In the third episode of the LGBTQ+ Podcast, our guest, Cate Fantacci, discusses the public perception of LGBT+ people in Italy and how it is influenced by the Catholic Church.

Although Italy is a secularised country, the Catholic Church often expresses its opinion on political matters. Few Church officials affirm LGBT+ people. In 2003, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith stated that same-sex marriage would be inconsistent with Christian conscience. In 2013, the Church started to condemn the so-called ‘gender philosophy.’ More recently, in 2020, in debates regarding the bill on discrimination and hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people, religious actors talked about the bill as an attack on freedom of speech.

A lot of homophobia stems from media which provides Italian politicians with a platform to share their homophobic beliefs. For example, Giorgia Meloni, leader of a national-conservative party, stated, that she would rather not have a gay son. Mario Adinolfi, leader of a social-conservative party, described LGBT+ parenting as a criminal ideological abomination. Instead of deconstructing harmful beliefs, the mass media enforces derogatory stereotypes.

The most recent development regarding gay rights in Italy is the anti-discrimination bill that makes violence against LGBT+ people a hate crime. Nevertheless, the bill faces opposition from right-wing parties and the Italian Roman Catholic Church, who claim that the existing protections are strong enough.

LGBT+ rights groups in Italy: Arcigay, Arcilesbica, ARCO, Il Rainbow Center Napoli (in Naples), AGedO, Azione Gay e Lesbica (in Florence), Di' Gay Project (in Rome), Centro di Iniziativa Gay Milano (in Milan).

On a positive note, Cate recommends Brandi Carlile’s memoir ‘Broken Horses.’

If you wish to be involved in a future season of the LGBTQ+ Pride and the Law: A Podcast, please contact elawclinic@essex.ac.uk for more information!