Breaking barriers : fostering social inclusion in Italian schools for same-sex families

Educational settings are increasingly encountering new family configurations, including same-sex families, which are becoming more and more common in the last decades. The widespread homonegativity that still characterizes attitudes towards LGBT+ individuals in Italy, coupled with the absence of specific laws safeguard-ing and recognizing the role of the non-biological parent, leaves pedagogists, teachers, and educators to grapple with new demands and new responsibilities. This article provides an overview of same-sex families in Italy and offers operational tools and best practices to promote inclusivity of offspring from same-sex families within the educational system. The aim is to overcome discrimination that this segment of the population still faces.