Portrait of Giorgia Meloni
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Giorgia Meloni on Same-Sex Marriage/LGBTQ+ Rights

Opposed to marriage adoption (strong)

Giorgia Meloni holds firm conservative opposition to both same-sex marriage and same-sex parenting, framing her stance within a defense of the traditional 'nuclear family' exclusively headed by male-female pairs.

She has publicly stated her opposition to these rights, asserting that the existing Italian laws recognizing same-sex unions are sufficient and that she would not seek to change them from that point, while previously supporting a referendum to abrogate the civil union law.

Her position also includes opposition to extending adoption rights to same-sex couples and strong resistance to what she terms 'gender ideology' in schools, which she believes undermines female identity and motherhood.

Context

As the leader of the national-conservative party Brothers of Italy (FdI) and Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni's social positions are intrinsically linked to her self-described core values of 'Dio, patria, famiglia' ('God, fatherland, family'). Her stance on LGBTQ+ rights is a key component of this conservative identity, differentiating her party from more moderate centre-right factions.

Her opposition is consistently directed at concepts that challenge the traditional family model, such as same-sex marriage and adoption, as well as broader LGBTQ+ advocacy movements like the 'LGBT lobby' and 'gender ideology'.

Timeline

  1. Meloni participated in the Family Day demonstration and declared herself against LGBT adoption on the same day she announced her pregnancy.
  2. In an interview, Meloni stated she would 'rather not have a gay child,' reinforcing her opposition to non-traditional family structures.
  3. At a rally, Meloni spoke against same-sex parenting, specifically criticizing proposals to replace 'father' and 'mother' on ID cards with 'parent 1' and 'parent 2'.
  4. Meloni expressed opposition to the DDL Zan, an anti-homophobia bill aimed at expanding hate speech laws to cover LGBT discrimination.
  5. Upon becoming Prime Minister, Meloni indicated she would not change the existing Italian law on civil unions, stating it was 'good enough.'

Actions Taken

  1. Political Advocacy
    Supported a referendum to abrogate the Italian civil union law, though she later stated she would respect the law if elected mayor of Rome.
  2. Legislative Initiative
    Pushed in Parliament for a law to make surrogacy (utero in affitto) a 'universal crime,' a move endorsed by the Catholic Church.
  3. Legislation
    Her government approved legislation ensuring only a child's biological parent can be named on their birth certificate, directly impacting same-sex parent recognition.

Key Quotes

I am Giorgia. I'm a woman, I'm a mother, I'm Italian, I'm Christian.

Rally speech October 1, 2019 — Statement made at a Rome rally defining her identity and values.

Yes to the natural family. No to the LGBT lobby, yes to sexual identity. No to gender ideology.

Vox Party Congress speech January 1, 2021 — Statement outlining conservative priorities at a Spanish far-right party congress.

I would rather not have a gay child.

Interview with Le Iene February 1, 2016 — Answering a question about having a gay child during a television interview.

Criticism

LGBT Community Advocates

Her rhetoric against the 'LGBT lobby' and statements on parenting have drawn consistent criticism from LGBTQ+ rights organizations for being exclusionary and discriminatory.

Opposition Parties

Her rhetoric, such as the viral 2019 speech against same-sex parenting, has been frequently cited by opponents as evidence of an intolerant social agenda.

Sources3

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.