Homophobia, schooling, and the Italian context

This chapter documents the lecosecambiano@roma project, a collaborative initiative among researchers, political leaders, celebrities, and representatives of LGBTQI associations in Italy to study and combat homophobic bullying in Roman secondary schools. The chapter describes the project and presents results from a study of the interventions in schools. The authors describe interactions with students, the public’s reactions, and the obstacles encountered in implementing this program across schools in Rome. The chapter also includes a discussion of key lessons from this project and plans for future strategies to create safe and supportive schools for LGBT and all students. Through a description of the lecosecambiano@roma project, the authors illuminate what homophobic bullying means in Italy, what obstacles may arise from planning anti-homophobic bullying projects, and why combating homophobic bullying is of paramount importance in the Italian context