Actor Stanley Tucci said that the world has been moving to the “very far right,” citing countries like Italy for not allowing LGBTQQIAAP2S+ couples to adopt children or birth them through surrogacy and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Speaking with Sky News, the Conclave actor discussed his cooking show and how he wanted to explore Italian society by focusing on different types of families, including LGBTQ ones.
“I asked that we include a story about a gay couple and their children, whether it was adopted or surrogate or however, because I thought it was a really interesting story,” he said.
Speaking of such families, the Oscar nominee said that the world has been moving “very far right” and “vilifying the other.”
“I am confused as to the direction that so much of the world is heading now to the very far right and sort of vilifying the other, meaning people who aren’t like us, but I don’t quite know what that means because we are all so different,” he said.
“There is no us, right? We’re all different, so I don’t know what the problem is there,” he added.
As noted by Sky News, Italy passed a law in 2006 that recognizes civil unions for same-sex couples while not allowing them to adopt children.
It grants couples many of the same rights and financial protections as married heterosexual couples, however, it doesn’t give LGBT+ couples the right to joint adoption or in vitro fertilisation.
In 2023, the Italian government extended its initial ban on surrogacy to include arrangements made by its citizens abroad.
Its legislation subjects any intended parent who breaks the law to jail terms of up to two years and fines of up to €1m (£846,000).
Tucci expressed confusion over the law due to Italy’s declining birth rate.
“Those people are sitting there having a traditional Sunday lunch with the grandparents, with the grandkid, and they’re a family and yet the government says they’re not a family,” he said.
“I think that’s really interesting because Italy puts so much emphasis on family and for all practical purposes, Italy has a negative birth rate so why wouldn’t you want to welcome more children into your society who are Italian?” he added.
Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube, Tubi, or Fawesome TV. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.
