#WORLDWIDE #ITALY #News #Journal - We won a battle in Italy – will you keep fighting?

Dear friends,

A bill that protects LGBT+ people from hate was passed yesterday in the Italian Lower House. It's a first important victory after a long fight!

But we are only halfway through. Now the bill must pass the Senate, and we already know that it will not be easy at all. Conservative forces in the country will do everything they can to prevent its final approval.

More than 71,000 people have already signed our petition. Now, we need to dial up the pressure for the Senate to vote YES.

Click here to add your name.

Thanks for going All Out!

Gabriele Piazzoni,
Secretary General, Arcigay

SOURCES:

●︎ Italy's lower house of parliament approves bill protecting LGBT+ community – Openly, 4 November 2020

Here is our original message
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Dear friends –

During Pride Month, a brutal attack in the Italian city of Pescara left a young gay man with a smashed jaw – just because he walked hand in hand with his boyfriend.

Violence and discrimination against women and LGBT+ people are a daily reality in Italy. But unlike many other European countries, we have no legal protection against hate crimes.

We've been asking for it for 30 years – and today we're closer than ever to reaching this goal: This week, the Italian Congress will discuss a law that would make violence and discrimination against women and LGBT+ people a crime.

That's why we're mobilising people in and outside of Italy to pressure the Parliament and the Government to do the right thing.

sign our petition to demand a comprehensive and effective law against hate crimes.

The latest research by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights on LGBT+ people in Italy shows that 62% of us avoid holding hands with our loved ones and 30% do not go to certain places for fear of being attacked.

With your help, we can stop the hate and end the fear, Luc.

Sign our petition and ask that everyone can live and love without fear in Italy.

Thanks for going All Out!

Gabriele Piazzoni
Secretary General, Arcigay

SOURCES:

●︎ 'We're living in fear': LGBT people in Italy pin hopes on new law – The Guardian, 26 July 2020
●︎ A long way to go for LGBTI equality. Country data: Italy – FRA, 14 May 2020