Maeve Delargy

Italy’s far-right government has ordered local authorities to cease recording the names of “non-biological” parents on birth certificates and has begun revising previously issued birth certificates, GCN reports.

In a letter to Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (ELC) said the children of lesbian mothers “are being denied their fundamental rights”.

“Withdrawing one of their mothers from the birth certificate will have major impacts on their everyday life,” the letter explains. “Their mom cannot pick them up at school, they might not be able to do educational activities and they will not be able to travel.

“Their right to healthcare will be in danger, as only one parent will be able to authorize medical procedures (from the flu shot to urgent life-saving procedures).”

Maeve Delargy, a senior associate with Philip Lee LLP and founder of the Lesbian Lawyers Network, said: “I encourage everyone to attend this demonstration to show our support for the mothers in Italy who have been removed from their children’s birth certificates.

“We stand in solidarity with them and to show that this type of action is not acceptable. As a non-biological mother, I can only imagine what it would be like if I was told my name was being removed from my children’s birth certificates.

“In Ireland we have fought, and continue to fight, for children to have birth certificates which have both their mothers’ names on it. Steps like this from the Italian government are terrifying and show how precarious our rights are.

“We cannot let this go unchallenged. Join us!”

The demonstration will take place outside the Italian Embassy on Dublin’s Northumberland Road on Wednesday 2 August, 5.30pm. Attendees are encouraged to print and sign the ELC letter and post it through the Embassy letterbox.