‘A gay kiss? It’s disgusting. I am normal and I like women. A gay marriage? For God’s sake, no!’ said the Italian Member of Parliament Massimo Calearo (a former democrat and now an independent politician) last week.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens of the Mediterranean country are experiencing hard times. Italian politicians – with a few exceptions – have never been openly LGBT-friendly. But, recently, a new wave of homophobia has been running from north to south.