LOVE AND HEALTH: A GAY CONSULTING CENTER OPENS IN PADUA
And the center-left accelerates on civil unions
PADUA — Love, health, civil rights: the regional counseling center for the gay community opens in Padua. E'Unione is launching the initiative, promising accelerated administrative recognition of the registry of de facto couples.
Civil partnerships and the battle to formalize civil unions: the center-left stands united. For the inauguration in Padua of the Arcigay regional headquarters, a service center for the gay community and a Veneto counseling center, the Unione spares no apologies to Arcigay and good intentions. A helping hand and declarations of intent, following the Democratic Party's outcry. Alessandro Zan, regional coordinator of Arcigay, national manager for Pacs and municipal councilor in Padua, who from the columns of the «Riformista» and of the «Corriere del Veneto» accused 'Unione of ‘backwardness on the front of the recognition of civil rights«, accusing it of »watering down the homosexual issue by depriving it of priority only to please some homophobes in the centre-left«.
On October 7th in Padua, in front of the Arcigay committees of Venice, Verona, Rovigo and Brescia, Alessandro Zan reiterated: «We can no longer accept pats on the back or positions of principle, We want administrative and formal recognition for the registry of de facto unions».
Claudio Malfitano, head of Arcigay in Padua, highlighted: "Even today, gays and lesbians are exposed to attacks, from insults to physical violence." Then Malfitano attacked: "The Padua center-left has given a bad image of itself in recent months, blocking for over a year the motion on the union register presented by Zan and signed by half the city councilors. A blatant discrimination. For this reason, we ask that this motion be discussed and voted on in the council as soon as possible, also because the people of Padua have already approved it for some time.
‘'Unione turned out in force at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the regional Arcigay headquarters. Zan's "shock" mobilized the party. "I'm here to apologize," he began. Gabriele Frigato, member of parliament for the Margherita party — Only last year and with culpable delay did I approach the issues of homosexuality. ‘'there is still a lot of ignorance on the subject, a long way to go, shortcomings and delays. I am uneasy about my party's official position on these issues. Consider me on your side.".
Alessandro Naccarato, a member of parliament from the Democratic Party, underlined: «The register of de facto couples is a point on which we feel guilty, we fought, but not enough, we really have to to affirm a secular vision of politics»". Naccarato pointed out that "the provincial and regional Arcigay headquarters established by the Municipality of Padua is a signal, an important step towards rights." A commitment reiterated by the DS municipal councilor Mauro Bortoli. The next step 'he announced Milva Boselli, president of the city council of Padua, with the inclusion in the new statute of the Municipality of Padua of sexual orientation and gender identity as "elements of non-discrimination".
«Arcigay was born 21 years ago in 1985 — Claudio Malfitano recalled — With the gay pride in 2002, they paraded in Padua 40,000 people for rights and freedom. And with the inauguration of the regional headquarters, for the first time Arcigay is hosted in a municipal office.‘