ARCIGAY ANTINOO IS NO LONGER THE NAPLES TERRITORIAL COMMITTEE. ARCIGAY SALERNO: AN EXCEPTIONAL DECISION, A FIRST STEP TOWARDS RESTORING A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST FOUNDED ON RESPONSIBILITY AND SHARED VALUES.
The National Council of Arcigay, after a long and responsible collective reflection, has almost unanimously approved the renunciation of the role of Territorial Committee to the Antinoo Napoli Association, a historic Arcigay outpost in the Metropolitan City of Naples. This role, we recall, has nothing to do with membership in the national organization, but is part of the trust and representation of the entire Arcigay in individual territories. It is therefore not tied to subjective action, but to the ability to forge collective paths in compliance with national bodies and the rules we have all established for ourselves.
After months of discussion, during which the General Secretariat and the National Council attempted to rebuild a climate of mutual respect and trust, this decision seemed necessary, albeit painful, for our community. It comes at the end of a detailed investigation presented by the Delegate for Territories, which listed incidents deemed incompatible with the non-negotiable values on which Arcigay has been founded for over forty years. Numerous attempts at dialogue and conciliation were insufficient, and therefore the National Council, as Arcigay's sovereign body, felt it necessary to make a strong decision, yet transparent in its method and substance.
We recognize that this is a difficult decision, one that involves a historic part of the LGBTQIA+ movement in Campania, and one that cannot be approached superficially or through adversarial logic. When trust and democratic debate are lacking, making decisions in the best interests of all Arcigay committees, its members, and the movement as a whole, becomes a duty.
We owed so much to those who, over the years, have called on Arcigay to take clear decisions regarding behaviors incompatible with the association's values; we owed so much to the members, the local committees, and the institutions with which Arcigay has always maintained a serious and constructive dialogue.
At the same time, we express our respect for the history of Antinoo Napoli, an organization that for decades has been a fundamental point of reference in the defense of LGBTQIA+ rights in Campania and has contributed significantly to the growth of the movement in our region. Precisely because of this history and this collective heritage, we hope that the conditions can be recreated for a new phase based on dialogue, mutual respect, and democratic participation in the life and growth of Arcigay.
The National Council has temporarily entrusted the Arcigay Il Cassero Committee of Bologna with territorial responsibility. We extend our best wishes to Il Cassero for their continued success and confirm Arcigay Salerno's full willingness to collaborate with Arcigay Nazionale and all the organizations involved to ensure continuity of political action in the Neapolitan area and to create the conditions for strengthening the representation of the LGBTQIA+ community in Naples and Campania.
The challenges we face remain the fight against discrimination, the defense of rights, the fight against hate speech, and the construction of a freer, more just, and more inclusive society. Therefore, we hope this affair doesn't turn into a media pillory or a clash between fan groups, but is addressed with maturity and responsibility.
The enemies of our community are elsewhere. Now more than ever, it is essential to protect LGBTQIA+ people, enhance the work of local committees, and strengthen a credible movement that is united in its differences and responsive to people's needs.
Arcigay Salerno Press Office
Salerno, July 20, 2026
