A letter from a desperate gay teenager, published in the centre-left newspaper La Reppublica, has started a debate about homophobia and civil partnerships in the Popolo della Libertà party (PDL); the party started by Silvio Berlusconi no less.
After the moving letter, in which 17 year old Davide Trancredi despairs of his country’s position, saying that the letter is his last alternative to suicide and that he didn’t have the good luck to be born heterosexual, was published in full, the PDL’s Sandro Bondi replied. He said: “I do not understand, I really don‘t, why (fellow) Catholics should fight battles against those who call for the recognition of same-sex couples.”
Laura Boldrini, speaker of the lower house of parliament, also replied to the teen, offering to meet with him and saying that she “really hoped” that lawmakers would soon adopt a law making homophobia a criminal offence.
Boldroni invited Davide to a meeting in parliament, but in a subsequent interview the teenager said he wasn’t convinced there was any point in going.
Activists hope that this may bring about a change in Italy’s attitude to LGBT people. Having no protection LGBT people in the workplace, no LGBT hate crime legislation and no recognition of same sex relationships, it is the basket case of the former western Europe. ILGA’s latest report gave the republic – where homosexuality has never been illegal – 19% for LGBT equality, compared to 77% for the UK, 65% for Spain, 65% for Portugal and 64% for France. Poland and Estonia scored higher.
Popolo della Libertà means People’s Freedom.