italy
Donatella Versace blasts Italy’s new anti-LGBT policies
Italian fashion maven Donatella Versace has condemned moves by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government to attack the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. At Milan Fashion Week, Donatella gave a speech as she accepted the Humanitarian Award for Equity and Inclusivity at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards. “Here in Italy, it has never been more …
On this day: Umberto II, outed before his coronation
Born September 15, 1904 into the thousand-year-old Savoy dynasty that ruled unified Italy from 1860, King Umberto II reigned for only 34 days. He ascended to the throne three years after Italian dictator Benito Mussolini outed him as gay. Unlike most of his family, Umberto was a staunch Catholic. But he was also staunchly gay. …
San Marino appoints world’s first openly gay head of state
The world’s fifth smallest country appointed Paolo Rondelli one of the country’s two Captains Regent on April 1. The appointment makes the former diplomat the world’s first openly gay Head of State. Despite other countries previously electing openly gay heads of government, Paolo Rondelli is the first openly gay head of state. Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir retired …
Outrage in Italy after homophobe attacks gay couple for kissing
A violent attack on a gay couple in Italy has prompted calls for politicians to speed up the passage of a hate crime law in the country. The gay couple were assaulted at the Valle Aurelia metro train station in Rome in February. Part of the incident was captured on video and shared by local …
Comune di Bugliano keeps Italians laughing during lockdown
The satirist behind the Comune di Bugliano continues to keep Italians laughing during the grim days of the coronavirus lockdown. Last week, a tweet from the civic authorities of the fictional town fooled media who reported on it as fact. The tweet announced a ban on orgies, threesomes and gangbangs as a precaution against the …
Gay mafia hitman killed by cousin because of his sexuality
Recent reports revealed a newfound tolerance for discreet gay gangsters in the ‘Ndrangheta Calabrian mafia crime family. Despite that, new information exposes the murder of a gay mafia hitman by his own cousin in 2002. The cousin admits he obeyed orders to kill his cousin because of his sexuality. On 19 December, Italian police arrested …
Were Italy’s ‘Lovers of Modena’ a gay couple?
Researchers have discovered that a pair of 1500-year-old remains dubbed the “Lovers of Modena” – because of their hand-holding – were both men. The two skeletons (pictured above) date back to the 4-6th century AD. The remains were first discovered in Italy in 2009. But at that time scientists could not determine the sex of …
