RAI Bans “Condom” on AIDS Day

Internal email says ban is “ministry of health policy”

ROME – In 2011, the word “condom” is still taboo in Italy, at least for the state broadcaster RAI and the ministry of health, where Renato Balduzzi took over a few days ago. The word cannot be uttered, even on World AIDS Day, commemorated yesterday by various programmes on Radio 1. Presenters and editorial staff on the programmes involved received an email last Wednesday that left little room for doubt. “Dear colleagues, I would point out that a few hours ago, the ministry has underlined that no contribution should explicitly mention condoms. Contributors should restrict themselves to the general notion of prevention in sexual behaviour and to the need for HIV testing in case of potential risk. If you can, emphasise this point”.

The high-priority email is signed by Laura De Pasquale, a fast-tracked state television executive and partner of Silvio Berlusconi’s “personal cameraman”, Roberto Gasparotti. Predictably, eyebrows were raised. It’s not easy to make hours of programmes on AIDS without being able to mention condoms. But orders are orders. Besides, this is also the line of the ministry now in the hands of Mr Balduzzi, a Catholic, a good friend of Rosy Bindi, the man behind DICO civil unions and, until his appointment, a member of the Democratic Party’s (PD) rights committee, the body that seeks to soothe ethics-related strife within the party. Yesterday afternoon, the press office said: “We have no knowledge of any emails sent with these indications”.

Nevertheless, at both the official communication publicising World AIDS Day and the media briefing to present the initiative, the words “condom” and “prophylactic” were conspicuous by their absence. It was a silence that aroused the suspicions of Rosaria Iardino, president of the Italian network for HIV-positive people, who duly lodged a complaint. Ms Iardino did not mince her words as she left the ministry’s pre-World AIDS Day press meeting: “I am absolutely furious. Nothing ever changes. The presentation covered everything except the one really important issue, condoms. It’s a simple little word that no one is brave enough to say”. The email spelling out the health ministry’s stance served to reinforce the suspicions of gay associations that the ban on using the word condom is influenced by the Church’s position on the issue. It feels as if ten years have passed since the campaign promoted by Livia Turco, the health minister in the Prodi government.

But in fact, only three have gone by. On that occasion, the public service commercial to raise Italians’ awareness of the fight against AIDS attracted controversy and praise because it rehabilitated a taboo word. At the end of the commercial, actress Ambra Angiolini said: “Respect life, respect yourself and respect others. Use a condom and don’t take risks in love”. Today, the situation is very different, fears Rosaria Iardino. Equally apprehensive are the homosexual movements that unfurled a four metre condom yesterday outside the Chamber of Deputies’ Palazzo Montecitorio. The initiative was sponsored by the network of HIV-positive people, ARCIGAY and Aurelio Mancuso, president of Equality Italia, who summed up the motives behind the protest: “We want to tell the Monti government that it has to invest in prevention to save on healthcare costs”. Also taking part was Paola Concia, the only openly lesbian member of Parliament, who presented a bill to have condom vending machines installed in schools. It goes without saying that the Radio 1 programmes failed to give prominence to the demonstration.

Maria Teresa Meli
02 dicembre 2011© all rights reserved - unauthorized reproduction forbidden

English translation by Giles Watson

www.watson.it

Article in Italian