On August 28, PhD candidate Irene Massa presented her paper “𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤+ 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆: 𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲” at the 16th European Sociological Association Conference, in Porto, Portugal.

Her presentation explored the history of LGBTQI+ rights in Italy, characterised by a “repressive tolerance,” and the intersectional discrimination faced by older LGBTQI+ people.

Irene highlighted the unique challenges of this generation, including ageism, homonegativity, and the impact of HIV. Her research aims to understand the current experiences of LGBTQI+ people over 60 in Italy, amidst the growing threats from the extreme-right.