https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Mariasilvia Spolato, hailed as the first Italian woman to come out as gay in public, died this week at the age of 83. https://www.thelocal.it/20181109/mariasilvia-spolato-first-italian-woman-lesbian-to-come-out-dies Fri, 09 Nov 2018 12:59:26 +0100 mariasilvia-spolato-first-italian-woman-lesbian-to-come-out-dies A property confiscated from a Naples mafia boss is to be put to better use as a shelter for LGBT people fleeing persecution in Italy and overseas. https://www.thelocal.it/20180620/italy-mafia-villa-mediterranean-lgbt-centre Wed, 20 Jun 2018 20:34:11 +0200 italy-mafia-villa-mediterranean-lgbt-centre In a landmark ruling for LGBT rights, an Italian court has recognized two gay men as fathers to their adopted children. https://www.thelocal.it/20170309/italy-recognizes-first-adoption-by-two-gay-men Thu, 09 Mar 2017 15:10:06 +0100 italy-recognizes-first-adoption-by-two-gay-men Two gay Italian women on Friday won the right to adopt each other's children in a legal first. https://www.thelocal.it/20160430/italian-women-win-gay-adoption-battle Sat, 30 Apr 2016 12:00:57 +0200 italian-women-win-gay-adoption-battle Italy is the only major Western European country not to have enacted civil union legislation allowing same-sex couples to have their relationships acknowledged and protected in law. https://www.thelocal.it/20160124/huge-gay-rights-rallies-in-italy Sun, 24 Jan 2016 10:25:42 +0100 huge-gay-rights-rallies-in-italy Italian designers Dolce and Gabbana on Monday accused Elton John of being authoritarian, ignorant and hypocritical in a row over IVF babies, escalating a spat that has embroiled some of the world's biggest stars. https://www.thelocal.it/20150316/italian-designer-duo-slam-elton-john-in-ivf-babies-row Mon, 16 Mar 2015 16:31:42 +0100 italian-designer-duo-slam-elton-john-in-ivf-babies-row A transsexual Spanish man met with the Pope over the weekend, it emerged on Tuesday, according to Spanish press reports. https://www.thelocal.it/20150127/transsexual-meets-with-pope-at-the-vatican Tue, 27 Jan 2015 10:48:00 +0100 transsexual-meets-with-pope-at-the-vatican A couple in Puglia alerted police after they were told that they could not donate blood because they are gay, Italian media has reported. https://www.thelocal.it/20141014/couple-told-you-cant-donate-because-youre-gay Tue, 14 Oct 2014 12:26:00 +0200 couple-told-you-cant-donate-because-youre-gay Silvio Berlusconi made a rare statement in support of gay rights in Italy on Sunday, Italian media has reported. The remarks follow a series of anti-gay gaffes by the former prime minister. https://www.thelocal.it/20140630/gay-rights-are-everyones-responsibility-berlusconi Mon, 30 Jun 2014 14:34:00 +0200 gay-rights-are-everyones-responsibility-berlusconi While known as the world’s great romancers, Italians remain divided on gay love. Their children however appear to have no such troubles, as a new video (see below) shows them coming out in support of love - no matter the gender. https://www.thelocal.it/20140210/italian-kids-back-gay-love-in-new-video Mon, 10 Feb 2014 18:30:00 +0100 italian-kids-back-gay-love-in-new-video A gay researcher has been granted marital leave by a public institution after wedding his partner abroad. The decision comes in spite of the fact that same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Italy. https://www.thelocal.it/20131203/italian-university-grants-gay-employee-marital-leave Tue, 03 Dec 2013 12:23:00 +0100 italian-university-grants-gay-employee-marital-leave Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino has thrown his support behind gay marriage, saying Italy has a "backwards" approach to people's rights. https://www.thelocal.it/20131115/rome-mayor-supports-gay-marriage Fri, 15 Nov 2013 13:34:00 +0100 rome-mayor-supports-gay-marriage Hundreds of gay rights activists held a candle-lit vigil at Rome's Colosseum Wednesday to call for a law against homophobia after a youth threw himself off the 11th story of a building in the Italian capital. https://www.thelocal.it/20131031/suicide-prompts-candle-lit-vigil-for-gay-rights Thu, 31 Oct 2013 08:50:00 +0100 suicide-prompts-candle-lit-vigil-for-gay-rights Pope Francis has said the Catholic Church must rethink the way it approaches the issues of abortion, gay marriage and contraception, a move which shows a marked shift away from the Catholic Church's conservative approach to such issues. https://www.thelocal.it/20130920/pope-calls-for-mercy-over-abortion Fri, 20 Sep 2013 11:56:00 +0200 pope-calls-for-mercy-over-abortion In September Italian politicians will resume debate over an anti-homophobia law, just weeks after the suicide of a gay teen. The Local speaks to gay rights activists about what more can be done - and why some Italians stand opposed. https://www.thelocal.it/20130821/gay-politicians-should-come-out Wed, 21 Aug 2013 19:37:00 +0200 gay-politicians-should-come-out A bill to criminalize homophobia has divided politicians ahead of a debate in the lower house of parliament this Friday. https://www.thelocal.it/20130724/italian-mps-to-debate-homophobia-bill Wed, 24 Jul 2013 17:38:00 +0200 italian-mps-to-debate-homophobia-bill Last Saturday, thousands of Italians marched for Gay Pride. Vincenzo Branà, President of the Bologna branch of the gay rights association Arcigay, was also there. He tells The Local what he thinks the future holds for gay rights in Italy. https://www.thelocal.it/20130621/gay-pride-is-also-an-event-for-families Fri, 21 Jun 2013 12:36:00 +0200 gay-pride-is-also-an-event-for-families