Homophobia Is Still Very Much Alive in Italy
By: Ari S
Tags: LGBT Rights, Italy, LGBT, Statistics, Homophobia

Homophobia Is Still Very Much Alive in Italy

There is so much going on in the world right now, but I felt the need to shed light on this matter, being Italian and part of the LGBT community.

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

Homophobia is not news in Italy, and while things may be better now than they were a few years ago, it’s obvious that homophobic attacks are still spread all over the country. The thing is, homophobia is deeply rooted in Italian society. From the little comments and insults to the violent, physical assaults. From the exclusion of LGBT people at school or in the workplace to politicians being openly against marriage and adoptions for gay couples. This is only some of it.

Sure, the Cirinnà law (n. 76, May 20 of 2016) legalized Civil Unions for same-sex couples, but that is only one little step towards the path to equality between straight and LGBT people, and it certainly didn’t make homophobia disappear.

Pereira, Maico

Let’s take a look at homophobia in Europe in the 21st century and then specifically in Italy.

In 2006, the Eurobarometer examined attitudes towards same sex-marriage in every EU Member State. The results showed that 42% of EU citizens were in favor; in Italy, the number went down to 31%. Plus, 31% of Europeans were in favor of adoptions for homosexual couples, but in Italy, the figure was 24%. Fewer people think of homosexuality as an illness (17% of Italians aged 15–34 in the 90s, compared with 2/3 of the population in the 70s) but it’s still a high number.

In 2012 the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights published a survey[1] on LGBT discrimination in which 93.000 people participated. They were asked to report discrimination episodes at school, at work, or any other public place.

Half of them stated that they were discriminated against because of their sexual orientation the year before the survey. 19% of people felt discriminated against at their job.

At school, 2/3 of LGBT minors said they kept their identity hidden. 60% of those who were openly LGBT received negative comments or behavior for their sexuality or gender identity.

Finally, 26% of the interviewed claimed they had been victims of homophobic attacks at least once (it usually happened in a public place and the attackers were men).

48% of LGBT people revealed to be out with their families, and 21% are out at work or at school. Still, many LGBT people revealed they avoid holding hands with their same-sex partner on the street in fear of being attacked, or they avoid certain public places for the same reason.

Finally, let’s take a look at a very recent study: the Rainbow Map and Index[2] published in 2020 by ILGA-Europe, an organization that advocates for human rights and equality for LGBT people in Europe. This Index is published every year around May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia. It ranks 49 countries, from 0 to 100%, based on how LGBT people are treated there (according to levels of equality, discrimination, gender recognition, etc.).

Along with the top countries are Malta (89%) and Belgium (73%), while Italy’s score is 23% (29% in 2016).

I want to believe things are getting better for LGBT people here, but they’re probably not; they’re even getting worse. It’s not only because of these studies.

If I listed all the homophobic attacks that happened here in the last years I would never stop, but here are two recent dramatic events that increased my need to write this article.

Mehling, Mercedes

Right in my region, Tuscany, a rainbow flag was burned (probably by some teenagers) on May 31, just before the beginning of Pride Month. The flag belonged to two gay dads and their kid. The mayor condemned the episode, and while words matter, actions matter more. So even if the authorities spoke out against it, it’s not going to stop these events from happening, especially since there’s no law.

Then, a while ago in Matera (Basilicata), after a landlord found out one of his tenants was gay and lived with his partner, he started threatening them to leave the apartment. The investigations showed that the landlord and the tenant had no problems with each other before the former learned about the latter’s sexuality.

These events show that whether it’s a physical attack or a verbal one, homophobia is part of Italy’s culture. Much like racism or other forms of discrimination.

These are not isolated incidents. Sure, a rainbow flag doesn’t get burned every other day, but it’s one of many forms of homophobia. It’s not just a violent, physical attack against a member of the LGBT community. It’s not just yelling “f*ggot”. It’s that, but it’s so much more and it starts with “little” things, which can develop into extreme episodes.

To me, it starts with teaching your kids that being gay is not “normal”. Those kids are going to grow up with that mentality and will spread it around their circle of friends. If no one tells them better, or if they don’t educate themselves, they will teach it to their kids too, and so on.

It’s an educational problem too. I know not learning about LGBT history and culture is not an excuse to be homophobic, but it certainly helps to teach it in school. I wasn’t taught about LGBT history until I attended university (I had to look it up on my own, like many others around me) and that’s not okay.

F, Juliette

When ignorance is defeated, then maybe things can start to get better.

[1] https://fra.europa.eu/en/survey/2012/eu-lgbt-survey

[2] https://www.ilga-europe.org/rainboweurope/2020