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Bologna, May 14, 2018 – "If it's homophobic, it's not family": this is the slogan of the campaign Arcigay is launching on May 17th, the International Day Against Homophobia, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transphobia. "We decided to focus attention on a specific aspect of this phenomenon," explains Gabriele Piazzoni, national secretary of Arcigay. "Our 68 local offices," he continues, "receive numerous requests for help, all very different from one another: the most recurring ones are from adolescents, newly adult adults, and young people experiencing a climate of oppression, contempt, and psychological and physical violence within their families. The lack of recognition and support from parents and family members in general is a deeply painful experience for many young people, one that hurts deeply. We often say that the recent achievement of a few but important rights for LGBT people has brought about a cultural revolution: today, LGBT people are visible, present in public discourse and the media, they live their relationships in the open, and they build families. But we must not forget that these achievements have been accompanied by a radicalization of public debate, marked by very violent campaigns that targeted the family. Those who launched slogans like 'let's defend our children' to censor content and representations of the LGBT world have exposed many sons and daughters to the dismay of their families, which in many cases has turned into contempt. So we wanted to make it clear: a A family in which homophobia, lesbophobia, transphobia, and biphobia are not kept outside the door cannot be called a family. Because it spectacularly fails to give sons and daughters the support, understanding, and love they need. In our campaign materials, we tell the stories of these sons and daughters, who do not need to be protected by phantom theories or fantasies created ad hoc by professional agitators, but who paradoxically ask for help to be protected by their parents, the people who should love them most. This is a short circuit that must be denounced and addressed. We have chosen to do so through a widespread campaign, online and offline, which will seek to reach every part of the country through a packed schedule of initiatives that our local chapters have already launched and which will continue beyond May 17th. The campaign tells four stories, actually collected by Arcigay's local services, reproduced with fictitious names on postcards but also in images and videos to be shared via social media. The offline mobilization is divided into numerous events scheduled in the many cities where Arcigay is present: the complete calendar is available at the link: https://www.arcigay.it/a
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