “a desire to destabilise” the consultative outfit the she heads, which reports to the French prime minister.

In a six-page letter dated January 2, 2024, revealed by investigative website Mediapart and seen by AFP on Monday, the employees of the council’s general secretariat claim to have “frequently witnessed remarks made by the president and co-presidents that border on legality”.

They accused the president of taking “no precautions whatsoever” to avoid offending those she speaks to at work and in public.

“What’s more, these statements, made in the presence of outside figures, tarnish the credibility and image of our organisation and the people who represent it,” said the letter.

In particular, the management team has been accused of disguising “abusive comments” as humour in a way that contributed to “trivialising and spreading rape culture and making victims feel guilty”, the letter said.

The managers are also accused of making “racist and Islamophobic comments” and stigmatising LGBTQ people despite repeated warnings.

The employees also point to instances of behaviour that have “gradually led to the creation of a harmful working environment and the emergence of a collective malaise”.

The letter said there had been eight cases of sick leave over 18 months.

– ‘Cognitive dissonance’ –

In a statement to AFP, Pierre-Brossolette said management “listened carefully to the employees.”

“We are committed to finding solutions that will satisfy them and enable us to work for women’s rights,” said the 69-year-old journalist.

She said the accusations reflected a desire to destabilise the work of the council, “the fight against the exploitation of women” and “the noxious effects of patriarchy.”

She said she was considering whether to lodge a complaint.

Created in 2013, the High Council for Equality is tasked with, among other things, drafting an annual report on sexism in France and assessing public policies on gender equality.

According to current and former employees, staff have repeatedly complained about the “toxic” environment but no action has so far been taken to remedy the situation.

In an e-mail sent on Monday to the members of the council and seen by AFP, the employees of the general secretariat demanded that measures be taken.

“We can no longer work with either the president or most of the co-presidents,” said one of the signatories on condition of anonymity.

One employee described the situation as an example of “cognitive dissonance.”

“We write in our reports that it is more urgent than ever to listen to what victims have to say, to fight against abuses of power, and now we are experiencing exactly the opposite of what we write”.

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