In two weeks, on Saturday 6 July, the third Asti Pride will take place, but in the meantime, considering that June is the month of LGBTQI+ pride, the minority city councilors Vittoria Briccarello, Mario Malandrone, Mauro Bosia, Gianfranco Miroglio, Roberto Vercelli , Paolo Crivelli, Roberto Migliasso and Valter Saracco presented a question to the councilor for Social Services regarding the municipal administration’s commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of the LGBT community.
The month of June, known as Pride Month, represents an important international event aimed at commemorating the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, a revolt that marked the beginning of the modern movement for LGBT rights. However, the minority councilors raised some questions regarding the municipal administration’s attitude towards inclusion, the defense of rights and the prevention of any discriminatory act or open physical and psychological violence against anyone belonging to the rainbow community. The minority councilors ask for explanations as to why the Department of Social Services, led by Eleonora Zollo, initially available and collaborative, subsequently withdrew its support for joining the Ready Network, an initiative that aims to combat discrimination based on orientation sexuality and gender identity.
The opening of a desk dedicated to prevention and support in cases of homobitransphobia is requested, to provide assistance and concrete responses to victims of discrimination. The councilors also question the Municipality on its intention to promote the “alias career” in schools, a provision that allows transgender students to be recognized with their name and gender, thus reducing incidents of bullying and discrimination. It is also asked whether the school buildings in Asti that already adopt alias career and anti-bullying practices have been consulted to share their experiences and good practices.
The councilors also ask the Municipality to provide data on any recorded episodes of homobitransphobic violence and to clarify whether there is a method for recording these cases. Finally, they propose the establishment of a constructive working table involving city associations active in the defense of LGBT rights, such as Agedo, Amnesty, Asti Pride and Nuovi Diritti, to develop common strategies and awareness initiatives.
