In a controversial move, Italy has officially banned couples from traveling abroad for surrogacy amid a tightening grip of socially conservative policies under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The law, approved by the Italian Senate with a vote of 84 to 58, not only prohibits surrogacy within national borders but also penalizes those seeking the service in countries where it remains legal, such as the US and Canada.
Italy Enacts Ban on Overseas Surrogacy for Couples
Italy Enacts Ban on Overseas Surrogacy for Couples
New law extends Italy's prohibition on surrogacy, targeting both domestic and international practices amid rising social conservatism.
Couples contravening the new legislation could face up to two years in prison and hefty fines reaching €1 million. Critics argue that the law disproportionately affects LGBT couples, who already encounter barriers to adoption and fertility treatments in Italy. Surrogacy, defined as a method where a woman carries a baby for others due to reasons like infertility or same-sex relationship dynamics, is deemed illegal under the new statute.
The harsh implications of this law were highlighted during protests preceding its passage, where detractors emphasized that it restricts the ability for more individuals to parent at a time when Italy is grappling with low birth rates. Notably, LGBT activist Franco Grillini condemned the law, asserting that instead of being celebrated for expanding families, individuals could now face incarceration for opting to have children outside of traditional means.
Giorgia Meloni, Italy's first female prime minister and leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, embraces a conservative family structure, promoting a vision centered around traditional heteronormative values. She has been a vocal opponent of surrogacy, particularly in cases involving LGBT couples, framing it as contrary to her ideal of a family supported by both a man and a woman. Her government has already taken measures to curtail the rights of same-sex parents, further embedding anti-LGBT policies in the Italian political landscape.
Meloni's administration justifies the surrogacy ban by claiming it protects women's dignity, yet experts contend that a large majority of those who employ surrogacy services are heterosexual couples often concealed in their actions due to the stigma surrounding this issue. In stark contrast, same-sex families face substantial hurdles, chiefly because they cannot camouflage their parentage in the same manner.
The surrogacy debate is a part of a wider conversation in Italy, as the nation seeks to navigate the balance between tradition and the evolving landscape of family structures. Comparatively, while countries like Spain and Belgium maintain stricter prohibitions, places like the US and Canada continue to champion more inclusive surrogacy practices, granting immediate legal recognition to same-sex couples as parents from the moment of birth.
The harsh implications of this law were highlighted during protests preceding its passage, where detractors emphasized that it restricts the ability for more individuals to parent at a time when Italy is grappling with low birth rates. Notably, LGBT activist Franco Grillini condemned the law, asserting that instead of being celebrated for expanding families, individuals could now face incarceration for opting to have children outside of traditional means.
Giorgia Meloni, Italy's first female prime minister and leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, embraces a conservative family structure, promoting a vision centered around traditional heteronormative values. She has been a vocal opponent of surrogacy, particularly in cases involving LGBT couples, framing it as contrary to her ideal of a family supported by both a man and a woman. Her government has already taken measures to curtail the rights of same-sex parents, further embedding anti-LGBT policies in the Italian political landscape.
Meloni's administration justifies the surrogacy ban by claiming it protects women's dignity, yet experts contend that a large majority of those who employ surrogacy services are heterosexual couples often concealed in their actions due to the stigma surrounding this issue. In stark contrast, same-sex families face substantial hurdles, chiefly because they cannot camouflage their parentage in the same manner.
The surrogacy debate is a part of a wider conversation in Italy, as the nation seeks to navigate the balance between tradition and the evolving landscape of family structures. Comparatively, while countries like Spain and Belgium maintain stricter prohibitions, places like the US and Canada continue to champion more inclusive surrogacy practices, granting immediate legal recognition to same-sex couples as parents from the moment of birth.
