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Italy has begun removing the names of gay mothers from their children’s birth certificates, as part of the right-wing government’s crackdown on same-sex parenting. The move comes after populist prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition announced in March that state agencies should no longer register the children of same-sex couples, a move that sparked protests in Milan. Families have begun receiving letters from the state prosecutor, with PinkNews reporting that 27 parents in the northern city of Padua have been issued notices that they were being removed from their child’s birth certificate. Other families have received letters in Milan, Florence and Fiumicino, near Rome. Michael Leidi and her wife Viola were reportedly among one of the three lesbian couples to be targeted by the crackdown, with Ms Leidi telling LGBTQ+ Nation that she “cried for 10 days” after receiving the letter. It informed them that the inclusion of Ms Leidi’s name was “contrary to public order”, as she was not the biological mother of the couple’s daughter Giulia, the site reported. The policy means only the recognised biological mother has parenting rights, and if she was to die, her children can be handed to relatives or taken into the state’s care. “It was as if I did not exist,” Ms Leidi told LGBTQ+ Nation. “I suspect the government is afraid that a family that looks different, like ours, can be happy - maybe even happier, sometimes - as a traditional family. “On paper, they say Guilia has one mother but we know she has two. We will do everything possible to prove we are a good family.” Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Leidi said that the couple had been together for 11 years and were both teachers of children with special needs. After Viola became pregnant through artificial insemination, their local mayor had signed Giulia’s birth certificate and had been “very supportive”. Despite this, they were recently sent a letter informing them of the changes to the birth certificate. It was followed by an unsuccessful legal attempt to overturn the removal of her name and a rejection by local judges of their bid to take the case to Italy’s Supreme Court. Italy’s first female prime minister had rallied against the ‘LGBT lobby’ and ‘gender ideology’ as part of her successful campaign last year to win power. Despite Ms Meloni comparing herself to British Conservatives and denying she is homophobic, her party rose to power with tough rhetoric against same-sex parenting and support for traditional families and moral values. In a recent speech, she said: “We want a nation in which – whatever each person’s legitimate choices and free inclinations may be – it is no longer a scandal to say we are all born from a man and a woman.” Her coalition partner, Matteo Salvini, of the far-right League party, had previously called gay parents “unnatural” while the government opposed a Brussels plan for a parenthood certificate that would be valid across the EU. In 2016, Italy’s former centre-left government legalised same-sex civil unions, however stopped short from issuing full adoption rights following opposition from the Catholic church. Gay couples are forced to go abroad if they want children, as they are banned from accessing reproductive medical treatment such as IVF and surrogacy is also prohibited. Italian law does not rule if same-sex couples can both be recognised as parents on official certification, which meant local mayors were left to make the call based on their own personal views. However, now the message from the interior ministry to town halls is that such arrangements are illegal. This follows a Supreme Court ruling last December against a male same-sex couple who brought a child obtained through surrogacy into Italy. Pro-LGBTQ politicians have condemned the move, arguing that it is clearly discriminatory. Elly Scheink, the leader of the centre-Left party, who is also in a same-sex relationship, said: “These families are tired of being discriminated against. “We’re talking about boys and girls already growing up in our communities and going to schools.” Meanwhile, a poll last month found that two-thirds of Italians hold positive views on same-sex parenting and adoption, demonstrating a surge of support in recent years. Read More UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologizes for a previous ban on LGBTQ+ people in the military Russian lawmakers pass a bill outlawing gender-affirming procedures to protect 'traditional values' Thousands march at Budapest Pride as LGBTQ+ community voices anxiety over Hungary's restrictive laws Six-year-old boy and his 12-year-old sister drown in Texas river New drug to protect babies and toddlers from RSV gets FDA approval ahead of cold season Ban disposable vapes by next year, ministers urged

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Jane Birkin, style mogul and the namesake behind the most expensive bag in the world, has died at age 76. On Sunday 16 July, the British-born actress and singer was found deceased inside her Paris apartment, with French President Emmanuel Macron confirming her death in a tweet, in which he described her “a French icon”. The icon became the muse for Hermès’ archetypal accessory and defined the classic Parisian-chic look in the 70s. Since Birkin’s unlikely 1981 run-in with the brand’s former chairman and head designer, she’s held the highest of honours in luxury fashion. The chance encounter happened when Birkin found herself on the same Air France flight as Hermès executive Jean-Louis Dumas when a bag that was holding her belongings broke and she angrily blamed Hermès for not making a big enough bag to fit her stuff. She complained out loud, unaware that the brand’s artistic director was sitting directly next to her. Not long after, the French fashion house debuted the “Birkin bag,” only offered in a large size to satisfy her wishes. Birkin recalled the consequential interaction in a 2020 interview with Christiane Amanpour from CNN, where she remembered: “I said: ‘Why don’t you make a bag that’s sort-of four times the [size of the] Kelly that you could just leave open and sort of half the size of my suitcase?’” She continued: “He said: ‘well, draw it for me.’ And I think I drew it on the sick bag, a vomit bag in the aeroplane.” Eventually, Dumas turned Birkin’s wishes into a reality. Before she went to purchase the accessory she inspired, Dumas told her she could have one free of charge if he could name it after her. In a 2012 interview with Vogue, Birkin admitted the Hermès had paid her £30,000 for her annual royalty, but she opted to donate the money to her preferred charities. “I got Hermès to fork out for my charities once I saw the fortune they were making. A certain amount of money every year goes straight to my charity and it will continue to after my death,” she said while speaking to WWD in 2011. Hermès will continue to honour her legace by donating to Birkin’s preferred charities in the wake of her passing. Known to cost upwards of $10,000, the Birkin bag is a status symbol as much as an emblem of the relationship between designer goods and practicality. With a waitlist and limited supply of this delicately crafted leather accessory, an air of exclusivity is achieved amongst the fortuitous owners. Vintage models from previous collections are priced and sold anywhere between $30,000 and $500,000 depending on their year, according to Sothebys. These highly regarded handbags mesh conservative and mod fashion codes, celebrating the intersection between Birkin’s and Hermès’ styles. However, following a 2015 investigation into the brand by PETA, which revealed the treatment of crocodiles for their skin, Birkin requested that her name be removed from the bags that were made out of the animal. “Jane Birkin has expressed her concerns regarding practices for slaughtering crocodiles. Her comments do not in any way influence the friendship and confidence that we have shared for many years. Hermès respects and shares her emotions and was also shocked by the images recently broadcast,” the fashion house said at the time. Hermès respected her decision then, but she ended up dropping her request as she was satisfied with how the brand handled the situation, labelling it as an “isolated irregularity.” In a statement, the brand said: “Jane Birkin has advised us that she is satisfied by the measures taken by Hermès.” She was known for her transcendent performances both on set and stage as a movie star and singer, respectively. However, Birkin’s “French girl” aesthetic will have forever affected the fashion industry’s perception of timeless looks. Birkin was a trendsetter, but not in a cyclical way. She would don silk blouses with sheer tights, monochromatic pieces decorated with statement belts, and pendant necklaces. Birkin, who previously favoured large wicker baskets to hold her belongings instead of handbags, would wear a simple white T-shirt and vintage denim combination, taking the most effortless outfit making it elegant. Following the creation of the Birkin bag, she was also looked to as the perfect example for how the expensive bag was meant to be used, with Birkin photographed with her own overflowing Hermès handbag on a number of occasions. “I love the way she wears her bag... Carefree, nonchalant, unpretentious, so iconic,” one person tweeted, while another said: “A well-loved bag should show a little shamble.” Read More Jane Birkin death: ‘Je t’aime... moi non plus’ singer and actor dies aged 76 The most iconic Hermès Birkin bags inspired by Jane Birkin Jane Birkin: Singer, actor and inspiration behind iconic Birkin bag dies aged 76 The most iconic Hermès Birkin bags inspired by Jane Birkin Kim Kardashian’s Skims is now worth $4bn TikTokers are showing off pink outfits they’re going to wear to watch Barbie movie

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