On October 30, I took part in the national meeting of the Democratic Party’s Rights Roundtable, attended by Secretary Elly Schlein, Angelo Schillaci, Alessandro Zan, and representatives of the main Italian LGBTQIA+ associations.
I joined this important space for dialogue as a member of the PD National Directorate and in light of my long-standing commitment to civil rights.
It was an intense and constructive meeting, offering the opportunity to discuss some of the most pressing issues concerning rights and freedoms, starting with the Schillaci-Roccella Decree and the Valditara Bill— two measures that deeply affect the lives and dignity of transgender people and the quality of education in our country.
The value of the Tavolo Diritti: a space for dialogue to be preserved
In my remarks, I first thanked the PD national leadership and those who work to keep the Rights Roundtable alive —a vital space for dialogue between the party and Italian LGBTQIA+ associations.
At a time marked by polarization and oversimplified narratives, spaces like this are essential for building genuine dialogue, listening, and social alliances.
I made it clear that the Rights Roundtable is a political instrument worth safeguarding, because only through cooperation between institutions and civil society can we effectively address today’s challenges in the field of human and civil rights.
The trans community and the sensitive issue of minors’ gender-affirming care
I recalled that since the approval of Law 164/1982, the transgender community has never faced such a delicate political and regulatory context.
The Schillaci-Roccella Bill, which addresses the issue of transgender minors, touches on an extremely sensitive matter that demands caution, competence, and institutional responsibility.
My stance on this topic is well known, and I explored it in an article published last July, where I made clear that I have never supported the indiscriminate or careless administration of puberty blockers or hormones in adolescence.
I have always believed that any pharmacological approach must remain an extrema ratio, to be considered only in cases of intolerable distress in the gender assigned at birth, and always with full respect for the young person’s experience, age, and family context.
At the same time, politics must avoid ideological simplifications or prohibitive reactions, and instead guarantee multidisciplinary, person-centred support pathways based on listening and respect.
For decades, I have fought for the de-pathologization and de-psychiatrization of trans identities, and I believe that today the role of institutions should be to protect, not to control or stigmatize.
Trans people—both minors and adults—are not an emergency, but an integral part of society, and the way our country addresses these issues reflects the quality of our democracy and of our civic humanism.
“We are traitors to the patriarchy”: the lesson of Lohana Berkins
In my speech, I quoted Lohana Berkins, the Argentine trans activist who once said:
“We, trans women, are traitors to the patriarchy.”
A powerful statement that captures the deeper meaning of the persecution trans women face worldwide.
Precisely because we challenge the very roots of patriarchal power, we are often targets of a global backlash—in Italy, as well as in the United States under Donald Trump, in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, and in many other countries where the freedom to be oneself is questioned every day.
Joining forces to respond
Finally, I invited everyone to join forces and respond in a constructive way.
This is a time that calls for unity, clarity, and responsibility, and for a human and competent politics of rights—one that builds bridges rather than walls.
The freedom and dignity of transgender people are not a partisan cause but a democratic issue.
To defend them is to defend everyone’s freedom.