The Italian government has ordered Milan to stop registering the children of same-sex couples, in a move that has sparked outrage from advocates of LGBTQ+ rights. This decision marks a significant setback for the Italian LGBTQ+ community, who have long campaigned for equal treatment under the law. In this article, we will explore the implications of this decision and examine the arguments of both sides of the debate.
Italy’s right-wing government has instructed Milan City Council to stop registering the children of same-sex parents, igniting a controversy around the conservative agenda of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Italy legalised same-sex civil unions in 2016, against opposition from Catholic and conservative groups. However, the legislation fell short of granting adoption rights to same-sex couples, as it feared that it would encourage surrogate pregnancies, which remain illegal.
However, in the absence of clear legislation on the issue, some courts have ruled in favor of allowing same-sex couples to adopt each other’s children, and some city mayors, including Milan, have registered surrogate births to same-sex couples. Milan’s center-left mayor Giuseppe Sala announced on Monday that he had received a letter from the Interior Ministry instructing him to stop registering the children of same-sex couples.
The Milan Prefecture, a local arm of the Interior Ministry, cited a ruling by Italy’s highest court, stating that parents could only obtain legal recognition with explicit approval of an adoption by a court. Mr. Sala said in a podcast on Tuesday that he would respect the prefecture’s order but would continue to fight politically to ensure that the rights of same-sex parents and their children are acknowledged.
Ms. Meloni rose to power as a defender of traditional Christian values, denouncing what she refers to as “gender ideology” and “the LGBT lobby.” The government’s latest move was decried by LGBT+ activists. Gabriele Piazzoni, Secretary-General of Italy’s largest LGBT+ rights group Arcigay, referred to the ban as one of the most concrete manifestations of the fury that the right-wing majority is unleashing against LGBTI people.
Fabrizio Marrazzo, a leading gay rights campaigner, called on Sala and other mayors to continue registering birth certificates, stating that when a law is unjust and discriminatory, politicians must have the courage to disobey it.
The recent move by the right-wing government to not recognise same-sex parents’ registration of their child’s birth raises questions about their commitment to upholding the rights of all people in society, regardless of their sexual orientation. While homosexuality has been legal in Italy since 1890, discrimination and misunderstandings linger, particularly among conservative thinkers who support the right-wing government.
A report from the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency released last week found that despite some positive improvements in recent years, LGBT+ people in Italy continue to face high levels of discrimination, particularly in the workplace and in access to healthcare services. The survey found that more than half of the LGBT+ respondents reported having experienced a negative incident over the last twelve months.
It is crucial that the right-wing government in Italy recognises the importance of upholding the rights of all individuals in society, including those within the LGBT+ community, and that they take proactive measures to address discrimination and work towards equality. While Italy may have made progress in terms of legalising same-sex civil unions, there is still a lot of work left to be done to create an inclusive society that protects the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.
