Gay conversion therapy in Italy and Its Lingering Scars

[Social Media]

 

Rosario Lonegro was only 20 years old when he joined a Catholic seminary in Sicily, filled with the aspiration of becoming a priest. His journey took a devastating turn when he fell in love with another man, prompting his superiors to insist that he undergo conversion therapy. This therapy was intended to erase his sexual preferences if he wanted to continue his path to the priesthood. "It was the darkest period of my life," Rosario told the BBC, recalling his harrowing experience in 2017.

 

Haunted by guilt and the fear of committing a sin in the eyes of the Catholic Church, Rosario found himself in a torturous predicament. "I felt trapped with no choice but to suppress my true self," he explained. The psychological pressure to conform to an identity that wasn't his own became insurmountable. "I could not change no matter how hard I tried."

 

For over a year, Rosario was subjected to a series of distressing spiritual gatherings outside the seminary. These sessions spanned several days and involved activities designed to strip him of his sexual identity. These traumatic experiences included being locked in a dark closet, coerced into stripping naked in front of fellow participants, and even enacting his own funeral. Rosario was also forced to write down his perceived flaws, such as "homosexuality" and "abomination," and bury these confessions beneath a symbolic gravestone.

 

Despite the World Health Organization declassifying homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1990 and the scientific consensus that conversion therapies are both ineffective and harmful, these practices persist in Italy. Reports of such pseudoscientific therapies come from both men and women, though there is no standard legal definition or ban on them in Italy. Some sessions are run by licensed psychotherapists, while others are covertly organized and promoted through secret referrals and discreet conversations.

 

In recent interviews with the BBC, several young gay men across Italy recounted their experiences with these conversion therapies. One 33-year-old man attended such meetings for over two years, driven by a desire to reconcile with himself. "I didn’t want to be homosexual. I thought I needed to be cured," he said. Another man, seeking societal acceptance, felt it was his only path to being accepted. These therapies, conducted across Italy, sometimes publicly advertised, are promoted by conservative figures claiming to change sexual orientations.

 

Rosario's ordeal involved meetings organized by the now-disbanded Spanish group Verdad y Libertad (Truth and Freedom) under Miguel Ángel Sánchez Cordón. Despite the group's disbandment, the Italian priest who initially pushed Rosario into these practices was promoted within the Church. Many individuals referred to Luca di Tolve, a "moral/spiritual trainer" known for his book "I was gay once. In Medjugorie I found myself." Di Tolve and his wife advertise their services to those struggling with their sexual identity, though he did not respond to BBC inquiries.

 

Giorgio Ponte, a well-known writer in Italy's ultra-conservative circles, also promotes overcoming homosexuality. "I believe that a homosexual person should have the freedom to try [to become heterosexual], if they want, knowing, however, that it may not be possible for everyone," he told the BBC. Massimiliano Felicetti, a 36-year-old gay man, struggled with his sexual orientation for over 15 years. Seeking acceptance, he consulted various psychologists and clergy members who promised to help him become heterosexual. However, two years ago, he stopped pretending after a friar encouraged him to date a woman, which felt unnatural. "It was time to stop pretending," Felicetti said. Only recently did he come out as gay to his family, and for the first time, he feels happy being himself.

 

Despite attempts to introduce legislation banning conversion therapies, no progress has been made in Italy. The right-wing government led by Giorgia Meloni has taken a hostile stance towards LGBT rights. Michele Di Bari, a researcher in comparative public law, attributes this to Italy's slower pace of implementing change and its strong Catholic influence. Sociologist Valentina Gentile points to a patriarchal culture that complicates broader acceptance of LGBT rights, though she notes the Catholic Church is undergoing transformation.

 

Pope Francis has expressed the Church's openness to everyone, including the gay community, while adhering to its rules. However, he has also reportedly made derogatory remarks about gay people becoming priests, for which the Vatican later apologized. Rosario Lonegro has since left Sicily for Milan. After a nervous breakdown in 2018, he left both the seminary and the conversion therapy group. While he still believes in God, he no longer aspires to priesthood. Living with his boyfriend, studying philosophy, and working freelance, he continues to bear the psychological scars of his experiences. "During those meetings, one mantra haunted me: ‘God didn’t make me that way. God didn’t make me homosexual. It’s only a lie I tell myself,’" Rosario recalled. "I will never forget that."

 

Credit: BBC 2024-06-04

 

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[SiSePuede419]

Psst!

Two words.

"Vatican City" 😄

 

[john donson]

any religion is evil and money and power based...

 

cannot wait for next story of a thai stealing raping abbot... next...

[klauskunkel]

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

the fear of committing a sin in the eyes of the Catholic Church

the result of being brainwashed from childhood into believing a man-made corrupt institution accurately represents an abstract concept invented by man

part of the business plan of any religious institution: get them while they're young and make them believe in Santa Klaus

 

Edited June 4 by klauskunkel

[novacova]

On 6/3/2024 at 1:33 PM, Social Media said:

prompting his superiors to insist that he undergo conversion therapy.

Sick and twisted. It’s unfortunate that some people’s parents fail to instill a sound moral compass and to be independent in thought during their upbringing.

[KhunLA]

I must have missed the memo ... as I thought catholic priest were suppose to be celibate.  Why would you need gay conversion if nobody is having sex.