World News

15 Year Old Openly Gay Italian Boy In Rome Commits Suicide After Being Bullied

Candlelight vigil for bullying victim in Rome Nov. 22 via Facebook

By Mark Singer | ROME, ITALY -- A 15-year-old openly gay student who attended Cavour High School, located in Rome's central district, committed suicide after suffering non-stop anti-gay bullying at school and on Facebook according to Rome's chief deputy prosecutor Pierfilippo Laviani.

The boy, only identified by his first name and initial; Andrea, S., was found hung at his family home Wednesday evening after being sent home from school Tuesday after school staff reprimanded him for his frequent wardrobe consisting of pink trousers, pink shirt, as well as his painted fingernails.

According to Laviani, he had hung himself with a scarf in front of his younger brother who alerted his parents. Laviani also indicated that the teen had been open about his sexual orientation with friends, family, and school officials.

Laviani announced that his office had launched an investigation after the teen's parents found a series of disturbing posts on his Facebook page. Laviani confirmed that the teen had suffered "torment and gone through hell" as a result of the daily abuse by classmates one of whom had apparently created a fake profile on Facebook deriding the youth for his choice of colorful clothes.

That page is now flooded with angry comments as friends of the teen and others lashed out at the bullies. Some comments left included:

"I have no words ... I hope you're happy now, you bastards pieces of shit." " Assassins, I hope you die. " Still another read; "The pay I hope in some way. The ignorance that exists in your head killed a boy of 15 years and you'll have to deal with your conscience for the rest of life."

Italy has among the worst records for LGBT equality rights in Europe with no protections against discrimination in public accommodations  hate speech, bullying, and the work place. Same-sex relationships are not recognized in national law and it is not legal for same-sex couples to jointly adopt.

Italy lacks a law against homophobia with a recent bill proposed by Partito Democratico party last year to prevent discrimination and bullying failing to pass the second reading in the Italian Parliament.

A spokesperson for the Arcigay Il Cassero LGBT equality rights organisation and center, Vincenzo Branà, said;

"Now we need a law against homophobia, it’s up to the parliament. But local governments have to do something as well. They have to launch helplines and associations against homophobia. This is an emergency, now. We are going to have more children die."

Thursday evening a crowd of several hundred gathered near the famed Roman Colosseum for a candlelight vigil on Via di San Giovanni and marched to the high school on Via Cavour of Carine with most of those in attendance wearing pink ribbons in the teen's memory.