Italian Senate Crushes Anti-Homophobic Law

as governments trending in that direction, have had nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Popular sentiment has simply not formed against these gross violations of privacy.

Arguably, this deficit in public outrage stems from the lack of immediate real-world consequences. Digital globalization implies that the sheer number of devices and services that exist will collect data on everything we have done and everything we will do. This makes it incredibly easy for intelligence agencies, or private actors with sufficient resources, to spy on us. The information they want is stored in databases and in servers, and is obtainable with the right tools. Hidden in the shadows, it is this ease of access that allows privacy violations, like a caustic acid, to slowly but surely eat away at the foundations of a strong democracy.

Our phones and the apps on them are the gateways to our lives. If cyber weapons can be used against the leaders of our countries; it is a short step to making a mockery of the privacy of every other citizen. Digital globalization inherently means the possibility that every text, call, and photo can be monitored, with Pegasus just one tool to make that easier. This is why the sacrosanctity of privacy must be ensured. In light of the abuse of Pegasus, a few calls to create a global framework for regulating such weapons have been made. Strengthening privacy rights would make clear that governments cannot simply benefit from the products of companies that act in an anti-democratic manner. It would disabuse authoritarian states of the notion that their actions can go unpunished. States must take an active role in protecting privacy, not just because power in a democratic society demands righteousness, but also because democratic principles depend on it.

Well-written, specific regulations could go a long way to ensuring that privacy is reinforced for years to come. Governments have clearly shown that they are willing to hold themselves and companies accountable: the G20’s recent agreement on a minimum global tax rate for companies is evidence of this. However, no global agreement on privacy regulations or regulations of spyware appears to be in the works. The right to privacy is fundamental. As a democratic right, it underpins freedom of expression and the ability to live freely. The concept of democracy has evolved as technology has. But more than ever, it appears that a radical evolution of democratic principles is necessary, including one on the right to privacy in the age of massive privacy violations.

Every unwarranted violation of privacy, however small, chips away at the pillars of democracy. Before long, the consequences of these small cracks may become too large to rectify. The fallout from ignoring the ‘Pegasus Project’ will only grow, leaving our societies increasingly vulnerable.

Privacy has the power to shape global affairs, as the ‘Pegasus Project’ so clearly demonstrates. How we decide to protect our right to privacy, and our democracies at large, will determine the strength of our global society for generations to come.

Italian Senate Crushes Anti-Homophobic Law: What Does This Mean for Italy and its Future?

Elena Muglia, Foreign Affairs

Silence in the Italian senate after six hours of debate was broken by senators zealously clapping after burying DDL Zan, painting a grim picture of modination on the basis of race, religion, and ethnicity. The DDL Zan would add provisions against homotransphobia, making it punishable by up to four years of imprisonment ern-day Italy. This picture, however shocking, is anything but new. The failure to pass this piece of legislation simply scraped off a coat of paint, exposing an increasingly conservative and regressive Italian political sphere. or community service. The law was originally passed in November of 2020 by the lower chamber of parliament, after persistent opposition by the main far-right parties la Lega and Fratelli D’Italia.

The Legislation

The DDL Zan is a piece of legislation aimed at making discrimination against the LGBTQIAP+ community, disabled people, and acts of misogyny a crime. It is important to note that political debates have mostly focused on the clause addressing the queer community, but the political implications extend to communities facing ableism and sexism. On October 27th, 154 Senators voted to veto the legislation against the 131 who voted ‘no’. The Disegno di Legge (DDL), which was introduced by Democratic party member Alessandro Zan, attempts to amend the 1993 Mancino law against discrim-

The Italian Catholic Church

The most significant dissident that consistently objected to the law since its inception was the Italian Catholic Church, which holds a vast amount of power over Italian society and politics. The involvement of the Church was conspicuous and unprecedented in modern times. In June, Pope Francis demanded the government revise the law out of fear that it would restrict freedom of speech, as the law aims to criminalize homophobic language. The Church’s unusual intervention provoked Prime Minister Mario Draghi to reprimand the Vatican, saying that ‘Italy is a secular state.’ This self-evident

Claudio Furlan/LaPresse .

statement served to remind the Pope of the indepenConcept d’affiche du film Dune d’Alejandro Jodorowsky, réalisée par Matt Chinn dence of parliament from the Church and its liberty to discuss and legislate. Draghi also emphasized that ‘secularism’ does not signify indifference towards respecting religion but rather ‘the preservation of pluralism and cultural differences’, indirectly addressing the DDL Zan’s attempt to safeguard the rights of various communities. This intervention did not impede the discussion of the law in parliament. Nonetheless, it confirmed the cultural and religious friction that has stalled Italy in its uphill road towards universal civil rights. The Vatican’s interference also legitimised popular views that the law infringes on freedom of speech. The Church’s involvement in the DDL Zan epitomizes the intensified collusion between religion and politics due to the rising popularity of far-right parties. Prominent leaders such as Matteo Salvini, the Federal Secretary of the far-right party La Lega and former Prime Minister, have displayed the cross and rosaries at political gatherings. Considering that 83.3% of Italians identify as Catholic, this reference to religion is an effective strategy to gain popular support. In fact, an estimated 40% of the most devout Catholics oppose the law.

Youth Activism and the DDL Zan

Despite major opposition on the political front, over 60% of Italians are in favour of the legislation, with the youth constituting the majority of supporters. The youth has led the protest movement around the DDL Zan: first demanding the parliament adopt the law and then rebuking the Senate’s burying of the law. The sentiment behind the youth’s protest movement is encapsulated in queer youth activist Sofia Bandini’s disclosure that “this law would have made [her] feel safer.” She argues that the DDL Zan would have “made [her] feel like a citizen, equal to the rest, who deserves the same amount of protection from the government.” Instead, with its failure to pass the law, the state has left the community legally defenseless and has turned a blind eye to homophobia. Rete Studenti, a union made up of Italian highschool students, has thus ardently campaigned for the passage of the law through protests, assemblies, and photomobs. Camilla Velotta, the coordinator of the Rete Studenti, has furthermore expressed that ‘the burying of the law symbolises another missed opportunity for Italy to disprove the common narrative of its slow progress in terms of civil and political rights.’ Italy made same-sex unions—not same-sex marriage— legal in 2016, but lags behind other European countries in equity without any anti-homophobia measures. In this way, youth activists protested the burying of the DDL Zan as they argue it represents the Italian government’s failure to seize an opportunity to ensure civil rights and raise Italy's political standing. Importantly, activists emphasize that the passing of the DDL Zan would not have truly addressed the infringement of rights suffered by the queer community. At its core, a change in mindset througout Italy is necessary to combat this hatred and discrimination.

This change in attitudes and mentality can be achieved, as argued by Rete Studenti, through education. Italian high-schools have a conservative approach to education which often fails to address crucial modern-day issues. Velotta conveyed the need for an ‘education on sexuality and affection which is secular and inclusive, and which goes beyond being strictly heteronormative.’ As evidenced by the widespread conservative political opposition against the DDL Zan, Italy’s youth will need to spearhead these changes. The progress of the country is in their hands. 9