Arcigay: Civil unions like Sodom

Palermo will have a civil union registry; couples who have shared the same home for at least a year will be able to register with the relevant municipal office and obtain the certificate. But the issue has infuriated City Council Vice President Sandro Oliveri (MPA), who, in defense of the traditional family, read passages from Genesis in the chamber, recalling the events of Sodom and Gomorrah. Nineteen yes votes, three no votes, and three abstentions gave the green light to an institution that has only a strong symbolic value, "to raise awareness in Parliament and push it to adapt to European standards" on the matter, given that many Italian cities and regions already have a civil union registry, bridging the gap between politics and society. "Years ago, a civil union registry in Palermo would have been unthinkable," said Daniela Tomasino, president of Arcigay Palermo. (glb)