The Prevalence and Persistence of Homophobia in Italy.

Italy is an anomaly among its peers in the European Union (EU) because of its resistance to LGBTQ+ inclusion, acceptance, and legitimation. The acquisition of civil liberties-especially the right to same-sex marriage-remains a dream deferred for queer Italians, and the prioritization of transgender rights has just begun to be seen in broader political discourse. This paper investigates homophobia in Italy, and the social constructs and institutions that support it. We account for the pervasiveness of anti-queerness at the state, cultural, and interpersonal levels of Italian society, and offer recommendations for scholars conducting research in these areas.