A hundred thousand people show there force across Italy during the weekend. This movement is done by the gay supporters and advocates to impose the legality of civil unions between same sex couples.
As reported by New York Times, Italians have sent a strong message to their government for the sake of love. Aside from the civil union issues, the protesters also expected to grant custody of children raised by these couples to both parents and not just biological couples. Last Thursday after months of delay and arguments, the Italian senate will start voting on the legislation to legalize unions between gay people.
If the legislation passes through, it would held both gay and heterosexual couples to engaged in civil unions that would be recognized by the state. It will also allow same-sex couples to share a name. The proposal would extend gay right as a parent, it would let them adopt children legally regardless of sexuality according to The Guardian.
This law is called stepchild provision, it has drawn immense criticism by the catholic group. It has basically divided senators in the Democratic Party, particularly catholic senators. The interior minister and New Center Right Party member Angelino Alfano is the biggest opponent of the said provision. He is also was the one who called for people using wombs for rent to be arrested and treated as sex offenders.
Of all the countries in Western Europe, Italy is the only one who doesn't recognize gay marriage. Fabrizio Marrazzo, a top gay rights activist hopes that the legislation will pass and hopes that politician's will see this right not just for the LGBT group but for the Italian people as well. The protest took place across Italy including Florence, Milan, Naples and Palermo.
Protesters held alarm clocks, rainbow-colored flags and signaled to everybody that Italy needs to wake up. Adversaries of the controversial law are also expected to do a counter protest on January 30 and will call it family day supported by Christian groups and advocates.
