Court of Appeal reverses Grosseto ruling

Court of Appeal of Florence 

On September 23 the Court of Appeal of Florence reversed the April Grosseto ruling which ordered the recognition of the first same-sex marriage in Italy. 










The Court of Appeal reversed the lower decision of judge Paolo Cesare Otatti due to a problem of "standings". According to the Court, the couple - Giuseppe and Stefano - would have appointed the Mayor as the defendant and not the Comune (County) and this mistake could have been solved if the Mayor of Grosseto, Emilio Bonifazi (Democratic Party), had appeared before the Court. Now the case is remanded to the District Court of Grosseto.

Giuseppe and Stefano married in New York in 2012 and then sued the Comune of Grosseto in March 2014, judge Paolo Ottati decided the only a month later.

Ritorno al futuro: lo stato dello Utah porterà il caso Kitchen dinanzi alla Corte Suprema

Il 25 giugno scorso, la Corte d'Appello di Denver del 10° Circuito degli Appelli (d'ora in poi solo 10° Circuito) aveva deciso in favore di quelle coppie gay e lesbiche che l'anno scorso avevano iniziato un'azione legale contro il divieto al diritto al matrimonio nello stato dell'Utah. Se vi ricordate, il 20 dicembre 2013 il giuidice federale Shelby aveva accolto la richiesta delle coppie (qui la decisione), ed ora il 10° Circuito ha confermato la sentenza del giudice Shelby (qui la sentenza d'appello); quello che manca è un'ulteriore appello alla Corte Suprema.

Fino a qualche giorno fa - per la precisione il 9 luglio - lo stato dello Utah aveva avuto la possibilità di appellarsi nuovamente al 10° Circuito e, questa volta, tutti i giudici di questo Circuito avrebbero potuto prendere parte al caso Kitchen (questo tipo di giudizio prende il nome di en banc review). Così non è stato. Il 9 luglio lo stato dello Utah ha detto che avrebbe preferito chiedere alla Corte Suprema di rivedere il caso. E così sarà.

Ma da ieri, i tempi per appellarsi si sono accorciati. Gli stessi giudici che avevano presediuto al caso Kitchen - Kelly, Lucero e Holmes - hanno ordinato allo Utah di riconoscere quei 1308 matrimoni che sono stati celebrati tra il 20 dicembre e il 6 gennaio 2014 (qui l'ordine). Facciamo un passo indietro. Se ricordate ancora, dopo che la Corte suprema aveva bloccato il prosieguo delle nozze, lo stato dello Utah aveva detto che a quelle coppie, che avevano celebrato le nozze in quell'intervallo di tempo, non sarebbero stati riconosciuti i benefici che già vantavano le coppie etero sposate (ad esempio non possono: fare la dichiarazione dei redditi insieme, prendere decisioni sulla salute del proprio coniuge, e così via). Da questo è nata una seconda azione legale, volta però a riconoscere a quelle circa 1308 coppie gli effetti giuridici dei propri matrimoni. In seguito il giudice Kimball si era espresso a favore delle coppie, dando però, qualche giorno di tempo allo stato dello Utah per appellarsi. Ora - e di nuovo - il 10° Circuito ha deciso in favore delle coppie, dando allo stato dello Utah appena 10 giorni di tempo per appellarsi e per ottenere una sospensione del dispositivo della sentenza.

Italian mayor to ban gay kisses

Gianluca Buonanno

On July 9 Gianluca Buonanno (pictured with a bass) mayor of Borgosesia (Piedmont) and Italian MP for the Northern League, a racist-homophobic-secessionist party, announced that same-sex people who kiss will be fined 500€. Buonanno is not new for his anti-gay and anti-Muslims slurs.







"Gay kisses in public? No thanks. Not only. From today in my Mayor and MEP offices there will be a photo of Putin" Buonanno says about of his new lover.

"I don't like that two people of the same-sex exchanges public displays of affection. It's a matter of respect. And I am convinced that is morally harmful for children". No comment please.

Buonanno and his new lover

Buonanno is Mayor, Italian MP for the Chamber of Deputies and recently member of the European Parliament. At the first seating of the European Parliament Buonanno arrived disguised in burqa.

Recently he has done everything possible to capture the attention of the media: he and a bass (above), he and bubbles; the European flag as a handkerchief.

LGBT associations has already condemned Buonanno initiative. The Democratic party mayor of a neighboring town said that he will made up a counter-initiative where everyone will have the opportunity to kiss his or her own lover.

If Buonanno will sign the act this will be maybe challenged in court. No chance of victory for Buonanno.

Civil Union bill introduced

Monica Cirinnà

On June 24 Monica Cirinnà, Democratic MP, introduced the "Regulation of civil unions between same-sex couples and discipline of cohabitation" bill in the Italian Senate. The bill aims to recognize for the first time same-sex relationships as civil unions.











The bill which Cirinnà introduced on Tuesday is an unified version of many bills that were filed in the current legislature by MPs of different parties. 

Cirinnà hopes that the bill will "definitely approved before the end of the year", because she added that "we must fill a legal vacuum no more bearable ... the parliament must do in 6 months what it hasn't done in 8 years". About 8 years ago the center-left government tried to regulate the cohabitation of same and opposite-sex couples, but some Ministers and MPs that supported the Government threatened to leave the majority (the Catholic Church and even Pope Benedict XVI stepped in the debate and did all they could to block the bill).  

If the bill will be approved the Italian family law will change dramatically. This is a summary: Marriage will be available only for straight couples, Civil Union for gay and lesbian couple; than if you don't want to marry or to register your civil union you can still cohabit and receive some benefits or you could also stipulate a "cohabitation contract" with your partner.

Civil Union
In each comune (municipality, the plural forms is comuni) will be established the "National Register of Civil Unions" (Registro Nazionale delle Unione Civili) where gay and lesbian couples have the opportunity to formalize their union before the Registrar of the Civil Status (the state official). At least two witnesses must attend before the registration of the union in the National Register. When a couple writes down their names in the register the partners should decide the matrimonial regime. The registration of a civil union will grant to the two partners the same rights and duties of a married couple but not the right to adopt conjointly. However the partner will be able to adopt the child of the other partner.

Cohabitation 
Same and opposite-sex couples who don't want to register a civil union or to marry can cohabit and receive some benefits. Any contract that stipulates the cohabitation would be recorded before a notary. 

Italian Rainbow Revolution

After the news released yesterday by L’Unità, according to one of the most read Italian newspaper, la Repubblica, Italy will gets its “Rainbow Revolution” when, in September, the Italian Parliament will start the debate over the recognition of same-sex unions.

Monica Cirnnà

On Tuesday 17, the Italian newspaper la Repubblica published that dealt with the issue of the recognition of same-sex unions. The journalist, Maria Novella de Luca, interviewed Monica Cirinnà the supervisor of two bills that will establish civil unions for gay and lesbians couples and cohabitation agreements for cohabitants couples either opposite or same-sex couples.

The Civil Union bill will grant to same-sex couples the same rights and duties afforded to married straight couples, indeed the Cohabitation agreement bill will grant to cohabitants couples some of the rights and the duties of marriage, because “who doesn’t got married, he or she doesn’t want to have all rights and duties”, Cirinnà says.

The paper version of the Tuesday article also reports two interviews, one to Giuseppina la Delfa, President of Rainbow Families, an association of gay parents and the other to the Catholic MP, Maurizio Sacconi who opposes Civil Unions for gays and lesbians, but backs the cohabitation agreement bill.

Giuseppina la Delfa, who writes for the Italian version of the Huffpost, strongly favors the two bills, but according to her the “real revolution” is the step-child adoption right that the Civil Union will grant to same-sex couples.

The two bills that will be introduced by Monica Cirinnà (Democratic Party) will start their debate in the Italian Senate Committee of Justice the next September.  

Italian Government to step in the Civil Union debate from September

Matteo Renzi - Italian Prime Minister

According to the Democratic Party newspaper, L'Unità, the Italian Government will introduce a bill that will grant to same-sex couples the same rights and duties afforded to married opposite-sex couples. 







The flamboyant Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi (Democratic Party) promised for the second time the recognition of same-sex couples at celebration for the historic win at the European election (if you look at the picture you can recognize the result - 40.8%). According to L'Unità, the Italian Government - which is a great coalition government - will introduce a Civil Union bill for same-sex couples the next September.    

The same promise was made, if you remember, in December when Matteo Renzi was elected as the new secretary of the Italian Democratic Party. Now we will remember you what happened afterwards. First some Democratic MPs introduce the Civil Union and Cohabitation bill which would have grant to same-sex couples the same rights and duties afforded to married opposite-sex couples, then the Italian Senate assigned to the Justice Committee the bill and finally the same Committee tabled the debate over the recognition of same-sex couples and cohabitants. 

Monica Cirinnà

Later in May, after having carefully considered others bills relating to this issue, the supervisor, Monica Cirinnà ( Democratic Party), stated that she was ready to introduce a unified version of the bills which were took in consideration1. 

Due to the fact that the L'Unità didn't retrace this path as we did, it's easy to think that the Italian Government won't introduce a bill next September, but maybe, it will support the bill that Cirinnà has not showed yet. 

The bill that we will see in September won't be so different from the one which was introduced last December.

Last week the Italian Constitutional Court found unconstitutional a law that doesn't grant the same rights and duties of marriage to a married straight couple in which at least one of the spouses changes his or her legal gender and then see their marriage dissolved. The same court urged the Parliament to act immediately.

Italy is the last Europe founding state not to have recognized same-sex couples. Even Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary fare better than Italy on this issue. Malta, where divorce was not legal until 2011, legalized civil unions in April. 

In 1976 the Italian Constitutional Court gave the green light to the Parliament to legislate on the matter of cohabitation but we had waited a decade to see the start of the debate when, in 1986, a MP of the Italian Communist Party introduced a bill that regulated such a situation. Later other MPs followed suit but no bill was voted. In 2007 the Italian Government (center-left) tried to introduce a bill that would have regulated cohabitation but some Ministers and MPs that supported the Government threatened to leave the majority (the Catholic Church and even Pope Benedict XVI stepped in the debate and did all they could to block the bill). 

According to a survey released in late January, 78% of Italians backs the recognition of same-sex couples, 47% the right to marry and only 28% adoption for same-sex couples.   

---- Notes-----
1 According to the Italian laws, when a bill is introduced, the President of the Assembly (whether the Chamber of deputies or the Senate) assigns the bill to a Committee; then the Committee works on that bill - and on the others bills that maybe others Mps have introduced - and finally the Committee refers the final work to the floor. Finally the bill receive receives 3 votes - usually on the same day -  and then pass to the other assembly.

Italian Constitutional Court upholds same-sex marriage ban in a transgender marriage case.

On June 11, the Italian Constitutional Court uphold a law that impose divorce to trans married person who change his or her legal gender. However the same court found unconstitutional the same law when does not recognize the partnership situation created due to the change in the legal gender. 



According to the decision, this new situation is no longer a marriage, but a situation which the Parliament should regulate as a registered partnership, the court writes.

Mayor of Rome promises Civil Unions and Marriage Registration

Mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino

At the 20th anniversary of the first Rome Gay Pride Parade the Mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, promised the approval of a Civil Union Register for cohabitants couples and the registration of same-sex marriages performed abroad.







On June 7, moments before the start of the Rome Gay Pride Parade, the Mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, (PD, Democratic Party), promised to table a vote on a motion calling for establishing the City Civil Union Register. Marino also signaled the intention to study whether marriages of same-sex couples could be recorded before the Civil Registrar. 


The City Council is composed of 48 members, 29 support Marino mayoralty. Then 4 representatives of M5S (Movement 5 Stars) will certainly vote in favor of the motion. In addition it is not clear if another 2 members will vote for the Civil Union Register.

As promised Marino took part at the Parade which today celebrates the 20th anniversary. The mayor then headed the march through the streets of Rome. At the parade there was also Nichi Vendola, the openly gay Governor of Apulia. No members of the Renzi Cabinet took part at the celebration.

PHOTO: here (la Repubblica - Roma), here (il Corriere della 
Sera)

Mayor of Naples ready to register same-sex marriages

Luigi de Magistris - Mayor of Naples

Luigi De Magistris, Mayor of Naples, said he is ready to register marriages of same-sex couples performed abroad. 












During a conference on LGBT rights held by Arcigay in Naples, the largest Italian LGBT organization, the Mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris (political mainstream: left) signaled the intention to recognize any marriage of a same-sex couple.  

Arcigay has already announced its support. The President of Arcigay, Flavio Romani, stated, "This is the difference between those who simply preach rights and who puts them into practice with concrete actions that have real impact in people's lives ... The mayor of Naples and Fano rely on the sense of justice repeatedly invoked by the High Courts and implement a practice not only right but necessary... It is therefore a sign of great sense of institutional announcement today that Mayor de Magistris has entrusted to our National Council , an example that other mayors should hurry to follow ".

De Magistris is the Mayor of Naples since 2011. In 2012 the Comune of Naple established a Registro delle Unioni Civili (Civil Union Register) in which same-sex and opposite-sex couple are able to register their cohabitation. De Magistris is also in favor of Marriage Equality and LGBT adoption rights. 

Town of Fano recognizes first same-sex marriage

From left to right: Edwin, Mayor Aguzzi and Fausto

As promised, Mayor Aguzzi registered the marriage of Fausto Schermi and Edwin Van Dijck. This is the first time that a mayor records a same-sex marriage without a court order.










"This is for you, thank you all for helping to change the story, now the door is open", is what the couple said to a crowd out of the Municipio (Town Hall) of Fano in waiting for the ceremony. 

The Mayor, Stefano Aguzzi (center-right), commented, "I did not think that today, it was a situation that aroused so much hype. The decision to proceed with the registration of the marriage was a personal choice that I wanted to do in my capacity as mayor. I believe it is right that everyone, for their specificity and will, may have recognized his rights ".

Eventually the mayor stressed that this act should motivate the Italian Government to advance a fair legislation for LGBT people. 

Fausto and Edwin got married in The Netherlands in 2008, then, when a Civil Court ordered the town of Grosseto to recognize a same-sex marriage performed in New York City, the couple asked Mayor Aguzzi to register their marriage.

Italian town to recognize a same-sex marriage

Fausto Schermi and Edwin Van Dijck - Mayor Stefano Aguzzi

The Mayor of the town of Fano (Marche) said he is ready to register a marriage of a gay couple performed in The Netherlands.












On May 30 the marriage of Fausto Schermi and Edwin Van Dijck will be registered in the Registro dello Stato Civile (Civil Registry). According to the Italian laws the mayor is the registrar so Stefano Aguzzi (center-right), the Mayor of Fano, will be the one who will register the marriage of the couple on Friday. This will also be the last act of Aguzzi as the mayor of Fano.

Schermi and Van Dijck got married in The Netherlands in 2008. After the order of the Civil Court of Grosseto to recognize a gay marriage performed in New York City, Fausto and Edwin asked Mayor Aguzzi to register their marriage. They did it on May 17, the IDAHOT, with a march through the streets of Fano. (here: photos). 

No Mayor has done such a thing yet. It will be the first time. In April the Civil Court of Grosseto ordered the recognition of a marriage of two men and then the Comune of Grosseto complied with the order. In addition the Council of Latina asked the Ministry of Interior how to deal with the issue. 

In all of these occasions the mayors were already ready to register a same-sex marriage, but not the Parliament to recognize neither civil union nor minimal rights and duties. We should also take in account that the Mayor of Fano belongs to the center-right political mainstream and the Mayor of Latina belongs to a national far-right party (Fratelli d'Italia, Brothers of Italy). Something has changed in these days. Nothing in the benches of the most secular Italian legislature of ever.  

Italian town will "recognize" same-sex marriages performed abroad.

Gavorrano (Grosseto, Tuscany)

In an unanimous vote the Italian town of Gavorrano will "recognize" marriages of same-sex couples performed abroad.





The town of Gavorrano (Tuscany) approved on May 21 a motion calling for the recognition of same-sex marriages performed abroad. Even though the vote will not bind the Ufficio dello Stato Civile (Office of the Clerk) to register the marriages of same-sex couples performed abroad, the motion will be considered a "signal" for the Italian Parliament. 8575 inhabitants, Gavorrano lies near to Grosseto, the town where for the first time in the Italian history a marriage of a same-sex couple was registered after a court order. That order was appealed to the Court of Appeal of Florence.

On April 17 the town of Latina (Lazio) asked the Minister of Interior whether a same-sex marriage performed abroad was to be registered. In the coming weeks Rome, Milan and Turin will table a vote on the same motion of the town of Latina.

Meanwhile the Ufficio dello Stato Civile of the town of Fano (Marche) is pondering the same question. A gay couple - Fausto and Edwin -  asked the Mayor of Fano to recognize their marriage contracted  in The Netherlands in 2008. The Mayor said he would favor the recognition but he preferred to entrust the task to the Office of the Clerk of Fano. The Office will deliver its opinion next week. If the Ufficio will reject their application the couple will appeal the denial to a court. (HERE: photos).

Italian Town vote in favour to recognize a gay marriage

Antonio Garullo and Mario Ottocento

On Thursday the Council of the Comune of Latina voted a motion in support of the recognition of the marriage of Antonio Garullo and Mario Ottocento contracted in The Netherlands in 2002. Berlusconi's party hold the majority of the Council.  The Mayor of Latina, Giovanni di Giorgi belongs to a major far-right party and voted in favour of the motion. The motion is addressed to the Italian Government which may solve the question arose after the Grosseto case.


Antonio Garullo and Mario Ottocento were the first Italian gay couple to be married more than 10 years ago in Holland. In 2004 they asked the Ufficio dello Stato Civile of the Comune of Latina to register their marriage but their application was turned down. So the couple sued the Comune of Latina, but in 2005 the Tribunale of latina rejected their complaint. Then they appealed the Court decision to the Court of Appeal of Rome where they found a second denial. Eventually the couple appealed the second negative decision to the Supreme Court of Cassation. In 2012 this court rejected their appeal but delivered a landmark opinion for LGBT rights. That Court said that the Italian laws should treat gay and straight couple equally. 

Antonio and Mario asked the Comune of Latina to record their marriage on April 15 and this afternoon the Council of the Latina approved in a 14-2 vote (1 absentee) a motion in support of the record of their marriage. Berlusconi's party hold the majority of the Council.  Now the Italian government may say if the Comune of Latina should register this marriage. 

Antonio and Mario applying for their marriage record

Marriage recorded

Giuseppe and Stefano Marriage certificate

On Monday the Comune of Grosseto recorded the marriage of Giuseppe Chigiotti (68) and Stefano Bucci (57) contracted in New York City in late 2012. The Comune of Grosseto complied with judge Ottati order. 

The marriage certificate format was amended with these words: «Coniuge» and «Coniuge» instead of «Marito» and «Moglie» (Spouse instead of Husband and Wife).

A record of a marriage contracted abroad means that Giuseppe and Stefano are married according to the Italian laws. So Giuseppe and stefano are the first gay couple recognized as married in Italy.

Giuseppe and Stefano got married in New York on December 6, 2012. Giuseppe is an architect and Stefano is a journalist and pen for on of most famous Italian newspaper - Corriere della Sera. Afterwards the Ufficio dello Stato Civile (Office of the Clerk) of the Comune of Grosseto rejected Giuseppe and Stefano application for the record of their marriage. 

In March 2014 they appealed the denial to the Tribunale of Grosseto and on April 9, 2014, judge Paolo Cesare Ottati ordered the Comune of Grosseto to record the marriage of Giuseppe and Stefano. The Comune didn't defend the denial before the court. 

The Procuratore Capo of Grosseto (Attorney General) said that he will appeal the order of judge Ottati to the Court of Appeal of Florence. This court cannot put a stay on the order.

AG to appeal Grosseto Marriage decision

Francesco Verusio, Procuratore Capo of Grosseto

The Procuratore Capo (AG) of Grosseto (Tuscany), Francesco Verusio, said that next week he will appeal the decision of judge Ottati of the Tribunale of Grosseto. The case will be appealed before the Court of Appeal of Florence. 

Stay tuned: I will provide you a legal analysis of the court decision



The decision of judge Ottati is a final order so the comune of Grosseto, as promised by its Mayor, Emilio Bonifazi will comply with that order. The Ufficio dello Stato Civile (Office of the Clerk) of the comune (county or township) will register the marriage of Giuseppe Chigiotti (68) and Stefano Bucci (57).

Catholic reactions
The local reports the disappointing comment of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI):
 But Angelo Bagnasco, the president of the CEI, has argued that marriage should be between “a man and a woman”.

In a statement on the CEI’s website, he said the court’s decision “raised serious questions” and was likely to “sweep away the fundamental pillars of the institution of marriage” that are “rooted in our culture, and recognized and guaranteed in our constitution”

The same day of Ottati's decision the Italian Constitutional Court struck down a ban on the law regulating assisted reproductive technologies. That Court found unconstitutional the ban on the use of donor sperm and eggs. Catholics enraged by that decision once and in the evening by judge Ottati's decision.

Italy: Judge orders the recognition of a gay marriage

New York City - Giuseppe Chigiotti and Stefano Bucci

History has been made: affirming that "a same-sex marriage contracted abroad is not against the Italian laws" an Italian judge ordered the recognition of a same-sex marriage contracted in New York City.









In a 5 pages opinion Judge Paolo Cesare Ottati of the Civil Court of Grosseto (Tuscany) ordered the recognition of the marriage of Giuseppe Chigiotti (68) and Stefano Bucci (57) contracted in New York City in late 2012.

According to the judge the Italian Civil Code does not ban same-sex couples from marriage.

The judge concluded that "It's undisputed that this marriage produces lawful effects in the State which was performed (New York, USA) and it is not against that laws".

LGBT rights advocates hailed the decision.

HERE: photos

San Marino to consider recognition of out-of-state Same-Sex Marriage

Monte Titano

The oldest republic in the world, San Marino, is now considering the recognition of the marriages of gay couples contracted abroad. 

On Sunday Federico Podeschi filed an Istanza d'Arengo (Initiative of the Council) in Palazzo Pubblico (the Government body of San Marino) which will recognize the marriages of same-sex couples contracted abroad. 


Podeschi was the San Marino consul in Wales and on March 29 he married his Welsh partner Darren Williams. They were the first couple in Wales to enjoy the new English and Welsh legislation commenced that day.

The istanza is now before the two Reggenti (Governors) of San Marino who have a month to approve or reject the initiative. If approved the initiative would be introduced in the Consiglio Grande e Generale (San Marino legislature) and then the istanza will face a vote. 

The mandate of the Reggenti lasts only 6 months so in October San Marino will elect another two governors (and then in April 2015). If the two Reggenti reject the istanza the citizenry of San Marino could file the same initiative the first Sunday after the October elections.

San Marino decriminalizes same-sex sexual acts only in 2004 and in 2012 the legislature approved a bill that grant visa rights to the foreign partner of a cohabitant couple. 

Federico Podeschi and Darren Williams

Michigan: incostituzionale divieto matrimonio egualitario

UPDATE: il Sesto Circuito ha posto una sospensione al dispositivo della decisione del giudice Friedman fino a mercoledì.






Il giudice federale Friedman ha reso noto oggi la sua decisione di incostituzionalità del divieto alle persone gay e lesbiche al diritto al matrimonio approvato nel 2004 dall'elettorato del Michigan. 

La sentenza è entrata subito in vigore facendo dello stato del Michigan il 18-esimo stato in cui è legale il matrimonio gay.


La sentenza ha inoltre dichiarato incostituzionale il divieto all'adozione per le persone gay e lesbiche.

Le contee dello stato del Michigan ora si preparono ad emettere moltissime licenze matrimoniali.

La sentenza è stata gia portata all'attenzione del Sesto Cicuito degli Appelli - cioè è  gia in fase d'appello.

Gibilterra: approvata la legge sulle civil partnerhips

E da oggi si è più eguali anche in questa striscia di terra (6,8 Km²) - sto parlando di Gibilterra.

Infatti il Parlamento ha approvato, con una votazione 16 - 0, il Civil Partnership bill 2014 che garantisce alle coppie gay e lesbiche, ma anche alle coppie etero, pressochè gli stessi diritti, delle coppie sposate. 

Sondaggi USA: Colorado

Sorprendete balzo in avanti nello stato del Colorado per quanto riguarda l'approvazione del matrimonio egualitario.
Secondo questo sondaggio di Public Policy Polling l'approvazione del matrimonio tra persone gay è aumentata di 3 punti percentuali rispetto a dicembre 2013. Ora, infatti il 56% degli abitanti del colorado è favorevole. Tra gli under 45 l'approvazione tocca quota 71%.

Sondaggi Mondo

Finlandia: Con la legge sul matrimonio egualitario in fase di discussione, c'è tempo per un sondaggio. Secondo gli ultimi dati una forte maggioranza dei finlandesi approverebbe il matrimonio tra persone gay e lesbiche (65%) mentre solo il 27% sarebbe contrario.

Il divario - ma non così marcato - è comunque generazionale, infatti il 78% dei finlandesi tra i 24 e i 35 anni sostiene l'iniziativa, mentre tra i finlandesi tra i 50 e i 64 anni l'approvazione scende al 60%.


Fonte: yle.fi; Numeri: 1000 intervistati

Giappone: Secondo un sondaggio condotto da Nihon Yoro Chosa-kai per Kyodo News i favorevoli al matrimonio egualitario costituirebbero il 42.3%, mentre la maggioranza del paese del sol levante rimarebbe contraria con il 52.4%.




Il gap generazionale è devastante: il 70% dei giovani nipponici (20-30 anni) è favorevole, mentre solo il 30% dei giapponesi dai 60 anni in sù.

Fonte: Pinknews; Numeri: 1744 intervistati

«About gays, Church is called to a cultural revolution», Italian archbishop says

Saying that "if all the flowers were the same, fields would lose their beauty", the archbishop of Lucca, Italo Castellani, spoke in favor of a cultural revolution on gay acceptance within the Catholic Church.

The Italian archbishop added, 

«Gay. Well, I must confess, when I use this word it seems that there is an intrinsic judgement yet. I struggle to use it. Therefore, we need a cultural transition, because difference it's wealth. What matters above all is the dignity of the person. And I wonder why young people consider the church as 'homophobic'».

Tennessee: i matrimoni di 3 coppie gay devono essere subito riconosciuti

Sostenendo che "i matrimoni delle coppie gay saranno posizionati nella stessa condizione di quelli delle coppie etero" e che "il bando dei matrimoni tra persone dello stesso sesso sarà presto una nota a piè pagina degli annali della storia americana" la giudice Aleta Trauger, in una preliminary injunction, ha ordinato lo stato del Tennessee il riconoscimento dei matrimoni di 3 coppie gay contratti all'estero. 

L'ordine diverrà definitivo fra qualche settimana o mese con una sentenza finale emessa dalla stessa giudice.

Marriage Lawsuit News - Prossime pronunce: Michigan, Wisconsin

Michigan: Dal 25 febbraio al 7 marzo è stato celebrato il processo del caso DeBoer v. Snyder. E ora il giudice Friedman è pronto a decidere. Diversamente dagli altri casi dove i giudici hanno giudicato sommariamente (Utah, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky e Virginia) o emesso un'ingiunzione preliminare prima del processo (Texas), in questo caso è stato celebrato un processo - come a sua volta, se vi ricordate, il caso Prop 8.


Le due parti (Deboer, la coppia lesbica e Snyder, il governatore del Michigan)  hanno portato in aula alcuni testimoni. In difesa del divieto al matrimonio egualitario il governatore ha schiearato la crème de la crème: i sociologi Mark Regnerus e Loren Marks, l'economista Douglas Allen che ha sostenuto che i "gay vanno all'inferno" e la cancelliera della Contea di Oakland, Lisa Brown, che ha dichiarato che se il giudice Friedman dichiarerà incostituzionale  il divieto sarà pronta ad emettere licenze matrimoniali anche per le coppie gay (!).
    
Qui riportiamo i giorni del processo, via EqualityCaseFiles:
Day 1 (part: 1, 2, 3, 4)
Day 2 (part: 1, 2)
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5 (part: 1, 2)
Day 6 (part: 1, 2, 3)
Day 7 (part: 1, 2)
Day 8 

Wisconsin: Nel caso Wolf v. Walker la giudice Barbara Crabb ha detto che tutto si muoverà rapidamente dato che già altri giudici hanno deciso in favore delle coppie gay e lesbiche. 

Omogenitorialità: Regnerus e Marks

Con questo post comincio a trattare un tema molto delicato per le persone LGBT: le nostre famiglie. 

Partirò dallo studio di Mark Regnerus che ha lasciato dietro di sè un mare di polemiche non tanto per i risultati ottenuti, ma quanto  - come vedremo - per il metodo impiegato nella sua ricerca.

Sarà un viaggio lungo e in continuo aggiornamento e non essendo esperto in questa materia, non potrò disssertare su questo tema; potrò solo riportare le conclusioni - e nel caso di Regnerus obiezioni - dei ricercatori che in questi quarant'anni hanno contribuito alla scoperta di questo fenomeno poco conosciuto.

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Iniziamo con Regnerus e Marks. 

Isole Faroe: no al matrimonio

Niente matrimonio, almeno per questa volta. Ieri il parlamento delle isole faroe ha votato contro (20-11) le proposte volte ad introdurre il matrimonio egualitario. Il prossimo tentativo sarà fatto nel 2015 dopo le elezioni. 

Italy to debate recognition of same-sex unions

On March 12, the Chairman of the Justice Committee of the Italian Senate, Nitto Palma (Forza Italia), proposed to start the discussion over the recognition of same-sex relationships. 



Italian MPs have already submitted a lot of bills which have the aim to recognize same-sex unions via marriage, civil unions or cohabitation agreement. 

The bill which is backed by the Italian PM Matteo Renzi (Democratic Party) was submitted on December 19 and then assigned to the Justice Committee of the Italian Senate on January 22.

This bill (SB 1211) will establish two National Register - one for 'Civil unions' an one for 'Cohabitation Agreements'. Same-sex couples who desire to have their union recognized must apply for a civil union or for a cohabitation agreement (opposite-sex couples would have only the possibility to apply for a cohabitation agreement). A same-sex couple who will apply for a civil union would have almost of the rights of marriage (except for joint adoption). 

In these days some MPs of the same party of the PM Matteo Renzi, submitted another bill (SB 1231) which will provide only civil unions for same-sex couples. This form of civil union is identical to marriage but differ from it for the exception of joint adoption rights. 

On March 4 the content of SB 1211 was sum up by its lecturer, MP Monica Cirinnà (Democratic Party).

Marriage news: Isole Fær Øer, Messico

Isole Fær Øer (per comodità Faroe): Domani mattina il parlamento delle isole Faroe (Løgting) voterà su 3 proposte di legge volte ad estendere il matrimonio e l'istituto dell'adozione anche alle coppie gay e lesbiche. Se la legislazione verrà approvata questa entrerà in vigore il 1° di aprile 2014.



Le isole Faroe insieme alla Danimarca e alla Groenlandia formano il Regno Unito di Danimarca, ma solamente le Faroe non hanno ancora dato un riconoscimento alle coppie gay e lesbiche. La Danimarca è stato il primo paese al mondo, nel 1989, ad prevedere le unioni registrate; la Groenlandia l'ha poi seguita nel 1996, mentre nel 2012 la Danimarca ha esteso il matrimonio (sia civile che religioso) alle coppie gay e lesbiche. Il matrimonio (solo religioso) verrà esteso anche in Groenlandia dal 1 luglio 2014.

Messico, Stato di Michoacán : Un giudice federale ha riconosciuto alla coppia formata da Alejandra Banderas e Claudia López il diritto al matrimonio facendo così il primo matrimonio gay dello stato del Michoacán.






Messico, Stato di Sinola: Nel gennaio 2013 lo stato messicano di Sinola aveva approvato una riforma del diritto di famiglia che precludeva le coppie omosessuali sia al matrimonio che alla convivenza. Il 5 Marzo scorso, la Prima Sala della Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN) accettò alcuni ricorsi presenteti da delle coppie gay e lesbiche. 
Ora la Corte dovrà esprimersi sulla costituzionalità della riforma del 2013. Nel dicembre 2012 la SCJN si era già espressa a favore del matrimonio anche per le coppie omosessuali. 

Texas: incostituzionale divieto al matrimonio egualitario

Un altro stato, un altro giudice, un'altra vittoria. Questa volta il Texas. 

Il giudice Orlando Garcia ha dichiarato incostituzionale il divieto al matrimonio egualitario approvato nel 2005 dagli elettori texani.



Un estratto della sentenza:
La costituzione garantisce che  tutti i cittadini abbiano certi diritti fondamentali. Questi diritti risiedono in tutte le persone che la Costituzione protegge e, dato che sono così importanti, i diritti fondamentali di un individuo non possono essere messi ai voti (n.d.r. referendum) e nemmeno dipendere dal risultato di quella votazione.

Il dispositivo della sentenza del giudice Garcia entrerà in atto solo se in appello verrà confermata la sua decisione.