The situation of trans people in Italy today

The condition of trans people in Italy exists within a framework of contradictions: on one hand, the country has had, since 1982, legislation on legal gender recognition (Law 164/1982) that made it a pioneer in Europe; on the other, legislative gaps, disparities in access to healthcare services, and high levels of discrimination in every area of daily life persist. This article gathers the available data and evidence to outline the current state of affairs.

Available data and statistics

How many trans people are there in Italy

There is no official census of the Italian transgender population. ISTAT does not collect data on gender identity in its general censuses, and circulating estimates are based on extrapolations from international studies. Applying the percentages found in the international scientific literature (between 0.3% and 1.2% of the adult population), one would obtain a range between 150,000 and 700,000 people. The most commonly cited estimate in the Italian debate places the figure at around 400,000, but this is an indicative order of magnitude.

In 2022, the Istituto Superiore di Sanita (ISS) launched, in collaboration with the Careggi University Hospital and the Bridge Foundation, an epidemiological study called SPoT (Study on the Transgender Population) with the goal of producing the first scientific census of the transgender population in Italy [15]. Definitive results have not yet been published.

Gaps in official data

The absence of systematic surveys has direct consequences on the ability to plan adequate healthcare and social policies. The ISTAT-UNAR surveys on employment discrimination, while representing a significant step forward, are based on convenience samples (people reached through associations and online channels) and cannot be considered statistically representative of the entire trans and non-binary population. As ISTAT itself noted in the 2024 report, the data has an “exploratory character” [1][2].

Access to healthcare

Gender Identity Centers

In Italy, gender-affirming pathways are provided by the National Health Service (SSN) through specialized facilities, listed by the National Observatory on Gender Identity (ONIG) [5]. The main public centers for adults are:

• CIDIGEM (Interdepartmental Center for Gender Identity Disorders) at the Citta della Salute e della Scienza in Turin
• C.A.R.E. Project in partnership with the Careggi University Hospital in Florence
• SAIFIP (Service for the Alignment between Physical Identity and Psychic Identity) at the San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital in Rome
• Centers at the university hospitals of Bologna, Bari, Naples, Trieste, and Padua (CRRIG)

For minors, dedicated centers are even rarer and are concentrated primarily in the Center-North of the country.

Waiting lists and regional differences

Waiting lists are one of the most critical issues. Wait times for a first appointment at ONIG centers can exceed 12-18 months, with peaks at some facilities reaching two years. The geographic distribution of centers creates a marked territorial disparity: those living in the southern regions or the islands are often forced to travel to the Center-North to access services, bearing all travel and accommodation costs themselves.

In principle, the SSN covers hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgeries, but the methods of access and timelines vary significantly from region to region. In some areas, endocrinologists specializing in hormone therapies for gender incongruence are not available in the local healthcare network, forcing people to seek private practitioners.

The Infotrans portal

In 2020, the ISS and UNAR launched Infotrans.it, the first institutional portal in Europe dedicated to the well-being and health of transgender people [4]. The portal offers information on gender-affirming pathways, a map of centers and services across the country, and resources for both trans people and healthcare professionals.

Discrimination and violence

ISTAT-UNAR data

The ISTAT-UNAR survey published in December 2024 provided the most up-to-date data on discrimination experienced by trans and non-binary people in Italy [1][2]. The results, while not representative of the entire population, paint a concerning picture:

• 66.1% of respondents whose gender identity was visible or recognizable during their studies experienced discrimination at school or university [1].
• One in two people reported at least one episode of discrimination related to gender identity in their job search [1].
• 46.4% gave up attending a job interview or submitting an application because they were convinced that their gender identity would negatively affect the outcome [1].
• 57.1% of employed or formerly employed people believe that their trans or non-binary identity constituted a disadvantage in their career, professional recognition, or pay [2].
• Over eight in ten people reported at least one form of microaggression related to gender identity in the workplace [1].
• 37.1% experienced a hostile climate or aggression in the workplace [1].

Outside the work context, one in three people reported having suffered threats related to their gender identity, and 23% reported violent assaults [1].

Transphobic violence and murders

Italy holds a negative record in Europe for the number of trans murders recorded by TGEU’s (Transgender Europe) Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) [8]. From 2008 to 2024, over 40 cases of murder of trans people on Italian territory have been documented, a figure that places the country consistently among the top in the continent [8].

In the period October 2023 - September 2024, the TMM recorded 1 murder in Italy, compared to 8 total across all of Europe and 350 worldwide [8]. Arcigay, in its report for the Transgender Day of Remembrance 2024, emphasized that the global figure of 350 victims represents the highest number since monitoring began in 2008, with 94% of victims being trans women [6][7].

According to the ANSA news agency, in 2024 at least 149 episodes of homotransphobic discrimination were recorded in Italy, roughly one case every two days, with a 33% increase over the previous year [11]. The actual figure is very likely much higher: OSCAD (the Observatory for Security Against Discriminatory Acts) has noted that many episodes go unreported or are not correctly classified as hate crimes, partly due to the absence of a specific law recognizing homotransphobia as an autonomous aggravating circumstance.

The Zan Bill and the political debate

What the bill proposed

The DDL Zan (named after PD deputy Alessandro Zan, its first signatory) was a bill aimed at extending the protections already provided by Article 604-bis of the Penal Code (relating to hate crimes for racial, ethnic, or religious reasons) to cover discrimination and violence based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability [10]. The text also provided for the establishment of May 17 as the National Day against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, and allocated funds for anti-violence centers and awareness programs in schools [10].

The Zan Bill did not introduce a thought crime: the text explicitly safeguarded the free expression of convictions and opinions, provided they were not likely to create a concrete danger of discriminatory or violent acts [10]. Furthermore, the bill did not concern surrogacy, which is already prohibited in Italy, nor did it introduce so-called “gender ideology” in schools [10].

The parliamentary process and its defeat

Approved by the Chamber of Deputies on November 4, 2020 with 265 votes in favor, the Zan Bill reached the Senate where its progress stalled. On October 27, 2021, the Senate approved by secret ballot the so-called “guillotine” (a preliminary question), requested by Lega and Fratelli d’Italia, which blocked the examination of articles and amendments [9]. The result was 154 votes in favor of the guillotine against 131 opposed and 2 abstentions. The secret ballot made it impossible to identify the so-called “snipers” within the majority that had supported the bill [9].

The consequences

The defeat of the Zan Bill left Italy without a specific law against hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity [14]. Unlike many other European Union countries, Italian law does not provide specific aggravating circumstances for crimes motivated by homotransphobia. In the following legislature, no bills of comparable scope with concrete chances of approval were introduced.

Work, housing, school: daily challenges

Workplace discrimination

The 2024 ISTAT-UNAR data document pervasive employment discrimination [1][2]. 40.6% of current or former trans employees experienced at least one discriminatory episode in the workplace, with a significantly higher incidence among trans women (54.3%) [2]. Discrimination manifests in multiple forms: from non-recognition of gender identity in the work environment, to exclusion from career opportunities, to dismissal. Mental health data confirm the impact of these conditions: according to the ISS, depression is reported by 40% of AMAB trans people and 34.5% of AFAB trans people, compared to 4.74% and 7.7% respectively in the general male and female population [3].

Access to housing

Discrimination in housing access constitutes a further structural obstacle. Trans people, particularly trans women, encounter difficulties in finding rental or purchase housing due to landlord prejudice. The combination of employment and housing discrimination can lead to situations of severe marginalization. In September 2022, the Municipality of Rome inaugurated “A Casa di Ornella”, the first housing facility in Italy dedicated exclusively to transsexual, non-binary, and intersex people, established in a property confiscated from organized crime.

Bullying and school discrimination

The school environment is often the first place where trans people experience discrimination. Cases of homotransphobic bullying are increasing and are associated with self-censorship by victims, social isolation, and in the most severe cases, suicidal ideation [12]. The ISS Infotrans portal notes that bullying against transgender minors is a growing phenomenon requiring urgent interventions [12]. The lack of national guidelines for the inclusion of trans people in the school context (such as the use of chosen names or access to restrooms consistent with gender identity) further aggravates the situation.

Family rejection

A particularly significant finding concerns family rejection: according to reports from support associations, 48.7% of requests for listening and support come from young people who have been rejected by their families or who have experienced bullying after coming out [6]. Expulsion from the family unit represents a significant risk factor for social marginalization and mental health.

Associations and support

The Movimento Identita Trans (MIT)

MIT (Movimento Identita Trans), founded in Bologna in 1979, is the oldest association for trans rights in Italy and among the first in the world [13]. Based at Via Polese 22 in Bologna, MIT offers services in the areas of health, employment, rights, accommodation, and culture. The Emilia-Romagna Region funds a healthcare clinic for trans people directly managed by the association. In 2018, MIT opened “Casa Caterina”, the first protected shelter in Europe for trans refugees and asylum seekers [13].

Arcigay and the National Trans Network

Arcigay, Italy’s largest LGBTQIA+ association, established the Rete Trans Nazionale (National Trans Network, RTN), a network of help desks and services dedicated specifically to trans people throughout the country [6]. In 2024, the network’s services supported 899 people in their transition journey (up from 654 in 2023) [6]. Arcigay’s legal network handled 417 cases of discrimination and rights protection in 2024 [6].

Helplines and listening services

Arcigay’s telephone and psychological listening service recorded 27,682 contacts in 2024, with 1,126 people receiving structured psychological support (up from 769 the previous year) [6]. Available resources include:

• Gay Help Line (800 713 713): a national toll-free number against homotransphobia, active every day.
• UNAR Contact Center (800 901 010): the toll-free number of the National Office Against Racial Discrimination for reporting episodes of discrimination.
• Infotrans.it: the institutional portal with a map of services, information on pathways, and resources for professionals [4].

Other organizations

The Italian associative landscape includes numerous other organizations active in trans rights and support, including Azione Trans, Libellula, self-managed clinics in various cities, and local branches of Arcigay and other LGBTQIA+ associations. Many of these organizations operate with limited resources and rely largely on volunteers.

ONIG, in addition to its role in coordinating clinical centers, periodically publishes updated standards on gender-affirming pathways, contributing to the training of healthcare professionals and the definition of best practices [5].

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The overall picture that emerges is of a country where trans people face significant obstacles in nearly every area of life: from healthcare to employment, from school to housing access. While on one hand there are services and associations offering concrete support, on the other hand the lack of comprehensive legislation against homotransphobic discrimination and territorial disparities in healthcare access represent challenges that remain open. The systematic collection of data on the trans population is the necessary precondition for any effective public policy.