‘We won’t beg for crumbs’ Thousands rally in Italy after government ditches same-sex adoption plans
Tens of thousands of LGBT activists rallied against government “betrayal” in Italy over the weekend – after plans for same-sex adoptions were hastily dropped.
Italy’s government recently passed same-sex civil unions, but parts of the law dealing with same-sex adoption were dropped after strong opposition from lawmakers and the Catholic Church.
The amended bill was apparently enough to satisfy the rebels – passing through the country’s Senate on a 173-71 vote, after the compromise deal was reached.
However, the watered down version has attracted negative responses from LGBT groups, angry at the government’s “betrayal” on the issue which guts it of many legal protections.
Thousands of angry LGBT activists rallied in Rome over the weekend, speaking out against the decision to “cut back [the bill] to the bare bones”.
According to The Local, protester Alessia Avellino said: “Today in Italy, in 2016, we still have to beg for charity, for crumbs, interms of rights.
“We want equal weddings, adoptions and full rights. Full rights.”
Graziano Ostuni,who has children with his partner, told EuroNews: “We are demonstrating because a first timid step has been made, which is the recognition of same sex unions. But it is not enough.
“We are here to ask for equal marriage. We are here to ask for ‘stepchild adoption’ that should be a civil gesture, as it is in many other countries.
“The family tie of my children with one of their parents is not recognised by law and that is not right.
“That is why we are here to ask for our children not to be treated as second-class citizens.”
