It's Still Called Discrimination

This is almost unbelievable: a gay man in Italy was issued a handicapped driver's license - because he is gay.

I say almost, because when you read the same story as told by Lifesite, you'd think this was a good thing:

The medical report said Giuffrida suffered from "a disturbance of the sexual identity" and the information was then passed onto Italy's transportation ministry that Giuffrida was "not in possession of the necessary psycho-physical requirements."

Giuffrida was required to retake his driver's exam and passed for a second time; however, he received a licence for just one year rather than the standard 10 years, because his admission of homosexuality was recorded as a mental disability.

What that has to do with his ability to drive a car, I can't even begin to fathom. But, I think it's important to point out how Lifesite has conveniently ignored some other facts in the case.

Missing from the Lifesite rendition:

A judge ordered the Italian government to pay $160,000 to a Sicilian man who was forced to reapply for his driver's license after motor-vehicle workers learned of his sexual orientation.

Reuters says when Danilo Giuffrida "told doctors he was gay at his medical examination for military service, they passed the information to the transport ministry, who told him he must repeat his driving test or have his license withdrawn due to his 'sexual identity disturbance."

He passed the second test, but officials issued a handicapped license that was valid for one year.

That isn't just a bureaucrat being nasty at the counter, that's a systemic attempt to harass someone, and make their life difficult.

Sadly, such systemic discrimination and harassment is all too common, even in countries where GLBT people are recognized in law as being subject to a disproportionate amount of harassment. One has to wonder what Barbara Kay would have to say about this situation.