Punire i prepotenti, difendere l’eteronormatività. Un’analisi del dibattito parlamentare italiano sulla violenza omofobica

The paper analyses two different but interconnected debates related to homophobic violence which took place in the Italian Parliament. The first debate refers to the approval of the first national bill against homophobic violence by the House of Deputies in September 2013. The second one concerns the «National strategy for the prevention and contrast of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity» promoted by the Ministry of Equal Opportunities and discussed by the Senate in July 2014. The aim of the analysis is to detect the interpretations of homosexuality which supported and opposed the bill and the National strategy. Results show the ambivalent meanings of the normalization of homosexuality as an outcome of the identity politics at national and European level.