Italy Moves to Restrict Gender-Affirming Care for Minors, Sparking Protests

 

Italy's right-wing government has approved a draft law that would tighten restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors, sparking backlash from LGBTQ+ and human rights groups. The bill, which still requires parliamentary approval, would limit access to puberty blockers and hormone treatments for individuals under 18 experiencing gender dysphoria. It mandates that such medications can only be administered following new protocols yet to be established by the health ministry, or after approval by a national ethics committee of pediatricians.

The government says the law is designed to “protect the health of minors” and enable better data monitoring. A national registry will be created to track the use of gender-affirming medications and record the medical histories of all transgender patients undergoing such treatment. Critics argue this amounts to intrusive profiling and could delay or deny timely care to vulnerable youth. Trans rights advocates say such delays could have serious mental health consequences for minors seeking treatment.

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Roberta Parigiani, spokesperson for the Trans Identity Movement, condemned the proposed national registry as a serious violation of privacy and human rights. She warned that increasing bureaucratic hurdles would make gender-affirming care less accessible to young people, especially teens in urgent need. “It’s not like you can wait one or two years,” Parigiani said, stressing the time-sensitive nature of treatment for gender dysphoria.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, which promotes traditional family values and frequently opposes what it calls “gender ideology,” has previously rolled back LGBTQ+ rights. Under her leadership, it has become more difficult for same-sex couples to legally raise children and illegal for anyone to pursue surrogacy abroad. Although the bill still faces parliamentary review, Meloni’s strong majority support makes its passage likely. Critics fear this law is part of a broader trend of institutional rollback on LGBTQ+ rights in Italy under the current administration.

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