The outcome of today's Senate vote on the anti-homophobia law leaves us dismayed but confirms the fears we've expressed in recent months as we denounced the political games and deals being made over our lives. This includes the compromises on the original bill, endorsed and desired by the same majority forces, as well as the decision to begin the parliamentary process in the Chamber of Deputies rather than the Senate. Today, the responsibility for this failure lies with an entire political class that failed or failed to listen to the needs of so many citizens, from the clearly homophobic and sovereignist right-wing political forces to all the center-left forces that failed to defend and deliver to the country a fundamental achievement of civilization, for which we have been fighting for 25 years. We are not interested in finding scapegoats and guilty parties, but in loudly declaring that today our country, the Italian Republic, has chosen to reject a law against hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity, effectively siding with that obscurantist segment of Europe. In Italy, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and ableism are now given free rein thanks to a political system that fails in its duty to represent and protect the country from discrimination.
Today, the sovereign right is rejoicing in the chamber like a fan club at the thought that so many people will continue to be attacked for their identity. Today, the Democratic Party, Five Star Movement, IV, and LEU, who could have had a majority in the chamber's vote, are losing a battle they promised to fight alongside us.
Today, the Senate chamber lifted the veil of illusion. A cowardly secret ballot resulted in several votes being lost among the majority forces. Our association, which responds daily to requests for help and shelter from victims of homophobia, has always stood for rights and for a law that is not merely symbolic but equipped with concrete tools, and has never sided with individual parties or factions that have once again demonstrated their failure to protect our needs. We presented a bill to the political world that would offer genuine support to victims, but aware of the pitfalls, we ensured that at least the fund for family homes we proposed found a safe haven by passing into the budget law.
Unfortunately, those fears have come true, but the cry that went unheard in the classrooms will immediately resound in the streets and will be unstoppable.
Pietro Turano, spokesperson for Gay Center