Turin, a historic city in northern Italy, has been announced as the host of EuroPride 2027, triumphing over competing bids from Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom, Vilnius in Lithuania, and Torremolinos in Spain. The decision was made after Turin secured more than half of the votes from the EuroPride organisers, placing Gloucestershire as the runner-up.
The bid for Turin was spearheaded by the organisation Coordinamento Torino Pride, which has actively highlighted the recent legislative challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in Italy. These include government policies restricting surrogacy and limiting the recognition of rights for same-sex parents. Alessandro Battaglia, a representative of Coordinamento Torino Pride, expressed that the event’s prominence across Europe could serve as significant leverage for drawing attention to and potentially addressing these local rights issues.
In the legislative landscape of Italy, notable shifts have occurred, underlined by a law passed in October 2024 that prohibits citizens from engaging in surrogacy abroad. This legislation carries severe penalties, including up to two years of imprisonment and fines as steep as €1 million. Earlier, in March 2023, the Italian government instructed Milan’s city council to cease the registration of children born to same-sex parents, a directive that drew criticism from various LGBTQ+ advocacy groups for potentially undermining family rights.
High-profile figures have also voiced their concerns over these legislative actions. Fashion designer Donatella Versace, known for her prominent role both in the fashion industry and as an advocate for social issues, criticised the government’s approach during the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards held in September 2023. She contended that the policies were infringing on personal freedoms, including the right to family and the freedom to love.
Despite these setbacks, Italy has witnessed progress in LGBTQ+ rights, most notably with the legalisation of same-sex civil unions in 2016. These unions afford same-sex couples numerous rights akin to those in heterosexual marriages, though joint adoption rights remain limited.
EuroPride, an event established in London in 1992, serves as an annual celebration and advocacy platform for LGBTQIA+ rights, rotating among European cities. Its upcoming hosting cycle includes Thessaloniki, Greece in 2024, followed by Lisbon, Portugal in 2025, and Amsterdam, Netherlands in 2026, the latter coinciding with WorldPride.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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