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Permanent initiative for full equality, equal marriage, and the recognition of gay and lesbian parenthood.
Full equality is one of the main objectives of Arcigay's activities: Within the family, this means access to marriage for all and full recognition of gay and lesbian parenthood. The #lostessosì campaign, launched by Arcigay together with other LGBTI and non-LGBTQI groups in 2015, has precisely this goal: full equality.
Civil unions were approved in May, thanks also to the advocacy activities of Arcigay, in the midst of the #lostessosì campaign.: a significant step forward for each and every one of us, for society, for the country, because they recognized concrete rights for many gay and lesbian families. But the recognition of civil unions was a political ploy to avoid fully resolving the fundamental issue: the recognition of full equality between gay and lesbian families and heterosexual families, including those with children. Equality and rights are principles to which we must aspire in their entirety, and only when we all have equal access to rights will we be able to consider ourselves satisfied as an association, as a union of people who have a love of freedom in common.
Arcigay has started from this starting point, moving toward the recognition of full equality. If it's true that "all citizens have equal social dignity and are equal before the law," we believe it's up to us, all of us, to make this a reality.
LoStessoSì is therefore a collector of positive impulses that grows thanks to the support and passion of a dense network of volunteers and activists who are involved in various local and national actions.. Its symbol, a red heart with a white “equal” sign inside, quickly became the symbol, recognized throughout the country, of a mobilization for full equality.
THE STAGES OF THE CAMPAIGN
February 14 and May 17, 2015 / The "Piazzate d'amore" flashmobs“
During the symbolic days of Valentine's Day and the International Day Against Homophobia, #lostessosì organized flashmobs to stimulate public debate on the issues of rights and equality. Over 30 cities participated and thousands of people were involved.
May 1, 2015 / The May Day Concert
The artists who performed during the May Day concert, Labor Day, were involved in a campaign visibility action.
May 1st and 17th, 2015 / The first "equality tables"“
In Rome and Ravenna, an opportunity to bring to the attention of public opinion the need for discuss family equality through the symbolic gesture of “having lunch together”, conveying a sense of community and family.
December 2015 / Campaign #DisegnodiFamiglia
In the midst of the debate on stepchild adoption, Arcigay, together with Famiglie Arcobaleno and Condividilove, launches a awareness video about the concept of family, as told directly by children from gay and lesbian families.
June 2015 / Pride
A month during which to demonstrate the’'pride in one's identity, unite and create a critical mass, directly in the squares of Italy: the symbol of the campaign is present en masse in almost all Italian pride parades
January 23, 2016 / Wake Up Italy
THEThe symbol of #lostessosì is part of a national mobilization that brought over 1 million people to 90 Italian squares with the aim of encouraging the Italian Parliament to wake up and finally make Italy a more civilized country. The extraordinary mobilization in the midst of the final debate on Civil Unions is one of the reasons why the legislative process held up, even against the "Family Day" that would have been held immediately afterward.
March 5, 2016 / “Enough Now – Rights to the Goal” Demonstration”
The #lostessosì symbol is once again part of the demonstration held in Rome on March 5th “ORA Basta – Diritti alla meta”, in response to the Senate's approval of the bill on civil unions without stepchild adoption. Arcigay is participating, urging that the law be passed anyway, but warning that it is only a "starting point" on the road to full equality.
[June 5, 2016 / Law 76/2016 on Civil Unions comes into force]
July 2016 / LoStessoSì at the International Festival “Collisioni””
LoStessoSì participated in the International Collision Festival 2016, Barolo (CN), after the Festival had suffered heavy homophobic attacks. Thousands of non-LGBTQI people got involved. #Lostessosì met dozens of artists who shared the campaign's symbol from the stage.
October 2016 / Conference "LoStessoSì: Paths to Equality" and participation in Gaybride 2016
Two-day conference – After the change of scenario introduced by the Civil Unions, Arcigay organizes a conference to reorganize the campaign, featuring expert speakers, addressing legal, political-institutional, communications, and public perception issues. The two-day event featured associations and organizations that had joined the campaign and had the opportunity to discuss their views.The stand at Gaybride 2016 – Among fashion shows, exhibitions, thematic desks and commercial stands of the wedding-themed fair in Bologna, the #lostessosì campaign was present with one stand where informational material on equal marriage was distributed as a right and as a principle.
Gathering and a sense of community are fundamental elements for Arcigay, which is why in the coming months a series of initiatives will be undertaken aimed at fighting for the principle that "rights are either for everyone or they are not rights.".
*The #lostessosì campaign was made possible thanks to funding from Open Society Initiatives for Europe – Open Society Foundations, a contribution from CILD – Italian Coalition for Freedom and Rights, and individual private donations. The #disegnodifamiglia campaign was made possible thanks to funding from ILGA Europe.[:en]
#LoStessoSì: a campaign for full equality and equal marriage
Achieving full equality is one of the main objectives of Arcigay: to our families, this really means access to marriage for all, including full parenting rights. The #lostessosì (“The same 'I do'‘) campaign, which was jump-started by Arcigay together with other LGBTI and non-LGBTI associations in 2015, has exactly this goal: full equality.
The Civil Union law was passed in May 2016, also thanks to the advocacy work done by Arcigay, at the heights of the # lessosì campaign. This represents a major step forward for each and every one of us, for our society, for our country: finally factual rights were recognized for many lesbian and gay families. At the same time, the law was also the result of a vile political plot to avoid addressing the fundamental issue of making gay and lesbian families equal to heterosexual families, including parenting rights. Equality and rights are principles to which we aspire in their entirety, and only when we all have access to equal rights and conditions, will we be satisfied as an association of people who love freedom.
This is where Arcigay starts moving forward for the recognition of full equality. If it is true that “all citizens have equal social status and are equal before the law”, we believe that this is our responsibility, and we all need to turn this into reality.
LoStessoSì acts as a collector of positive inputs that grows with the support and passion of a great network of volunteers and activists who engage locally and nationally. It became the Italian symbol of fighting for full equality.
CAMPAIGN MILESTONES
February 14th and May 17th, 2015 / “Squares of love” flash mobs
The symbolic days of Valentine's and the International Day Against Homophobia, were chosen by #lostessosì to organize flash mobs that would provoke a public debate on rights and equality issues. This happened in 30 cities, with thousands of people involved.
May 1st, 2015 / Labor Day Concert
The artists who performed during the traditional Labor Day Concert, which is broadcast live nationally, were involved in the campaign for visibility.
May 1st at 17th, 2015 / First “Equality tables”
In Rome and Ravenna, long tables were set on public squares, as a symbolic gesture. The goal was to bring public attention to how families are equal through “having lunch together”, to convey a sense of community and family.
December 2015 / The #DisegnodiFamiglia (“FamilyDrawing”) Campaign
In the midst of the heated debate about stepchild-adoption rights, Arcigay collaborated with Famiglie Arcobaleno and Sharelove to launch a video raising awareness about what families really are about, as told directly by children lesbian and gay parents.
June 2015 / Pride Parades
A month during which we demonstrated how proud we are about our identities, a mass demonstration of unity taking the stage in squares all over Italy: the campaign symbol is present in almost all of the Italian pride parades.
January 23rd, 2016 / SvegliatiItalia (Italy, Wake UP!) demonstrations
The #losessosì symbol was part of a national mass demonstration that brought more than 1 million people in 90 Italian cities to gather with the goal of convincing the Italian Parliament to wake up and finally turn Italy into a more civilized country. This extraordinary demonstration during the final days of the civil unions debate was one of the reasons why the law held despite opposing demonstrations (such as the “Family Day” mass gathering).
March 5th, 2016 / “ORA Basta – Diritti alla meta” (“That's It – Right On”) demonstration
The symbol #lostessosì is also part of the event held in Rome on March 5th in response to the Senate passing the Civil Union law by scratching stepchild adoption rights. Arcigay takes part in the demonstration to stress out that the law needs to be passed, warning at the same time that this is only a “starting point” on the path towards full equality.
[June 5th, 2016 / The Bill 76/2016 about Civil Unions becomes law]
July 2016 / LoStessoSì “Collisions” International Festival
LoStessoSì took part to the International Festival Collisions 2016, in Barolo (Northern Italy), after the festival had suffered heavy homophobic episodes. Thousands of non-LGBTI people were involved. #losessosì met with dozens of artists who shared the campaign symbol on stage.
October 2016 / “LoStessoSì: Paths to Equality” Conference and “Gaybride 2016”
Two-day Conference – After the change of situation brought by the Civil Unions, Arcigay organized a conference to reorganize the campaign, inviting expert speakers, discussing legal and political-institutional implications, as well as communicative and public perception. It was an important opportunity for all the associations involved to reassess campaign strategies and discuss future action.
A stand at Gaybride 2016 – #losessosì also took part to the LGBTI wedding fair in Bologna, renting a stand among shows, exhibitions, thematic and commercial stands, distributing informational materials on the importance of fighting for equal marriage as a right and as a principle.
Arcigay is all about getting together and creating a sense of community. Because of this, in the coming months, a number of initiatives will be implemented to fight in the name of the principle that “either we all have rights, or none of us do”.
The #losessosì campaign was made possible through the financial contributions of Open Society Initiative for Europe – Open Society Foundations, CILD – Coalition Italiana Libertà e Diritti and of several private citizens. The #disegnodifamiglia campaign was made possible through a financial contribution of ILGA Europe.[:]
