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LGBT Rights in Italy

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Civil unions
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    Varies by Region
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    Varies by Region
    Adoption
    ✖ Step-child adoption only
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal

Public opinion surveys in Italy have pointed to a varied attitude towards LGBTQ+ individuals.

History

Homosexual activity in Italy

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Homosexual activity in Italy is legal.

Current status
Since 1890
Legal
No laws against homosexual relationships anywhere in Italy's Penal Code
Added by brennen  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Italy

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Same-sex marriage in Italy is civil unions.

Current status
Since May 11, 2016
Civil unions
Italy's parliament has backed same-sex civil unions. MPs in the lower house voted 372-51 for the government, ensuring that the civil unions bill will become law. Civil unions gave gay couples all the rights and duties of marriage except joint adoption.
Added by bjb  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

1942–May 11, 2016
Unrecognized
Some symbolic civil unions are recognized in select regions though no full and meaningful recognition is given.
Added by leomorello  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Italy

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Censorship of LGBT Issues in Italy is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Italy, there are no laws restricting to discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Sources:
Added by equaldex  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Italy

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Right to change legal gender in Italy is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.

Current status
Since Jul 23, 2015
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
A Supreme Court decision overruled the surgery requirement to change one's legal gender.
Added by vviet93  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Apr 14, 1982–Jul 23, 2015
Legal, but requires surgery
Surgery is required
Added by leomorello  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Italy

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Italy is not legally recognized.

Current status
Not legally recognized
Italy does not yet legally recognize non-binary identities.

However, a breaking decision on March 7, 2022, had the Italian court rule in favor of a non-binary person to have their gender recognized.

They are currently the only example of this recognition.
Added by Notdog1996  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Italy

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LGBT discrimination in Italy is varies by region.

Current status
Since Mar 1, 2004
Varies by Region
In Tuscany, Piedmont, Liguria, Marche, Umbria, Sicily and Emilia-Romagna discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is banned
Added by Samuel_NOT_Samuele  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Illegal

  1. Campania 2020
  2. Emilia-Romagna 2019
  3. Umbria 2019
  4. Piemonte 2016
  5. Sicilia 2015
  6. Marche 2010
  7. Liguria 2008
  8. Toscana 2004

Illegal in some contexts

  1. Roma

No protections

  1. Trentino-Alto Adige

Jul 9, 2003–Mar 1, 2004
Illegal in some contexts
Only discrimination in workplace banned.
Added by leomorello  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Italy

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LGBT employment discrimination in Italy is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 15, 2023
Sexual orientation and gender identity
On 15 January 2023, a court in Rome ruled against a school who had fired a trans professor due to her gender identity, claiming that it amounted to sex discrimination.
Added by Notdog1996  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jul 9, 2003–Jan 14, 2023
Sexual orientation only
Discrimination protection is afforded on the grounds of sexual orientation
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Italy

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LGBT housing discrimination in Italy is varies by region.

Current status
Since Mar 23, 2016
Varies by Region
In Piedmont, housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is forbidden.
Sources:
gay.it/rainbow-europe-map-2…
regione.piemonte.it/web/tem…~:text=La%20legge%20regionale%20n.,le%20norme%20generali%20dell'argomento.
Added by l_hrz  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Sexual orientation and gender identity

  1. Campania 2020
  2. Emilia-Romagna 2019
  3. Umbria 2019
  4. Piemonte 2016
  5. Sicilia 2015
  6. Marche 2010
  7. Liguria 2008
  8. Toscana 2004

No protections

  1. Roma

Until 2004
No protections
no protections at the time
Sources:
rainbow-europe.org/#8640/0/0 Type in Italy on the website
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Italy

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Same-sex adoption in Italy is step-child adoption only.

Current status
Since Jun 22, 2016
Step-child adoption only
Step-child adoptions for same-sex couples are recognized by Italian courts since June 2016, under the law 184/1983.

On November 20th, 2023, the Juvenile Court ruled that gay couples can be foster parents.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Mar 1, 2015–Mar 26, 2016
Ambiguous
Some courts have recognized foreign joint adoption. Some receptions are also made for step-children. Gay adoption legalizing pending.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Jan 1, 20052015
Illegal
The couple applying for adoption must be a married, different sex couple. Custody has been granted to a same-sex parent on the basis of the "child's best interest," but this is very rare.
Added by leomorello  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Italy

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Serving openly in military in Italy is lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1986
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
Until 1986, "sexual deviance" was a reason for exclusion for military service. At that time, some men claimed to be homosexual to avoid the draft. Lesbians have never been banned from the Italian military since women were first allowed to serve in 2000. Since 2010, discrimination against gays and lesbians in military service is banned, but the situation for transgender people is unclear. The organization Polis Aperta estimates that 5 to 10% of Italians in uniformed service (military or police) are LGB. Despite the ban on discrimination, some service personnel unfortunately face harassment or violence because of their sexual orientation. Unfortunately transgenders have not yet gained the right to military service in Italy
Added by brennen  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

May 18, 1964–Dec 31, 1985
Illegal
Until 1986, "sexual deviance" was a reason for exclusion for military service. At that time, some men claimed to be homosexual to avoid the draft.
Added by Samuel_NOT_Samuele  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Italy

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Blood donations by MSMs in Italy is legal.

Current status
Since 2001
Legal
Italy uses a risk-based donor selection system that treats MSM and heterosexual partners equally.
Added by leomorello  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Dec 31, 2000–Jan 1, 2001
Ambiguous
Italy legalizes blood donations as Health Minister lifts blood ban. However, Italy still denies men who engaged in "risky behaviors"
Added by RonnieFernando  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Dec 31, 2000
Banned (indefinite deferral)
The Italian Health Minister Umberto Veronesi lifted the gay blood ban in 2001.
Added by Simo  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Italy

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Conversion therapy in Italy is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Not banned by the law. However, the national psychological association officially stated in 2013 that conversion therapy goes strictly against its code of ethics and therefore is not allowed.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Italy

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Equal age of consent in Italy is equal.

Current status
Equal
Age of consent: 14
Added by leomorello  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log