Italy’s Disappointing New Block For LGBTQ+
Italy’s inaction in the Zan bill disappointed not only the LGBTQIA+ community but also one of the biggest Italian superstars, Lady Gaga.
Italy’s Senate dismissed a bill that would make violence and misogyny against LGBTQIA+ people or disabled people a hate crime. The aim was to provide more funding for groups working to fight against sexual discrimination and help support victims of hate crime. The consequence of such a hate crime would be up to 4 years of jail time. The bill was called the “Zan bill,” named after Alessandro Zan, a center-left Democrat who identified as gay. However, the Senate voted 154 to 131 to block the law, making it “one of the worst pages in the history of the Italian republic,” according to Pina Picierno, a member of the European parliament.
The far-right parties voted against the bill and justified their actions by saying the law would promote “homosexual propaganda” in educational institutions and discourage freedom of expression. The Vatican also weighed in on the bill asking for the government to change the law for fear of threatening the Catholic church’s “freedom of thought.”
And so the ‘Zan bill’ (#DdlZan) – which aimed to protect LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and people with disabilities from discrimination – has been defeated by the Senate, 154 to 131.
— Andrea Carlo (@andcarlom) October 27, 2021
A sad day for Italy, especially after the country had made so much progress in the past decade.
Although the Italian government approved same-sex marriages in 2016, the country still faces problems with violence against the LGBTQIA+ community. Any attempts to pass similar laws against these hate crimes are either prolonged for years or dismissed altogether, and this new bill is an example of that.
Yesterday, the 35-year-old pop star Lady Gaga spoke out against Italy’s poor decision and claimed it was a “total disaster.” The House of Gucci star was attending an Italian talk show and shown a video of a large crowd protesting against the dismissal of the Zan bill. She responded with tears in her eyes, “I just want to say something to the LGBTQ+ community in Italy– that you are the bravest, you are the kindest, you are an inspiration. You deserve to be protected at all costs, like every human being on Earth. I will always write music for you, but more importantly, I will speak up for you.”
Sì, @ladygaga, la comunità #lgbtq+ italiana è forte e coraggiosa. Più di una società ancora intrisa di odio, più dei senatori che si nascondono dietro a un voto segreto. Non molleremo finché questa battaglia non sarà vinta. Grazie del tuo sostegno ✌🏻🌈#CTCF #BornThisWay
— Alessandro Zan (@ZanAlessandro) November 14, 2021
Inspiring words from an inspiring woman. But there’s always more for everyone to do. Please report hate crimes when you see one and help stand up for those who may not have a voice. Donating to anti-homophobic hate crime groups can also help the cause. These are just a couple of organizations that help: Equal Rights Advocates, Queer Life Space, Youth Pride Association, and The Audre Lorde Project
Please consider helping where you can.
Content Writer
