"Almost immediately, they became the favored meeting spot for men seeking rendezvous with one another. They were relatively private, secluded, and perfect for c

"Almost immediately, they became the favored meeting spot for men seeking rendezvous with one another. They were relatively private, secluded, and perfect for communicating anonymously with graffiti—the ideal release valve for a population that was prohibited from meeting publicly." What are they eluding to? Homosexuality was legalized in France in 1791, so what other trysts are these that involve men?