Paola Concia
Encyclopedia
Anna Paola Concia is an Italian
politician and gay rights activist. She was the first openly lesbian member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
.
, and she graduated in sports science
from L'Aquila
's Istituto Superiore di Educazione Fisica; following her graduation, she has worked as a physical education
and tennis
instructor. She first became involved with politics while at ISEF, and she was initially a member of the Italian Communist Party
.
Concia moved to Rome
in 1992 following the death of her mother and the collapse of her marriage. She worked as a parliamentary assistant before working as an adviser to Anna Finocchiaro
, the minister responsible for equal opportunities. Concia later advised Giovanna Melandri
after her promotion to Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities in 1998. Following the 2001 general election
, Concia left politics to pursue her work in tennis. She came out
a year later.
Concia was named as the Democratic Party
's spokesperson on homosexuality
, and she used her position within the party to become a prominent activist for equal rights. She was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies
in the 2008 general election
.
In August 2011 she registered her partnership with Ricarda Trautmann in Frankfurt
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
politician and gay rights activist. She was the first openly lesbian member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
.
Biography
Concia was born in AvezzanoAvezzano
Avezzano is a town and comune in the Abruzzo region, province of L'Aquila. It is the main commercial, industrial and agricultural centre of the Marsica area, with high-tech industries such as a Micron Technology semi-conductor plant, and a large Telespazio satellite farm.-History:There are two...
, and she graduated in sports science
Sports science
Sport science is a discipline that studies the application of scientific principles and techniques with the aim of improving sporting performance...
from L'Aquila
L'Aquila
L'Aquila is a city and comune in central Italy, both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 73,150 inhabitants, but has a daily presence in the territory of 100,000 people for study, tertiary activities, jobs and tourism...
's Istituto Superiore di Educazione Fisica; following her graduation, she has worked as a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
instructor. She first became involved with politics while at ISEF, and she was initially a member of the Italian Communist Party
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party was a communist political party in Italy.The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno, by seceding from the Italian Socialist Party . Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci led the split. Outlawed during the Fascist regime, the party played...
.
Concia moved to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1992 following the death of her mother and the collapse of her marriage. She worked as a parliamentary assistant before working as an adviser to Anna Finocchiaro
Anna Finocchiaro
Anna Finocchiaro Fidelbo is an Italian politician. She is the Democratic Party's leader in the Senate. She served as Minister for Equal Opportunities in the cabinet of Romano Prodi from 1996-98.-Biography:...
, the minister responsible for equal opportunities. Concia later advised Giovanna Melandri
Giovanna Melandri
Giovanna Melandri is an Italian politician.-Education:Giovanna Melandri was born in New York, USA.She earned a diploma "cum laude" in economics and commerce at the Sapienza University of Rome and one of her teachers was Federico Caffè.From 1983 to 1987 she was a coordinator for the work group on...
after her promotion to Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities in 1998. Following the 2001 general election
Italian general election, 2001
A national general election was held in Italy on May 13, 2001 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. The 14th Parliament of the Italian republic was chosen....
, Concia left politics to pursue her work in tennis. She came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
a year later.
Concia was named as the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Italy)
The Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in Italy, that is the second-largest in the country. The party is led by Pier Luigi Bersani, who was elected in the 2009 leadership election....
's spokesperson on homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, and she used her position within the party to become a prominent activist for equal rights. She was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
in the 2008 general election
Italian general election, 2008
A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008 following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote, and the unsuccessful tentative...
.
In August 2011 she registered her partnership with Ricarda Trautmann in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
.