LGBT Rights Divide: Trudeau and Meloni's Fiery Exchange Rocks G7 Summit

Justin Trudeau and Giorgia Meloni's public disagreement over LGBT rights at the Group of Seven (G7) leader summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on Friday was a rare display of open discord among world leaders.

The conflict began when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau openly criticized Italy and its right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on camera for their stance on LGBT rights.

"Canada is concerned about some of the positioning that Italy is taking in terms of LGBT rights, but I look forward to talking with you," said Trudeau.

Meloni responded angrily to Trudeau's remarks, accusing him of being a "victim of fake news," while defending her government's position. According to an official statement released by the Canadian Prime Minister's Office, Meloni argued that her government was following court rulings related to LGBT matters.


However, Meloni had already faced criticism from gay rights activists earlier this year after her far-right-led government ordered city councils to stop officially recording both parents in same-sex couples and only acknowledge the biological parent.

Alessia Crocini, president of Rainbow Families, a non-profit organization supporting LGBTQ+ parents and their children, called it an act of "maximum homophobia."

She further argued that "it was insulting to hundreds of thousands of families with two same-sex parents" as "Meloni says that for a child to grow up well, they need a mother and father, even if decades of research say otherwise."

Italy does not currently recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples, and Meloni has expressed her belief that everyone is born either male or female and cannot change later in life.

The disagreement between Justin Trudeau and Giorgia Meloni highlighted the stark differences between some countries regarding LGBTQ rights.

With attitudes like those expressed by Meloni becoming increasingly common in Europe these days, many are stressing that it is more important now than ever for international leaders to set aside their differences to reach a consensus on how best to ensure equality for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Source: Wionews