The Italian public debate on same-sex civil unions and gay and lesbian parenting

Abstract

After many years of heated debate, in 2016 the Italian parliament approved a law to regulate same-sex civil unions. Although this can be considered a significant step towards the equality of lesbian and gay couples, the law preserves legal differences between heterosexual marriage and homosexual union and does not guarantee the rights of lesbian and gay parents and their children. In this article, we analyze the public debate on same-sex couples and gay and lesbian parenting that occurred in Italy while the parliament was discussing the law. Findings highlight that the ‘natural order’ argument and the irreducible differences between heterosexual marriage and same-sex union are the bedrock of the current expression of heteronormativity in Italy.

Cross‐Cultural Validity of Bowen Theory in Southern European Countries

“…In Italy, as in other southern European countries, intergenerational solidarity within nuclear and extended families has traditionally been the most important source of support for dependent elderly people (Da Roit, ). Moreover, recent studies (Lasio, Congiargiu, De Simone, & Serri, ; Lasio, Putzu, Serri, & De Simone, ; Lasio & Serri, ; Lasio, Serri, De Simone, & Putzu, ) have shown how conservative standards on gender roles and the ideal of women as mainly focused on mothering are still deep‐rooted in the country and this implies a strong opposition toward any challenge to the traditional model of the family.…”

Coming out Through an Intersectional Perspective: Narratives of Bisexuality and Polyamory in Italy

“…As a matter of fact, homophobic political discourse remains hegemonic under the repressive tolerance (Mudu, 2002) of Catholic institutions and political parties (Di Feliciantonio, 2015), as demonstrated by the approval of law 76/2016 on same-sex civil unions. After a heated debate that cancelled the provision of stepchild adoption (Gusmano, 2016;Lasio & Serri, 2017), the bill was approved for heterosexual and homosexual couples, thus once again defining a hierarchy between heterosexuality and sexual dissidence: marriage is still only accessible to heterosexual couples with civil unions described merely as "specific social formations." Heteronormative and mononormative prejudices therefore persist, and "debates about same-sex marriage […] have also reinforced the role of monogamy" (McLean, 2011, p. 516).…”

Hegemony and Heteronormativity: Homonormative Discourses of LGBTQ Activists About Lesbian and Gay Parenting

“…Moreover, as the recent debate over the legal recognition of same-sex couples and their children has shown, if, on one side, Italy has partially filled the legislative gap on this matter, on the other side, the "natural order" argument is still powerful in perpetuating the heteronormative view of reproduction and kinship (Lasio & Serri, 2017).…”

“…Deep social and political divisions have accompanied the adoption by the Italian Parliament of same-sex civil unions (L.76/2016), and legislative equal status for gay and lesbian couples and heterosexual couples failed to overcome the heteronormative regime in defining sex, gender, sexuality, and reproduction (Lasio & Serri, 2017). General politics and "regimes of truth" established by scientific discourses and institutions contributed to the social control of sexuality in the country, reinforcing throughout time the idea of one "dominant" sexuality (heterosexuality) and other "peripheral sexualities" (Foucault, 1978, p. 38).…”

“…In Italy, the law that recognizes same-sex civil unions was passed in 2016 (Legge 20 maggio 2016, n.76 -henceforth, L.76/2016) after a debate marked by strong opposition inside and outside Parliament (Lasio & Serri, 2017). However, the section on adoption rights initially laid down in the law proposal was so controversial that it had to be deleted in order for the law to pass.…”