“I'm healed and I'm no longer a lesbian”. Controversy in Biella over the meeting with the journalist

The University no longer grants the room for the debate contested by Arcigay. The president of Città Studi: contrary to our educational principles

“Because I'm not a lesbian anymore”. These words, written on the flyers complete with certification “Sacred warning” to announce the event with the journalist Nausica Della Valle as speaker who covered the city of Biella, have sparked controversy. So much to ask for, and get, revokes it.
The event, Indeed, it had been organized by the group “Christians united to serve Biella” for the 2 March in the premises of the Città Studi of Biella, but the choice of venue was not exactly accepted because according to some, it would send the wrong message by taking advantage of the credibility of one of the most important industrial culture centers in Italy which also involves a university.
As, It only took a few hours from the posting of the posters and the request for revocation was already on the desk of the president Pier Ettore Pellerey signed by the association “Arcigay Rainbow Vercelli Valsesia”. Hence the choice to cancel the rental and therefore not to host the event “Homosexuality – they explain to the added association – it is not an illness to be cured of. We believe such ideas contribute to stigma and prejudice against LGBT+ people (lesbians, gay, bisexuals, transsexuals) and that, moreover, are positioned in contrast with all scientific literature. Homosexuality cannot be cured because it is not an illness. It's one “natural variant of human behavior””..
“As soon as we learned of the contents of the meeting we immediately revoked the rent of our rooms – explained the president of Città Studi Pier Ettore Pellerey – Among other things, this was an opportunity to review the internal procedures for accepting requests. Because it must no longer happen that meetings take place in Città Studi Biella whose content is in stark contrast with the educational principles that we try to spread and support (among others, tolerance and acceptance of others)”.
“The initiative will have Nausica della Valle as its speaker, a journalist who claims to no longer be a lesbian and who defines homosexuality as a “abomination” – it was written in the request – We believe such ideas contribute to stigma and prejudice against LGBT+ people (lesbians, gay, bisexuals, transsexuals) and that, moreover, are positioned in contrast with all scientific literature. Homosexuality cannot be cured because homosexuality is not a disease – they write from the association – We ask ourselves, Therefore, because a reality like Città Studi, which hosts the headquarters of the public university and which aims to spread culture in the Biella area, has decided to host an initiative with anti-scientific and discriminatory purposes”.
Now the doubt remains as to what the new location is, but in the meantime the associations have welcomed the choice of Città Studi. “They informed me that the event has been canceled and I am very satisfied – explains the president of the association “Arcigay Rainbow Vercelli Valsesia” Giulia Bodo – One of our local activists who told me she was informed us about the event “healed” just like Mrs. Nausica and invited us to participate. We don't go into the merits of personal choices but as soon as we saw the posters and realized that it involved a public reality we decided to intervene – underlines – I personally called Città Studi who explained to me that the association had already rented the premises for other events in the past and that they do not go into the merits of the content. Unfortunately, however, in this way we risk being promoters of messages that fuel the stigma that homosexuality is an illness and that we need to heal. I am happy that they intervened and I am confident that this episode is a precedent for carrying out further checks on who organizes events and what the themes are, Let's hope that next time we will worry about it”.
source – republic