Assignment 8 - Service Learning

Arcigay, founded in 1985, is Italy's largest gay rights organization. Arcigay is a non-profit organization operated by volunteers all over Italy and in 2007 had over 160,000 members. Although the organization originated in Palermo, the headquarters is located in Bologna. The main goal of Arcigay is to combat homophobia, heterosexism, prejudice, and anti-gay discrimination. The organization is strongly committed to achieving equality for all people regardless of sexual orientation and “aims to reinforce a full, free and happy life for gay people” (arcigay.it).

There are several proactive ways in which arcigay volunteers work towards achieving this goal. Members set up social gatherings, initiatives and welfare services, and work together towards promoting a positive public image of gay people in society. Arcigay works in conjunction with public and private institutions, social and political organizations and other civil rights organizations to defend and protect the rights of LGBT individuals.

One example of how Arcigay works alongside political institutions is through their work with David Thorne, the U.S ambassador in Italy. Thorne is a strong supporter of Arcigay and recently filmed a commercial promoting and spreading word of a new gay helpline.

The video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9kcA1CHu4o

Arcigay also works closely with the Italian Ministry of Health to spread knowledge, awareness and prevention of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. They also offer classes for social workers, school teachers and staff, health counsellors, and parents and family members of LGBT people. One thing I discovered while browsing the Arcigay website is that their sexual orientation training courses for secondary school teachers are recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education – that is truly amazing.

The first time I met Carlo and Roberto was when they came to talk to our class in the beginning of the quarter. Manka had arranged for them to come and talk to us about the LGBT movement in Italy. Coming from America, I do not believe any of us were prepared to face the reality of what Carlo was about to tell us. He informed us that LGBT people in Italy were not protected by law and basically had no rights, unless they kept their sexuality concealed. They are not protected by anti-discrimination laws, they are not protected against hate crimes, can not adopt children, can not get married and are unwelcome in many churches and social events.

As an American, this came as a huge shock to me. I thought LGBT individuals had rights in most developed countries, especially in Europe, but I was wrong. My frames of reference that I had brought from home began to shift as I became more knowledgeable of the struggles of the LGBT community in Italy. At first I used my frames of reference as a point of knowledge to understand what was happening in Italy, however, I soon realized that in order to truly understand it I had to forget about what I knew and focus on what I was learning. I had to stop making comparisons. At first, making comparisons between the U.S and Italy is all I could do but after some time I began thinking only of Italy and what measures could be proactive for change in this country.

My initial impression of the organization has also changed. At first, I did not understand why Arcigay was not more visible and demanding of what they wanted. Yet, I soon realized that that is not the way to do things in Italy, especially in this circumstance. Right now, excessive visibility and demanding attitudes from Arcigay can be negative for several reasons. They are taking the fight at a steady pace and right now the best thing is to maintain a positive image as LGBT people.

Some recent good news for Arcigay is the building of a new community center in Testaccio. My critical moment was when I went to Arcigay in Testaccio and saw what was going to become an incredible community center, Carlo and Arcigay's dream. I had head about the plans for the center from Carlo but I couldn't quite wrap my head around it until I saw the center for myself. The upstairs was mostly offices but downstairs was a huge space with a few big rooms and separate rooms off to the side. At this time building had not yet begun but the space had been cleared out and painted. Building was to begin in a few weeks and scheduled to be done somewhere around May or June of this year. Carlo walked Luis and I through each room explaining what it was going to become. There was a bar area, a kitchen, a lounge area, conference rooms, bathrooms, and more. His voice was full of excitement and pride. His vision is turning into reality.

This community center will be the first fully functioning center for LGBT Italians. They will offer a wide range of services to the public and events are open to all people – LGBT, straight, anyone under the sun can come whenever they like. Some of the services offered include support lines, legal assistance, seminars on LGBT rights and visibility (as well as other informative topics), youth counseling and support, support and counseling for parents and family members, social events, networking, scholarships, and more. This community center is going to change the lives of LGBT people living in Rome and, I strongly feel, is going to be a huge success.

Something I would like to know more about, or how to find on the website, is an event calendar. I would also like to know more about gay youth in Italy and the struggles they face. Are young people bullied in schools? Do they experience many of the same things American teens face? I am eager to hear about the progress of the center and plan to remain in contact with Carlo via email and facebook. Working with Arcigay was a life changing experience and I am grateful for having the opportunity to work with such amazing people.