Varese, May 17, 2025
On the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, which is celebrated every year on May 17, Arcigay Varese presents the updated data of the Rainbow Center, the LGBTQIA+ anti-discrimination service active in Varese since May 2022. In the last 12 months, the Centre has managed over 400 contacts, carried out 146 welcome interviews, taken over 137 people and made 253 individual meetings.
These numbers highlight significant growth compared to the first year and a half of activity (≈200 people supported), confirming the Center's increasingly central role in the well-being and protection of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Most of the requests come from trans and non-binary people, often experiencing social isolation, family rejection, or job discrimination. For many of them, the Center is the only safe and welcoming space. A protected social group, designed to offer informal support and reduce feelings of loneliness. 94% of those supported expressed satisfaction with the quality of the listening and support they received.
“"The Arcobaleno Center is a necessary space today more than ever. We cannot allow LGBTQIAI+ people to be left alone. Listening, care, and expertise must be guaranteed at all times, not just in times of emergency."”
– John Boschini, president of Arcigay Varese
The Center can also be contacted via WhatsApp at 0332 182 8050 and on the site www.centroarcobaleno.org.
Training and prevention in schools
To combat the phenomenon of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, training and discussion courses have been activated with the local authorities of the provinces of Varese and Como, and it has been possible to reach approximately 300 people including students, teachers, school staff and parents through educational interventions and prevention activities against bullying and discrimination.
A concrete result of this work was the’The Province of Varese has joined the READY network, the national network of public administrations involved in the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity: the first province of Lombardy to do so. An important signal, demonstrating openness and willingness to engage in dialogue.
However, on the Varese Pride front, the outlook was less encouraging. Arcigay Varese requested sponsorship from all 136 municipalities of the Province: only 9 have granted patronage, 2 denied it and well 125 Municipalities did not respond. A silence that weighs: not answering is never neutral, especially when it comes to civil rights. The lack of an official position risks contributing to the marginalization of the LGBTQIA+ community.
New projects: SISTER_VA for LGBTQIA+ women
Arcigay Varese has recently started SISTER_VA, a new project that aims to support the LGBTQIA+ women victims of violence and multiple discrimination. The project includes the activation of a contact center welcoming and safe, services targeted psychological support, the birth of a women's group for leadership and empowerment, training activities with operators of anti-violence and anti-discrimination centers, awareness campaigns and collaboration with municipalities and universities.
SISTER_VA represents a further step in building a truly intersectional and transfeminist reception system.
A worrying national context
The work of the Arcobaleno Center and related projects is part of a national context that is anything but encouraging. According to the Rainbow Map 2025 by ILGA-Europe, Italy is placed at the 35th place out of 49 European countries, with a score of just 24,41% for respect and full equality of LGBTQIA+ rights. This data confirms a chronic stagnation in policies to protect LGBTQIA+ rights and places Italy among the last countries in the European Union for equality and legal protection.
In the absence of structural reforms, the role of local associations and projects, which fill a void left by central institutions, becomes even more urgent and necessary.
Upcoming actions: campaign, handbook, and report
A new platform will be launched in the next quarter. public campaign against discrimination, aimed at both citizens and institutions. At the same time, Arcigay Varese will produce a handbook of good practices for the Municipalities and a Interprovincial report on LGBTQIA+ rights in the provinces of Varese and Como.
These actions aim to strengthen dialogue with local administrations and provide concrete tools to promote more inclusive policies, in a context where LGBTQIA+ people continue to face obstacles in fully enjoying their rights.
