Homeless Shelter for LGBTI+ Opened in Naples, Italy
Friday, February 5, was an important day for the Neapolitan LGBTI+ community: The House of Cultures and Hospitality opened to host LGBTI+ people who are victims of discrimination, abuse and violence.
The municipality structure, whose address cannot be disclosed for security and protection reasons, is three-level and will be managed by Antinoo Arcigay Napoli and ten other partner associations.
Shelter; It will serve LGBTI + individuals who are exposed to violence, harassment, discrimination and exclusion.
Naples Mayor Luigi De Magistris said the municipal shelter is the only one of its kind in Italy.
“Today is an extraordinary day for rights, freedoms and justice,” said Luigi De Magistris.
De Magistris said, “This building is a sign of change. Our city believes in emotions, brotherhood, solidarity, justice and reaching out to people in need.”
The associations that will be responsible for the operation of the shelter stated that this project will strengthen their efforts to “protect civil rights in Italy and the Mediterranean”.
Antinoo Arcigay Napoli Association, which is involved in the project, also stated that the shelter will “host Covid victims as well as victims of intolerance and hate”.
The association drew attention to the fact that the coronavirus epidemic mainly affects the most vulnerable people.
Italy is in the last rank for LGBTI+ Rights
In Italy, the law granting same-sex couples legal status under the name of “civil partnership” was passed in 2016.
Although this decision is a historical turning point in the country where the Catholic Church has strong influence, Italy is still at the bottom of LGBTI+ rights among Western European countries.
According to a Eurobarometer survey conducted by European Union institutions in 2019, the acceptance rate of LGBTI+”Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, +” individuals in Italy and the proportion of those who say that same-sex couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples is below the European average.