In Milan, the queue at the polling station(s) becomes one line for all

On the eve of the regional elections scheduled for February 12/13, a statement from Palazzo Marino makes it clear that “lining up according to the gender assigned at birth, in cases where it does not correspond to one’s gender identity or current expression, can lead to situations of embarrassment, which forces some voters to not cast”

It is for this reason that the Municipal Administration of Milan has decided to advise polling station staff to “not separate voters into two rows, always keep the registers close together and check the identity of people only when it is their turn”, thus enabling a non-discriminatory experience that is more respectful of each person’s gender identity and promotes inclusivity. The initiative is in line with the motion ‘Measures to promote the inclusion and citizenship of transgender people’, approved by the city council in May last year.

However, it should be noted that electoral registers, by law, are still currently divided according to gender, and presiding officers tend to follow this directive to manage the flow of voters going to the polls. This is a practice that has been in use for decades, but has long been challenged because it is considered discriminatory and unfair to transgender and non-binary people.

Another small step towards the importance of fairness and inclusion in the name of equity, and ultimately rights.