The Pride of Italy: Turin Holds Large Gay Pride Parade

An Italian Cabinet minister’s remarks that she would attend a gay parade Saturday and favors giving legal rights to homosexual unions have renewed a debate in the overwhelmingly Catholic country over the legal status of unmarried couples. Barbara Pollastrini, equal opportunities minister, sent a letter to the organizers of the gay pride parade held in Turin in which she said: "I’m thinking about humane and wise legislation for de-facto couples, homosexuals or not — which is important to you and to many of us.’’