We could say a lot of things about this front page, because it reveals that we are not much: this “miserable pile of secrets” that Malraux spoke of. What will remain of you after your death? The latest revelations, the truth of your being, that’s how it can make the headlines.
Once we have understood this, that we have grasped that our time considers that the ultimate secret of a being is to be sought in the alcove, it is interesting to note a coincidence of the calendar: this One on Delon and his sexuality collide with that of Liberationwhich evokes the Inserm survey on the sexuality of the French.
So, what do we discover in this report about “the report”? Certainly, the French make love less, and this has been commented on a lot. In 1992women declared on average 8.1 reports per month and the men 9.0 gears. In 2023the average number of reports dropped significantly: 6.0 gears for women and 6.7 gears for men. They make less love, but “better love”, some will say…
Furthermore, Delon’s “secret”, his bisexuality – understand his singularity – is less and less singular and more and more common. To put it like Inserm, bisexuality is on the rise in France, particularly among young people. In 2023, 2.8% of women et 2.3% of men identify as bisexual. This trend is even more marked among young people: 14.8% of women et 9.3% of men of 18 to 29 years old report homosexual relations. Overall, more than one in five women (22,6 %) and one in seven men (14,5 %) are not strictly heterosexual, including those who have experienced non-heterosexual attraction, practices or identity.
All this to say that Delon belongs to his time, and that what is perceived by his biographer as a singularity is now very banal. I imagine that in a few years, saying of a contemporary Delon or “Delone” that they have had experiences with men and women will seem as surprising as saying that they drink water or wear socks. It seems that having a biographer can discourage you from having a life; tomorrow, having a biographer could well discourage you from having a sex life.
Belgium
