LGBT Rights in Italy

Homosexuality
⚢
✔ Legal
Marriage
⚭
✔ Civil unions
Changing Gender
✔ Legal, surgery not required
Adoption
✖ Illegal
Discrimination
Illegal in some contexts
Employment Discrimination
Sexual orientation only
Housing Discrimination
✖ No protections
Military
✔ Legal
Age of Consent
✔ Equal
Donating Blood
Ambiguous
Conversion Therapy
✖ Not banned

Public Opinion

"Should Society Accept Homosexuality?"

Italy ranks #7 out of 39 countries surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, June 4, 2013)

(18%) No

Yes (74%)

History

Homosexual activity in Italy

Current status
(since 1890)

Legal

No laws against homosexual relationships anywhere in Italy's Penal Code

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Same-sex marriage in Italy

May 11, 2016–Sep 8, 2018

Legal

Gay marriage just got legalized in Czech Republic. As well as same sex reconition reconginzed abroad. One same sex marriage has been recognized since 2017. Currently laws are being changed.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Current status
(since May 11, 2016)

Civil unions

Italy's parliament has backed same-sex civil unions. MPs in the lower house voted 369-193 for the government, ensuring that the civil unions bill will become law.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

1942–May 12, 2016

Unrecognized

Some symbolic civil unions are recognized in select regions though no full and meaningful recognition is given.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Right to change legal gender in Italy

Current status
(since Jul 23, 2015)

Legal, surgery not required

A Supreme Court decision overruled the surgery requirement to change one's legal gender.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Apr 14, 1982–Jul 23, 2015

Legal, but requires surgery

Surgery is required

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Same-sex adoption in Italy

Jan 1, 1967–Sep 18, 2018

Legal

Since 2016. some courts have recognized foreign joint adoption. Gay adoption legalizing pending. no recognition in Vatican city.

Details · Accurate? Yes No

Current status
(since 1967)

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.

Details · Accurate? Yes No