Donatella Versace's Bold Condemnation of Italy's Discriminatory LGBTQ+ Policies Ignites Global Attention

Shortly after Milan Fashion Week, Donatella Versace is making headlines, not for her well-received Spring-Summer 2024 collection, but for her strong stance against the anti-LGBTQ+ policies of the Italian government. During an impassioned speech at a prestigious award ceremony in Milan on Sunday evening, the renowned designer criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's far-right-led coalition for their continued efforts to curtail LGBTQ+ rights, including restrictions on same-sex parents. Versace, who serves as the creative director of her eponymous fashion label, received a standing ovation for her remarks as she accepted an award for promoting equality and inclusivity at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards.

"In Italy, advocating for the marginalized voices has become increasingly crucial. Our government's agenda is focused on depriving individuals of their right to live authentically," expressed Versace. "Everyone, irrespective of their identity, deserves the freedom to confidently stroll down the streets without fear. The freedom to create a family and live according to our own choices. The freedom to love whomever we desire. It is our collective responsibility to strive for and safeguard our liberties."

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Italy legalized same-sex civil unions in 2016, but same-sex marriage, stepchildren adoption, and surrogacy are still not allowed. The Catholic Church's opposition is believed to be the reason behind these limitations, according to rights groups. Recently, the interior ministry implemented a controversial policy which registers only one biological parent on the birth certificates of same-sex couples who had children via surrogacy abroad. In addition, the Melonis Brothers of Italy party in the city of Padua started removing the names of non-biological gay mothers from birth certificates. The government passed a bill in July that criminalizes overseas surrogacy entirely. Versace mentioned these issues in her speech, emphasizing the violence faced by transgender individuals, the lack of recognition for children of same-sex couples, and the targeting of minorities through new legislation. There is still much work to be done in these areas.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis far-right-led coalition has pushed for ongoing measures to restrict LGBTQ rights.

Accompanied by Alessandro Zan, a prominent LGBTQ+ activist and member of Italy's parliament, the designer made an appearance at the event. Zan had previously presented a bill in 2018 to modify Italy's penal code, aiming to prohibit all forms of discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. Unfortunately, despite three years of efforts, the bill was ultimately rejected.

The Prime Minister's office declined to comment on Donatella Versace's remarks in response to CNN's request. Following her comments, members of Italy's LGBTQ+ community have expressed their appreciation for Versace.

Gabriele Piazzoni, the secretary general of Arcigay, the largest LGBTQ+ not-for-profit organization in the country, expressed gratitude to Donatella Versace for bravely speaking out against the oppressive silence surrounding the actions of the Meloni government. In an email to CNN, Piazzoni stated that Versace's acknowledgment was well-deserved, as the government under Giorgia Meloni consistently undermines the rights and dignity of various social groups, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, and migrants, on both symbolic and tangible levels.

Fabrizio Marrazzo, a spokesperson for the Gay Party in Italy, a political organization established in 2020 to advocate for anti-discrimination policies, praised Versace's speech as a significant advancement for Italy's business and fashion industry.

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"She is one of the rare individuals who fearlessly expresses her opinions, and we can only hope others will be inspired by her courageousness," he told CNN during a phone interview. "We are definitely not alone in our belief that our government is suppressing our rights."

Marrazzo further criticized the government's attitude towards same-sex parents, calling it blatant discrimination.

While the implementation of new policies has led to large-scale protests in Milan, the Italian fashion industry and its brands have chosen to maintain a silence surrounding the controversial issue. Marrazzo suggests that this silence stems from a fear of facing consequences, as companies believe that taking a stance might alienate a substantial portion of their audience and subsequently result in financial losses. However, he argues that this belief is far from accurate, as many Italians actually support the cause.

In contrast, Versace has consistently been a vocal supporter of gay rights. In June 2022, Capri Holdings, the parent company of the Versace brand, established the Versace Foundation with the goal of raising awareness and garnering support for the LGBTQ+ community through various programs, projects, and activities.

While delivering her speech on Sunday, the designer reminisced about the moment when her brother Gianni Versace confided in her about his sexual orientation at the age of 11. She expressed, "It made no difference to me. I cherished him and his choice of love didn't matter." Barbie Latza Nadeau provided input for this report.