Our association's history begins with the ORA Group – Roman Homosexuals in Action – founded in the late 1990s by Alberto Cervi and Antonio Trinchieri. Many steps have been taken since then, most notably its incorporation and formal membership in Arcigay.
On March 28, 2001, Arcigay Roma Gruppo Ora was born.
The association was founded on three cardinal principles:
- the defense of the secular state;
- the fight against homophobia and transphobia;
- the legal recognition of same-sex couples.
Numerous initiatives were organized between 2000 and 2001, such as the campaign in support of civil unions carried out together with the then Arcilesbica Roma, now Differenza Lesbica, or the sit-in on Via del Corso to collect signatures in support of LGBT rights.
For the people who were active in the newly formed Arcigay Roma, these values translated into concrete actions, visibility and vindication.
Among the most important initiatives we remember the commemoration of Alfredo Ormando, who set himself on fire in front of the Vatican on 13 January 1998: “I hope they will understand the message I want to convey: it is a form of protest against the Church that demonizes homosexuality, while simultaneously demonizing Nature, because homosexuality is its child.
Vilified, opposed, marginalized […] now that's enough, society killed me, before I did it.”
Alfredo Ormando's gesture gave birth to the International Day of Dialogue between Religions and Homosexuality, which since 2004 has been celebrated on the anniversary of his death.
In 2003, the association collaborated with numerous organizations, participating in discussions and completing projects that would allow the topics to be introduced, through informational materials and events, to public spaces, such as libraries.
Activities begin in schools to combat homophobia and promote a "culture of respect and individual freedom.".
Arcigay Roma's commitment transcends national borders and, together with associations in Berlin and Brussels, is developing a project aimed at young gay adolescents in Europe.
On February 14, 2004, Arcigay Roma played a central role in organizing the national demonstration Kiss2PACS, which brought a record number of over 1,800 couples to Piazza Farnese to exchange a kiss in favor of the legal recognition of same-sex couples: Vladimir Luxuria, La Pina, Fabio Canino and Alessandro Zan accompanied the initiative on stage, while Viola Valentino acted as godmother.
Arcigay Roma recognizes the value of intersectionality and inclusivity From the very beginning: it was with these principles that the first group for LGBTQIA+ people with disabilities was born within the association. Activism on this issue would lead to a collaboration with the production company Lucky Red, culminating in the production of a documentary on sexuality and disability.
We thus arrive at 2005 when, during the National Congress of Arcigay, the first SOS homophobia course: The Gay Help Line is established, the toll-free number against homo-lesbian-bi-transphobia.
This is the first year that the International Day Against Homophobia is celebrated, and during the national press conference in Rome, Arcigay Roma presents the dossier Homophobic Italy: a collection of over one hundred articles regarding acts of homophobia in Italy published by major newspapers in the previous eight months.
In the following months Arcigay joined the referendum for the repeal of the Law no. 40/2004: “Regulations on medically assisted procreation”.
Article 5 is the first explicit legislative act of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation: Twenty years later we are still dealing with a policy that undermines the ability of LGBTQIA+ people to self-determine, not recognizing our families and erasing them using the law.
The demands brought forward at the Rome Pride march that same year concerned the request for a law against discrimination based on homophobia, lesbophobia, biphobia and transphobia: After twenty years, no progress has been made; we are still asking for a law against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity..
In 2006, the LGBT+ community was shocked by the murder of Paolo Seganti: on July 11, he died after being tortured in a park in Rome's Monte Sacro neighborhood because he was gay. In addition to his family, more than 5,000 people attended the torchlight procession in memory organized by the association, including then-mayor Veltroni.
Three months after the violent murder, at the site of the discovery a plaque is placed in memory of all the victims of homophobia. It was an important sign of support and commitment for the LGBTQIA+ community, but also for Italy and the capital itself, which held a sad record: in ten years, 200 homophobic murders were confirmed, 40 of which in the city of Rome alone.
