A bold move: sticking two kissing rugby players on the cover of your Italian sports magazine. It’s an editorial decision that’s guaranteed to drum up significant backlash in such a stubbornly homophobic country.
Admirably, the July 11 issue of SportWeek features two swarthy fellows named Giacomo and Stefano fused in a passionate liplock alongside the only-slightly taunting caption, “Who’s afraid of a kiss?”
As of this report, no bishops have hurdled themselves from Vatican windows, nor is a motley parade of white-haired ladies tottering through Sicily wailing and beating their breasts. But some randos drifting through the Twitterverse had some dipshit things to say, so lets focus on them:
“That’s disgusting,” wrote one.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“You’re painfully conformist and ideological,” chimed in another.
Meanwhile, on the other side of life, several Twitterers praised the mag and the brave teammates/boyfriends of amateur Rome squad Libera Rugby:
“I’m not afraid… but many Italians are, and its fear and ignorance that create homophobia.”
The magazine — which features several stories on homosexuality in sports and Italy’s first gay-friendly rugby team — illuminates the fact that Italy is still the only Western European country that won’t recognize gay marriage or civil unions.
h/t: Gay Star News
Lestar
That’s exactly what needs to be happening right now…shove it in their faces until the bigots vomit…they’ll get used to it.
Stefano
“stubbornly homophobic country.” Again, another xenophobic and bigoted article by Queerty.
Atrius
@Lestar: Indeed their best solution is one of desensitization.
Atrius
@Stefano: I’ve lived there and largely they are a homophobic country, and stubbernly so given how long they’ve held out against the tide against such views in the rest of Europe and elsewhere.
Celtic
I wager all those clerics at the Vatican have their willies out spanking the monkey.
Phillip
We’re Queer, We’re here. Get over it Italy.
SteveDenver
“Ideological” and “conformist”?
A world where two rugby jocks are the acceptable norm is my kind of world!
Stefano
@Atrius: That’s your opinion and imppressions.
Atrius
@Stefano: I’m not saying that it’s not changing, but the have a long way to go.
Josh447
This is awesome. Desensitization. Bring it!
Stefano
@Atrius: 50% of Italians are in favor of gay marriage and Matteo Renzi (Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) promise a “civil union” so Italy is not a “stubbornly homophobic country” !
Stefano
In USA (8 juin 2015), 57% support same-sexe marriage and 39% who oppose it. Do i say that USA is a “stubbornly homophobic country”?
jwtraveler
Great photo! Rugby players are hot and seem to be surprisingly non-homophobic. I’ve got to start watching rugby. Where does one watch rugby in the U.S.?
Gullible Traveller
@Stefano: Not xenophobic or homophobic of it’s true
Gullible Traveller
@Gullible Traveller: ‘if’ it’s true
silveroracle
Do Italian men not kiss to greet each other or is that Frenchmen?
Kangol
Gay siamo e qui stiamo, Italia!
notevenwrong
Well, as of 2015, about 51% of Italians are in favor of gay marriage. Just last year support for gay marriage in the U.S. was only between 48% and 55% depending on the poll, so I don’t think Americans are really in a position to point fingers here.
McShane
Swarthy, indeed.
@jwtraveler: http://usarugby.org/rugby-on-tv
jason smeds
Well, to be accurate, Australia also does not recognize gay marriage or gay civil unions. In Australia, they recognize gay civil partnerships in some states, but these are neither unions nor marriages.
Stefano
@notevenwrong:Absolutely !
Olivia Kleeb
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MadHatter
@jason smeds: Australia isn’t a Western European country
jimh
Italy isn’t a “stubbornly homophobic country.” Pure hyperbole! I’ll let Queerty in on another insider tip: Italy isn’t very Catholic these days, either.
Laurent LeMagnifique
: ))) Bellissimo.
notevenwrong
These two guys are really not any more “swarthy” (which means dark-skinned) than the average non-blond Englishman.
Stefano
@jimh: Yep but Americans are xenophobic and they like to belittle other countries, they think they are better than the rest of the world. lol
aidanbh
Frankly, this image IS “disgusting”. The very idea that two straight rugby players can kiss so openly in public, while I cannot even get a look sideways from the cute young man next door, well that is just outrageous!
Justin Weeks
It’s hot leave them alone
McShane
@notevenwrong: Yeah, you’re right. I thought it was just flash fill from the the camera, lightening their skin tone.
http://liberarugby.it/gallery-2/nggallery/partite/aurunci-rugby-vs-libera-rugby-amichevole-contro-lomofobia-18-05-2013
The very last photo in the gallery.
The big guy with the bandage on his head, top row, second from the right.
And the guy with the soda, first on the bottom left.
Zenguy
@Stefano:@Justin Weeks:
It’s hot! Leave them alone.
jwtraveler
@aidanbh: “Meanwhile, on the other side of life, several Twitterers praised the mag and the brave teammates/boyfriends of amateur Rome squad Libera Rugby”
You may be wrong about these guys, but I enjoyed your comment anyway.
jwtraveler
@aidanbh: From “All Rugby News”: “The most recent issue of Sportweek shows the two men, Giacomo and Stefano, who are a real-life couple that play for Libera Rugby Club in Italy,…”
Maybe if you were a big, hot, hairy rugby player…