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LGBT Rights in Italy

    Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Civil unions
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, surgery not required
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✖ Not legally recognized
    Discrimination
    Varies by Region
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ Sexual orientation only
    Housing Discrimination
    Varies by Region
    Adoption
    Ambiguous
    Military
    ✖ Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    Ambiguous
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data

Public Opinion

Views on same-sex marriage or other legal recognition

Ranked #8 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(10%) Against
Support (83%)

Views on same-sex couples' right to adopt

Ranked #19 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(36%) Disagree
Agree (59%)

Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors ?

Ranked #21 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(11.8%) Mentioned homosexuals
Did not mention homosexuals (81.6%)

Justifiability of homosexuality ?

Ranked #20 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(22.1%) Not justifiable
Justifiable (43.7%)

Opinion on same-sex couples as parents ?

Ranked #37 out of 74 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(42.2%) Disagree
Agree (26.9%)

"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2019) ?

Ranked #10 out of 34 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, May–October, 2019)
(20%) No
Yes (75%)

Perceived prevalence of discrimination against transgender people (European Union) ?

Ranked #28 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(66%) Widespread
Rare (23%)

Acceptance of same-sex relationships (European Union) ?

Ranked #15 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(34%) Disagree
Agree (59%)

Perceived prevalence of discrimination against sexual orientation (European Union) ?

Ranked #26 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(69%) Widespread
Rare (26%)

Support for transgender people changing legal gender (European Union) ?

Ranked #19 out of 28 regions surveyed. (Source: Eurobarometer, May 2019)
(42%) No
Yes (43%)

History

Homosexual activity in Italy

?

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  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Italy

?

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 369-193 for the government, ensuring that the civil unions bill will become law. Same sex marriage pending.
Added by bjb  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  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  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Italy

?

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.
Added by equaldex  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Italy

?

Right to change legal gender in Italy is legal, surgery not required.

Current status
Since Jul 23, 2015
Legal, surgery not required
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

?

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  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Italy

?

LGBT discrimination in Italy is varies by region.

Current status
Since Aug 1, 2020
Varies by Region
In Tuscany, Piedmont, Liguria, Marche, Umbria, Sicily, Emilia-Romagna and Campania discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is banned
Added by Samuel_NOT_Samuele  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Mar 1, 2004–Jul 18, 2020
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

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

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Italy is sexual orientation only.

Current status
Since Jul 9, 2003
Sexual orientation only
Discrimination protection is afforded on the grounds of sexual orientation
Added by vviet93  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Italy

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Italy is varies by region.

Current status
Varies by Region
Applied only at a regional level in Tuscany, Piedmont, Liguria, Marche, Umbria, Sicily, Emilia-Romagna and Campania
Added by vviet93  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Italy

?

Same-sex adoption in Italy is ambiguous.

Current status
Since Jun 26, 2019
Ambiguous
Adoption and foster care are regulated by the Legge 184/1983. Adoption is in principle permitted only to married couples who must be of the opposite sex. According to Italian law, there are no restrictions on foster care. In a limited number of situations, the law provides for "adoption in particular cases" by a single person, however, and this has been interpreted by some courts, including on the appeal court level, to include the possibility of stepchild adoption for unmarried (opposite-sex and same-sex) couples.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until Jun 26, 2019
Illegal
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

Until 2015
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  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Italy

?

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

Current status
Since Dec 22, 1947
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  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Italy

?

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  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until 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 Jan 1, 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

?

Conversion therapy in Italy is ambiguous.

Current status
Since 2013
Ambiguous
There is no explicit ban. However, the national psychological association officially stated in 2013 that conversion therapy goes strictly against its code of ethics and therefore is not allowed

Equal age of consent in Italy

?

Equal age of consent in Italy is equal.

Current status
Equal
Age of consent: 14
Added by leomorello  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log