It will take place Friday, November 27, 2009, at 6 p.m., in Madrid, Calle Juan Bravo 14, in front of the Italian Embassy, the demonstration against homophobic violence in Italy, promoted by Archopolis, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Association of the Polytechnic and Complutense Universities, with the support of the Spanish national federation FELGBT and Arcigay.
Arcópoli organized this event to express its support and solidarity with the Italian LGBT community.. This demonstration aims to be a strong reminder to the Italian institutions by the Spanish associations through the attempt to Delivery to the Embassy of a first aid kit containing all the legislative material used in Spain to combat homophobia and transphobia and to guarantee equal rights, including the law on marriage and the law against violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“Spain shows us that laws can be made without harming anyone. This is the gift that the Spanish have given us: a kit of ready-made laws that the Italian government should only put into practice.”" – declares Arcigay national secretary Riccardo Gottardi – "We heartily thank the Arcòpoli association and the Spanish LGBT movement and invite all people living in Madrid, both Italian and Spanish, who believe in equality and freedom and want to show solidarity with the many victims of violence in Italy, to participate in the demonstration."“
During the demonstration, 5 minutes of silence will be observed to denounce the gravity of the situation of Italian LGBT people and afterwards a text will be read. A message from Arcigay that reports the increase in cases of aggression in recent months and reiterates the demands for equality, dignity and secularism from our government..
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A message from Arcigay, the Italian national lesbian and gay association.
We affirm our dignity as people
Madrid, November 27, 2009
Following the increase in horrific incidents of homophobic and transphobic violence in Italy in recent months, the Italian Parliament voted by a large majority on October 13th to pass a legislative amendment that bans the term "sexual orientation" from our legal system, ignoring the fact that this definition is present in all European Treaties and Directives. It has deliriously equated sexual orientation with incest, pedophilia, bestiality, sadism, necrophilia, masochism, and so on.
Once again the Parliament, which was discussing a draft law against homophobia that was already insufficient, has humiliated the dignity of Italian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender peopleThe majority of the Chamber of Deputies has become complicit with the many violent homophobic and transphobic criminals rampaging across the country!
We disobey violence and are even more convinced that our battle for civility is just and indispensable to change a country debased by this political class, far removed from any desire for justice and the real needs of the people. The Italian LGBT community has been mobilized for several weeks to continue making our voice heard, along with that of the millions of Italians outraged by the behavior of this Parliament, and to urge our government to implement our demands for equal dignity and equal rights through urgent legislation:
– guarantee same-sex couples equal rights with heterosexual couples, including through the extension of civil marriage to all families;
– address the issue of parental responsibility of de facto partners, including same-sex partners, especially in the interests of the children involved;
– the extension of the Mancino law to consider all crimes and violence against LGBT people as hate crimes;
– effective legislation against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace, at school, and in society;
– positive actions in society, particularly in schools, to combat homophobic, lesbian, and transphobic prejudice, and to promote cultural initiatives for inclusion and education about diversity;
– guaranteeing the right to health for LGBT people, putting an end to discrimination in healthcare.
Italy is one of the very few European countries that still leaves LGBT people in a total absence of rights. To bring Italy back into Europe, before being forced to seek political asylum in civilized countries like Spain, we assert, with our visibility, our pride, our bodies, the dignity of persons denied to us by the institutions.