We are two young men from Genoa, aged 30 and 31; we've been engaged for over 13 years and have lived together for two years. This year, we spent our holidays first in Portugal, in the southern Algarve region, and then in Spain, in Andalusia.
We're a simple, rather sober couple. We don't hide our homosexuality, either in our private lives or at work; we certainly don't flaunt it. In Portugal, the gay community, from what we've seen, lives a peaceful, accepted life, without being singled out for compliments and/or kisses. So, total acceptance.
In these two countries, when we went to the hotel to check in, when asked something like "room – bed?", they already opted for a double room with a double bed... something that almost never happens in Italy.
After Portugal, we continued on to Spain, a truly special nation! We thought that only the Barcelona area could offer such openness and a strong welcome to the LGBT community, but we saw firsthand that since the arrival of Zapatero and his laws fully embracing civil rights, Spanish society has truly changed! It has opened up, revealed itself, showcasing to all of Europe its sense of civility, freedom, and respect for others, which is palpable throughout the country.
What's important to emphasize, in our opinion, is that the law has changed the minds of Spaniards! It legalized same-sex marriage, and it has also intervened extensively in education, in raising awareness of homosexuality, and especially in training those who work in society, such as the Guardia Civil. Generally, we've seen a very tolerant population. Unlike our fellow Spaniards, we've seen a very tolerant population.
Among the very young, gay couples live their relationship without hiding kisses, or walking hand in hand. Strange, but not uncommon, in Seville was the passionate kiss between two girls: one of them about to leave. A tearful kiss, a final farewell... among about fifty passengers on a bus: the embarrassment hovered only over us!! Instead, there were passengers who were indifferent or even moved. I can assure you that among the fifty or so people on the bus, not a single one sneered or criticized the gesture of those two girls!
Never before have we felt so welcomed and accepted. Returning to Italy, we feel distant from this country; we feel unwelcome, rejected by everyone, especially by politicians.
Just today, September 8th 2008, the news reaches the city, Genoa, that the next Pride will be held here, and already heated controversy is being raised both from the right (we had no doubts!), and FROM THE LEFT!
Friends of Arcigay, how sad, how disappointing! We would love to escape this ignorant and homophobic country! I feel sorry for my great-grandparents and grandparents who fought so hard for our freedom and democracy. These sacrosanct rights were trampled upon by the Berlusconi-Ratzingerian era, thanks also to the idleness and profiteering of the so-called left.
We thank Arcigay for giving us the space to share our stories, and we salute the entire LGBT community, inviting them to remain united in good times and bad!
From GENOA, Danilo & Giuseppe
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