On the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, has issued the following statement:
«Thiry-five years ago, the World Health Organization decided to remove homosexuality from the list of mental diseases, thereby putting an end to a meaningless classification and marking the beginning of a cultural and social change, paving the way for equal dignity for all citizens.
Nonetheless, the most recent data of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights remind us that there is still a lot to be done in terms of countering discrimination. Too many people are still victims of bullying – owing to their sexual orientation – and violence, often perpetrated amid the silence of the household. These people live in the fear of being themselves.
Combating all forms of marginalisation is a duty enshrined in the Constitution, further strengthened by Italy’s international commitments. This is a principle that must be present in our daily lives, a common heritage that must actively, wittingly and responsibly involve each one of us.
The theme of today’s International Day – the power of communities – looks to the value of coexisting, respectfully. An inclusive community knows it must protect differences in order to build a society that is more just and close-knit, thus broadening everyone’s freedom».
