June 2023, a homophobic month more than ever

Report by Massimo Battaglio for the homophobia.org project

Last month, June 2023, he recorded the most victims of homophobia ever: 40 victims. In the same month of the previous year they were 31, 35 were those of June 2021, 20 in June 2020, 19 in 2019, 32 in 2018. In the years from 2013 to 2017, the peak of late spring homophobia had always occurred but with less power.

If, instead of considering the number of victims, we look at the number of recorded episodes (many of which involved more than one victim), things change but not significantly. The most homophobic month ever is no longer the one just passed but it is July 2018, which, with 26 episodes, also exceeds the previous June (25 episodes). Following July and August 2019 (respectively 22 and 24 episodes), August 2020 (20 episodes), June 2021 (24 episodes), June 2022 (22 episodes) and finally the one just passed (another 22 episodes).

What plays in the reversal of numbers is the ever -growing phenomenon of multiple aggressions. In which, in recent weeks, one of them has even involved 8 people: three rainbow couples with two children. If the police had not intervened in time, the fact would have turned into a real massacre with the involvement of minors.

Explaining the peak of late spring correctly is not easy. Several factors come into play. The first is certainly the greatest propensity to leave the house to spend your free time. And in fact, 6 of the episodes recorded in June 2023 (for a total of 9 victims) took place in places of leisure: a gym, clubs, beaches, outdoor show areas. Another 8 episodes occurred on the street (involving 20 victims).

Another favorite place for homophobes has become the pride. Episodes of violence against the participants, especially after the events, have been recorded for several years now. Lately, actions of real organized disorder also occur. So it happened at Pride of Chieti, where Forza Nuova showed up all his paraphernalia, from flyers to spit, to the lighter of Raimbow families.

It is singular that, from the religious manifestations "of repairing the sin of Pride" that were organized a few years ago by groups of fanatics, they went to the barrels.

We all remember the manifest - Rather grim - of that association of Reggio Emilia who, in 2017, invited to the procession "to repair the Pride".

Well: these stuff they still do (and have also been celebrated in June 2023) but get less and less audience. On the other hand, we are going to contrast the parades of the LGBT+ pride with real violent initiatives.

And it is even more singular than the protagonists of these initiatives that are unbelievous identical religious motivations.

In short: homophobia is increasingly ideological. And that's why we have surveyed, among the recorded episodes, also the one that happened to Padua On June 18, 2023, which saw the Public Prosecutor's office for the cancellation of the recognition of joint maternity of a child by two mothers: an authentic show of power with scarce institutional motivations, behind which it is impossible not to trace omonegative feelings.

Feelings that give rise to phenomena with characters more and more similar to those of political violence, often cloaked in religion, as in Chieti. And it is this cloak of sacred, which generates phenomena such as the recent and now very well known of the expulsion of a gay educator from the parish of Cesena.

We report episodes and victims:

01/06/2023: Aosta: Leonardo Sinopoli, 25 -year -old artist, is hunted from the locker room of a gym between homophobic insults

02/06/2023: Pesaro: Two boys at fast food kiss. Immediate violent reaction of a group of homophobes. The worst is avoided by the arrival of the carabinieri (bullies if they give it to legs)

06/06/2023: Pavia: Luca Wegan and boyfriend Nicolas, at the station, suffer insults and threats from a type. Run away and he continues to chase them

07/06/2023: Pescara: ARCI cultural mediator is gripped in a bar, first verbally and then with punches, while the patrons join the homophobic insults

10/06/2023: Turin: Two young gays diverted and threatened in public during a theatrical show, with uproar in the room and terror of children. The culprit, expelled, threatens to wait for them outside

10/06/2023: Parma: 23 years old walks with friend. Taken by Bulli due to the clothing "from FR*", he is then physically attacked. The friend also involved.

11/06/2023: Bologna: Two young bus by bus are targeted by a group of homophobic that insults them, terrifies and pushes publicly throughout the journey

13/06/2023: Turin: Gay couple returns home and fights with a clochard always set up on their sidewalk. In four they come to defend it, they paste them brutally and mutate an ear to the youngest

18/06/2023: Padua: The Public Prosecutor's Office has the cancellation of the recognition of joint maternity of a girl by two mothers

22/06/2023: Bologna: Gay couple denounces Baby Gang who, for months, threatens and insults under the house. Now they have set fire to their porch

23/06/2023: Frosinone: girl runs away from home after long and serious mistreatment by the mother and her partner started after her coming-out. The father protrudes a complaint

24/06/2023: Chieti: Forza Nuova makes actions of disturbing and provocation to Pride. Afterwards, he takes it with 6 rainbow parents and 2 children, who pawn between threats and spit.

24/06/2023: Chieti: Upon returning from Pride, group of bullies goes on the train and terrifies a guy who brings a raimbow flag

24/06/2023: Palermo: After the Pride, two activists hunted by a bar by other customers, who filmed them without permission and then beat them

25/06/2023: Cassano d'Adda: On the way back from the beach along the river, Antonio finds the car striped with a "gay" writing

29/06/2023: Rome: Massimo Arcangeli, an activist against homophobia, is reached by a stranger with child and kicked and punched

29/06/2023: Shape: Arcigay activist attacked first verbally and then physically while on the street. The worst is avoided by the intervention of a friend

30/06/2023: Milan: Gay couple will see you refuse a house for rent already agreed, due to any disappointment of the neighbors

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