Bologna, June 22, 2016 – "We dedicate this victory to the children and girls our parliament has discriminated against and deemed invisible. This ruling brings them justice and dignity and calls parliament to a serious examination of conscience": Gabriele Piazzoni, national secretary of Arcigay, comments on the ruling by which the Court of Cassation legitimizes the extension of stepchild adoption to same-sex families. "The judges' words," Piazzoni says, "highlight the flaw that has characterized the debate on civil unions in Italy, preventing the best interests of boys and girls from being put first. This is a grave responsibility that our political system must shoulder today. For us, however, today is a day of celebration, in which we retaliate against the humiliating slap in the face of those who sought to discriminate against our sons and daughters: we can finally plan for them a future equal to that of all other children. Finally, on this day, we want to extend our embrace to all LGBT mothers and fathers, who have fought for years to achieve this result, sacrificing their family life. An act of love that deserves to be held up as a model," Piazzoni concludes.
