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2026-06-05 09:56:32

elettrona@poliversity.it

I'm Italian, and today I feel urgent to scream: yesterday our Senate approved a law that prohibits sex education to kids in schools between 3 and 11 years old. Then, until 18, they need their family's consent for sex and relationships education programs.
I write in English as I want people from abroad to know what's happening.
Their argument is that they don't want some external non-expert people to "groom" kids, to teach the fake so-called "gender theory" (it is Vatican invention), no one wants to manipulate young people turning them into homosexual or trans.
This kind of sex education for kids, is made to let them know their body properly, to teach them what's consent, when to say no...
It's true. Both right and left oriented, there are fanatics. We have someone around who says "dead man doesn't rape", or "all men are predators", someone deciding in a sense or the other what a "real woman / man" is, yes. But there are also people who aren't doctors or psychologist who, TOGETHER with psychologists and teacher, can contribute to education.
I'm an HIV activist. I'm blind. I'm a woman. Formerly partnered with an HIV positive man. I've been active since I was 13, long before the direct experience with hin. I had a space in the school's journal then. It was 1993-1999. Since 13 to 19 years old.
I've been appreciated for this. And, yes, I'd have nothing to prevent me from adding my personal experience of how it is like, to live with a person with HIV. How to build trust, consent, talking about protections without lecturing anyone.
But from now on, in my own country I'd be considered a groomer. A predator. Someone in need to be judged by others.
Fuck off all of them.
#education #politics #sex #vent

cc @VoltEuropa

2026-06-05 11:23:04

dasgrueneblatt

dasgrueneblatt@wien.rocks

@elettrona I hear your scream, and I agree, it's awful and dangerous and hurtful and unnecessary.

@VoltEuropa

2026-06-05 15:49:23

Mycotropic

mycotropic@beige.party

@elettrona @VoltEuropa

Here's a parallel but vaguely different story, the #Colorado Initiative to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy;

"The Colorado Initiative was conducted between 2008 and 2016 and focused on four strategies: (1) increasing access to quality family-planning services, (2) increasing the availability of IUDs (intrauterine devices) and implants, (3) promoting healthy decisions and planning, and (4) improving public policy and practices."

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10461486/

This project created a 50 percent reduction in teen births and abortions.

https://cdphe.colorado.gov/fpp/about-us/colorados-success-long-acting-reversible-contraception-larc

The Colorado Family Planning Initiative (#CFPI) was an absolutely gold standard cost saving, risk reducing and women empowering but privately funded initiative. After the private funding ended #CDPHE went to the legislature, shared its successes and asked for a line item of 5 million to continue doing all of those things. Nope. No further funding.

In the US and apparently also in Italy we are perfectly happy to use our collective resources to build bombs and support fascism but educating and empowering women has no place in the budget despite absolutely crystal clear #PublicHealth successes.

2026-06-05 20:34:34

*_jߍyrope

jrp@hub.kliklak.net

@Elena Brescacin Thank you for the report. What could i do from outside Italy (Berlin here)?

2026-06-05 21:20:28

Elena Brescacin

elettrona@poliversity.it

@jrp I don't know. I really have no idea of what to do, except for voting opposite politicians next year. But we haven't a very strong progressive movement here, at least from politicians' side. But as far as I know, Germany isn't better, with that crappy AfD around.

2026-06-05 21:23:49

*_jߍyrope

jrp@hub.kliklak.net

@Elena Brescacin The biggest problem with the right wing is, that the left isn't united, and never was. They keep on having arguments about dogmatic struff, instead of caring for the people. In that regard we're completely fucked.