- en
Italian mayors combating LGBTQ+ discrimination
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was marked around the world last week. Several Italian mayors stated on this day that their cities were committed to combating discrimination and promoting diversity and inclusion.
The World Health Organization’s decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental disease in 1990 is commemorated globally every year on May 17th.
Mayor of Turin Stefano La Russo stated on social media: ‘’The International Day Against Homotransphobia is an occasion to assert that a culture of non-discrimination is necessary to build a community that rejects prevarication, violence and discrimination. Differences are a richness. Solidarity and responsibility are the basis of civil living.’’
According to the mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia is not only a day to focus on violations of human dignity motivated by one’s sexual orientation, but should also serve as a ‘wake-up call’ to politicians.
Italy’s senate rejected last October a bill that would have made violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people a hate crime. The ‘ddl Zan’ law aimed to criminalize discrimination and incitement to violence against gay, lesbian, transgender, and disabled individuals in the country.
‘’We must fight for the right to be free to choose and to punish those who want to stifle this inviolable right that concerns us all. Palermo, a city of rights, has always been at the forefront in this regard, close to the entire LGBTQ community,’’ mayor Orlando also stated.
Mayor of Bologna Matteo Lepore stated on social media: ‘’A moment of open discussion, to remind us how much there is still a need to fight against all discrimination and work for the culture of diversity, which is richness and beauty. And it is everyone’s right to be themselves freely.’’
On International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Mayor Lepore stated that the city of Bologna remains fully supportive of DDL Zan. (photo credit: alicia_mb/Freepik)
