First: Changing Family Law. The Connection between LGBT Movement and the Italian Parliament in the Long Fight for the Legal Recognition of Lesbian and Gay Families

The political action of the Italian LGBT movement has historically privileged the achievement of the legal recognition of lesbian and gay families, which has also been interpreted as the most effective strategy to fight against homophobic violence and discrimination. The framework of the criminal law to confront such a violence gained visibility only in recent times. Starting from the middle of the Seventies, the paper addresses the history of the bills aiming at changing the family law in Italy. More specifically, it takes into account the links between LGBT organizations, lesbian and gay members of the Parliament and the different perspectives related to the legal recognition of lesbian and gay families. The analysis will shed light on the ways through which the normalization of the everyday life of Italian LGBT community has been supported or resisted by lesbian and gay politicians and organizations.