After the VIP wedding that went around the web between the singer-songwriter Paola Turci and Francesca Pascale, it is the turn of a new union that is making the rounds of social media, breaking down another taboo: that of the uniform. And not one by chance, but that of the Carabinieri, worn by Elena Mangialardo who got married with Claudia (she in a white dress). The two young women joined civilly on 18 July in Cefalù – where they met and fell in love 8 years ago – giving a portrait of absolute love, the one capable of going beyond prejudices.
Picket of honor
Elena, 33, deputy brigadier on duty in Rome, married her partner in full uniform, following all the ceremonial of the weapon. For them picket of honor complete with a saber blow. When the two brides arrived, the soldiers stood at attention and on the notes of Gabriel’s Oboe by Ennio Morricone, under a bridge of swords, they waited for their passage hand in hand. “Finally brides, have the courage to love” they told a Palermo Todaythat
Elena is deputy brigadiere on duty at the Cassia radio mobile in Rome while Claudia is an entrepreneur. The high uniform, which Elena wore for the most celebratory moment of the ceremony, was then discarded. At the reception, Elena also wore an elegant white dress. tells their story.
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A love born in Cefalù
A love story born in the summer in Cefalù, where Elena was born (even if she has been living in Rome for years, where she took up service). “There our eyes met 13 years ago and they never stopped looking for each other – says Claudia a PalermoToday – until they find themselves. Today we share ours love for 8 years and it’s still the same as on the first day. We hope our marriage is just a warning for everyone to have the courage to love. We hope that all this can serve to simply show the power of love in spite of everything. We do not want to be the first women, the first woman in uniform, the first woman entrepreneur or whatever, but a couple like many who carry their life battles within themselves, triumphing with love “.
The wish
“We hope that our union makes us understand the power of love: have the courage to love”, So the carabiniera Elena and Claudia share the joy of their marriage.
The two live in Rome and have been together for 8 years but it is the city of Cefalù that has been Cupid at two: “There our eyes met 13 years ago and they never stopped looking for each other until they found each other. To date we have been sharing our love for 8 years and it is still all the same as the first day – they explain – we do not want to be the first women, the first woman in uniform, the first woman entrepreneur or whatever, but a couple like many who carry inside. of himself his own life battles, triumphing with love ”.
Civil unions and egalitarian marriages: where are we?
The ceremony that crowned Elena and Claudia’s dream of love was a civil union. Which, as much as it looks like a real wedding, has its important differences. Civil unions, legal in Italy since 2016 after the approval of the so-called Cirinnà Law, named after the senator of the Democratic Party who had proposed it, guarantee homosexual people who choose to ‘get married’ protection from a legal point of view and some rights and duties also provided for marriages. Not everybody. Since then, however, I have been more than 10,000 couples throughout Italy to have contracted a union of this kind.
However, although this type of institute represents an important step forward in recognizing the rights of the LGBTQ + community, in our country we are still far from being considered at the forefront on the issue. First, because same-sex marriages were and are illegal. So let’s see what they are the – substantial – differences between the two formulas:
- civil marriage is celebrated only between a man and a woman, the civil union only between persons of the same sex;
- in marriage banns are necessary, in civil union they are not provided;
- marriage in Italy can be either concordat (with celebration in church and then relative recognition by the State), or civil, celebrated in the municipality chosen by the two spouses. The civil union can instead be celebrated exclusively in front of the civil status officer and two witnesses;
- the rights of spouses in marriage and civil union are similar (obligation of cohabitation, moral and material assistance and to contribute to the common good of the family) but there are two important differences regarding the adoption of children and the obligation of fidelity , which are not intended for same-sex couples;
- for divorce, married couples can apply for it after 6/12 months, while civilly united couples can resort to it through a declaration to the civil status officer. After only three months, the couple can close the marriage by going to court.
As can be understood, that of egalitarian marriage is one pressing request that LGBTQ + couples and community activists have been doing to our institutions for some time. Also because we find ourselves, as often happens in this thematic juncture, to be among the last countries in terms of rights for people of the same sex. Suffice it to say that we are the only Western European nation that does not foresee it, while it is valid, to date, in 28 countries in the world, including Spain, Germany and Malta. For this reason, both a proposal for referendum both a bill so that egalitarian marriage becomes legal also in Italy. We’ll see, but in the meantime let’s celebrate love.