The fight for equality and protection continues!
Activists in Italy have been tirelessly fighting for the protection of LGBTQ+ people and have made massive strides with proposed bill.
According to The Guardian, the bill in question would make violence towards LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, and acts of misogyny a hate crime.
Democratic Party politician Alessandro Zan, states: “If we succeed in definitively approving this law, Italy will finally be a country that accepts LGBT rights.”
He continued: “Because right now we are among the last countries in Europe for the social acceptance of LGBT people.”
The law was originally drafted by Zan and will be viewed as an extension of an existing non-discrimatory law.
Even though the bill has passed in the lower house, it still needs to be approved by the upper house before it’s officially made into law.
This would be a huge win for LGBTQ+ citizens, who have faced massive amounts of discrimination over the years.
Since being brought to lawmakers the bill has seen widespread support across Italy.
LGBTQ+ activist Luisa Rizzitelli, stated: “Those who attack it with such aggression are in the minority. Italy is behind in respect of accepting diversity…but if we ask people if they want to make hatred against LGBT people a crime, I truly believe they would say yes.”
Back in 2016, Italy made headlines when lawmakers passed a civil union bill for same-sex couples.
The bill was seen as a huge step for LGBTQ+ couples as a whole but was poorly received by LGBTQ+ activists due to the numerous alterations.
Senator and author of the original 2016 bill, Monica Cirinnà stated: “It’s a first step, a victory with a whole in the heart.”
She continued: This is a very important law, but I also think of the children of so many friends. Now we have to take a second step; we are halfway up the stairs.”
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