[:en]A few days ago a trans person was killed.
Italy once again holds the record for the country with the highest number of victims in Europe this year.
Today we want to remember all trans people, those killed at the hands of others, those who took their own lives because they were marginalized.
Against hatred and prejudice towards trans* people
We were struck by the story of Clear
A 19-year-old transgender woman, Chiara, took her own life in her Naples home while her mother was away. The news, which is sparking shock and grief on social media, was released by the Gay Center of Rome, whose hotline against homotransphobia the young woman had contacted at the age of 17 to report the violence, bullying, and marginalization she faced for choosing to express her female identity. After filing a complaint, which Gay Help Line helped her file through OSCAD (the Ministry of the Interior's joint observatory against discriminatory acts), Chiara found shelter in a community and the support of LGBT+ associations after years of marginalization, psychological abuse, and even physical abuse. "Sometimes I wonder," Chiara wrote in a letter, "what's wrong with me. Deep down, I'm still human. I feel like a woman, I want to recognize myself, dress like a woman and not like a man, I want to have more space, be calm, and not be afraid. I feel like I'm in a labyrinth with no way out.".
Her life had been difficult, especially since she decided to express her female identity, to enter the world as a woman and no longer as a man. Her parents and sisters refused to accept this change; her family initially rejected her. On the streets of her neighborhood, she was often teased, if not attacked. At school, she had been bullied for some time, so much so that she decided to drop out. And so, in desperation, she decided to seek help. "Yet," emphasizes the Gay Center of Rome, to which the girl turned, "the road for those who report is uphill, especially for minors: the lack of protection protocols and immediate removal from the perpetrators of violence, the long and exhausting justice process that pushes young victims to justify themselves, the lack of communities for minors that welcome trans girls and boys based on their gender identity and not their sex, and the risk of being victimized by staff unprepared to embrace their identities without prejudice.".
Daniela Falanga, president of ArciGay Naples, knew Daniela well and is keen to emphasize that she was being cared for by experienced and caring people: "She had been welcomed into a residential community for at-risk minors and taken to the InContra counseling center in Portici, the only free clinic in Italy for gender-biased youth. They provided her with a psychodiagnostic report, which she adhered to. Clearly, something went wrong. The fact is that the local health authorities are extremely slow in implementing Law 35 of 2020 for psychological support for vulnerable youth." The girl had left the community to return home to the Piscinola neighborhood, where she committed suicide by hanging on October 24th.
ArciGay, through its secretary, Antonello Sannino, is keen to make it known that there are local organizations available to support young people with gender incongruence: "The Casa dell'Accoglienza in Naples, the InContra counseling center in Portici, and the anti-discrimination centers in San Giorgio, Pomigliano, and Caivano are all operational in the area specifically for cases like this, and it's crucial to communicate this effectively to the public. The association's network and institutions can provide important answers; no one should ever feel alone again, as Chiara unfortunately did. We are here and always will be, with a network that works constantly to improve, together with the institutions, to welcome and support each of these situations." The address to contact is: [email protected]. .
Naples City Councilor for Equal Opportunities, Emanuela Ferrante, calls it a "true tragedy" and calls it "absurd" that a 19-year-old "could commit suicide over issues related to gender identity." "There's still a long way to go," Ferrante adds. "This administration is very sensitive to the issue," argues Council member Manfredi. "It's no coincidence that Naples was the first city to inaugurate a community center to welcome LGBTQI people. Furthermore, in the coming days, the council will approve a resolution to establish a municipal observatory on LGBTQI issues to combat homophobia. This is without mentioning the enormous work done together with all the associations that serve as a permanent force against gender discrimination in the area. The primary objective of this administration," concludes Emanuela Ferrante, "is to guarantee equal dignity and protection for all people, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.".
Article from the Corriere del Mezzogiorno of October 27, 2022, by Titti Beneduce.[:]
