“New Italian Legislation Removes Lesbian Mothers’ Names from Children’s Birth Certificates”
Under a “traditional family-first” government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italy has recently begun the process of removing the names of “non-biological gay mothers” from their children’s birth certificates. This legislative move is attributed to the fact that surrogacy is illegal in Italy, and same-sex marriage has not been legalized, making it challenging for non-biological parents to have legal recognition without undergoing a special adoption process.
Furthermore, the new legislation also prevents men in same-sex relationships from registering their child’s birth with both fathers’ names, forcing them to choose only one to be the legally recognized father.
The change affects 33 children of Italian women who underwent artificial insemination abroad and registered their children under the previous center-left government led by Sergio Giordani in 2017. The recent ruling reverses Giordani’s initiative to remove traditional “mother” and “father” designations from birth certificates.
While proponents of the legislation argue that it does not discriminate against children, critics express concerns about limiting certain rights for the non-registered parent, including everyday family tasks like picking up the child from school or using public services on their behalf, requiring them to seek permission.
Moreover, in March, Meloni’s government introduced legislation to extend the national ban on surrogacy to couples who engage in such services abroad, imposing severe penalties for those breaking the law, including a possible two-year jail term and a hefty fine exceeding $1 million.
