‘National turnover and GDP drop, but the number of gay people keeps growing […] while economy suffers, only the homosexual numbers are untouched by the crisis: they grow all the time’ this is how Italian newspaper Libero titles his front page some weeks ago.
Despite the number of critics swooped up from media, the deprecation of a number of MPs and the campaign #NonLeggoLibero- #IdontreadLibero- to boycott the newspaper going viral, the episode rose questions around an alleged growth of a homophobic upsurge in the country.
It is still hard to discern perception from reality, since actual numbers are hard to collect. According to Arcigay, the national Italian LGBTI association, for each violent episode that gets reported or published, at least another fades away in silence.
You might also be interested in
Same-sex marriage vote result: your reactions
In different countries people have different rights, and that is true for LGBTI rights too. On 49 European countries, Italy places 36th for the recognition of human rights of homosexual, bisexual and transsexual people according to the Rainbow Europe ranking (Ilga-Europe).
Michele Autore Marafon, originally from Palermo in Sicily, arrived in Melbourne less than one year ago with his partner.
On his Facebook profile, he shared his first impressions on his new life Down Under. "I left Italy five months and today I live in a multicultural and multicolored city. I am a gay migrants, who works and studies. I'm treated like an Aussie and sometimes even better just because I'm Italian. I recognize myself less and less in my arrogant, homophobic and racist home country. Italy equals failure”.
The desire to be free that so often drives people away from their home countries to live a better life, is increasingly more related in recent years with a quest for self-expression according to Prof. Recchia, from SciencesPo in Paris.
"I recognize myself less and less in my arrogant, homophobic and racist home country. Italy equals failure”
“Migration allows a ‘different’ expression of oneself; many studies are demonstrating that more and more people are leaving Italy because of a sense of frustration from things such as the lack of jobs but also, and increasingly, to be able to express freely their sexual orientation” Prof. Recchia confirmed to SBS Italian.
His research and those of others in Europe, seem perfectly resonating with Michele’s feelings.
In Australia, Michele found 'a wonderful environment' where he is able to live and share his relationship with colleagues and friends without fear of prejudice.
Being gay is considered 'normal' Down Under- he explained- just as it should be in Italy.
Michele's outburst on social media followed some episodes of homophobia happened in Italy where people were beaten up “just because couples exchanged an innocent kiss in the street. I was almost ashamed to be Italian" he added.
“Migration allows a ‘different’ expression of oneself; many studies are demonstrating that more and more people is migrating from Italy because of a sense of frustration that can have different triggers, such as the lack of jobs but also- and increasingly- to be able to express freely their sexual orientation”
Michele thinks that his feelings are mostly based on political and cultural differences between the two countries. “It took many years to eliminate homosexuality as a disease from the Italian statute" he remembered.
He believes today politics must eliminate the stigma and teach that homophobia is a form of racism and should be fought as such.
Acceptance and understanding of any 'difference' are in Sicilian's DNA, in the past - Michele remembered- people from all countries of the Mediterranean Sea would meet on the Italian island to celebrate different cultures and traditions in mutual respect.
Today Michele found in Australia his new island home. Migrate itself for him is experiencing what it means to be ‘different’ and accepting diversity in every form it might manifest.
