Two Italian men became parents. Soon they could be outlaws.
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 18 March 2024
⏱️ 25 minutes
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Summary
The Italian Parliament is expected to pass a law that makes overseas surrogacy a crime, which would eliminate the last pathway to parenthood for many same-sex couples. It’s part of a wave of efforts around the world trying to reshape what families look like.
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The Italian Parliament is expected to pass a law that makes overseas surrogacy a crime, which would eliminate the last pathway to parenthood for many same-sex couples. It’s part of a wave of efforts around the world trying to reshape what families look like.
The Italian government claims that the potential ban on surrogacy is an effort to protect women from exploitation, and Pope Francis recently called for a ban on surrogacy using similar arguments. But advocates decry this legislation as part of an attack on same-sex parenthood being waged by Italy’s right-wing government.
Luca Capuano and Salvatore Scarpa are one Italian couple who are figuring out how this law could affect their family. They had a baby daughter last year with the help of an American surrogate, and they have an embryo ready for a second child. Now they are unsure if they can even remain in Italy. Rome bureau chief Anthony Faiola visited Luca and Salvatore in their home this year to talk about the future of their family.
Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Sean Carter. Thank you to Stefano Pitrelli and Marisa Bellack.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Luca Capuano and Salvatore Scarpa are a couple living in a |
| 0:05.0 | béouanao and a biorgis o'e scarpa are a couple living in a small town in southern Italy. |
| 0:13.4 | They have two horses and a chihuahua. |
| 0:16.6 | They've been together ever since they met in 2016. |
| 0:19.6 | And they recently had a baby girl named Paola. |
| 0:22.8 | Oh, they are very doting dads to the point of obsession with their daughter. |
| 0:37.0 | Anthony Fiola is the Rome Bureau Chief for the post. |
| 0:41.0 | Earlier this year he spent the day with Lucca, Salvatore, and Paola in their home. |
| 0:46.0 | It's very cute to see the way in which they fawn over her and spend every waking minute trying to tend to her rather ample needs. |
| 0:57.0 | You know, they make her gourmet mush of rabbit and fennel, which is a very traditional southern Italian mixture. |
| 1:05.0 | Sal likes to do little dances to keep her happy. |
| 1:10.0 | Which isn't a very difficult thing to do because she is a very happy baby. |
| 1:19.0 | I'm a... |
| 1:21.0 | Their point... their point that they made repeatedly was that they're able to give a child that |
| 1:29.3 | that kind of lifestyle which in many ways you know exceeds the average in southern Italy |
| 1:37.1 | but you know despite all of that privilege she still remains a legal orphan. |
| 1:43.0 | In the spring of 2023, |
| 1:50.0 | Italy's right-wing government made it impossible for same-sex parents to register birth |
| 1:55.5 | certificates for their children. This was just a few months before Paolo was born and |
| 2:00.3 | it's why she is still a legal orphan. |
| 2:03.0 | It's one of many obstacles for same-sex couples in Italy who want to have kids. |
| 2:08.0 | Gay marriage is still illegal. |
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