Bologna, March 29, 2014 – “On the day the United Kingdom celebrates the entry into force of the law extending the right to marriage to same-sex couples, we send our best wishes to the newlyweds Federico Podeschi and Darren Williams, the first gay couple from San Marino to marry abroad,” said Flavio Romani, president of Arcigay. He continues: "Federico and Darren, the former from San Marino and the latter from Wales, are fulfilling their dream across the Channel today, but unfortunately, upon their return home, nothing that the United Kingdom has officially made will be recognized. The Republic of Mount Titano still has a long way to go on the issue of LGBT rights and certainly cannot count on the support of Italy, always uncertain and inconclusive in this area. But the situation in San Marino is even worse: homosexuality was decriminalized there only in 2004, and since then only one measure, regarding the granting of political asylum, has been passed towards the recognition of LGBT people and their relationships. In the ranking drawn up by ILGA, the international association that analyzes the progress of European states in terms of gay, lesbian, and transgender rights, San Marino ranks fortieth out of the forty-nine states considered. Almost at the bottom of the list, in short. This makes Federico and Darren's public gesture even more significant and goes a long way. beyond the intimate dimension of the love they declare. Their marriage is the story of a possibility that materializes precisely where that possibility seems excluded, against the prevailing thoughts, the wait-and-see attitudes of politics, the arrows of detractors. Therefore, Romani concludes, "our admiration and a special wish go to Federico and Darren: may their love help rights flourish even on Mount Titano."“
