About Us

ARCO is an association founded on the values of freedom, solidarity, mutual respect, and respect for the environment. Its founding principles are the promotion of civil rights, the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation, the secularism of institutions, freedom, equality, solidarity, peace, and the protection of the environment and health.

ARCO was established in 2018 through the initiative of the historic network of clubs and associations dedicated to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people throughout Italy. These clubs are commonly referred to as “gay clubs” or “LGBT clubs.”

Thanks to this network, LGBTI people have found safe and welcoming spaces in contrast to a broader social context often dominated by prejudice, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and even episodes of physical violence.

ARCO aims to enhance these spaces for meeting and socializing which, since the 1980s, have allowed—and continue to allow—thousands of people to discover themselves, others, and their own sexuality. In this way, ARCO seeks to contribute to a better, secular, and democratic society where no person is forced to conform to a prescribed way of being or denied the right to pursue their own happiness.

In a time of great social change and contradiction, where partial progress in civil liberties is accompanied by dangerous currents of intolerance, authoritarianism, and sexophobia, ARCO believes that now, more than ever, it is essential to value the language of the body and sexuality as fundamental elements in building positive human relationships—elements rich in nuance that still need to be explored, practiced, and cultivated culturally, and about which information, awareness, and prevention must continue to be promoted.

ARCO therefore supports and promotes the creation and development of welcoming and safe spaces, open to anyone who wishes to share our values—places where people can meet, freely express their sexuality and gender identity, and access essential services and information for their physical and mental well-being.

Aware of its own history—as an association that has been predominantly male and affiliated with many clubs traditionally reserved for men—ARCO declares its commitment to combating machismo culture, starting from within its own membership and addressing that broader social machismo which, unfortunately, is often reflected even within the male homosexual community.

ARCO believes that sexist gender stereotypes are not only demeaning and unjust toward women but also harmful to men themselves, who are forced to conform to a certain social model of “manhood” centered on strength, dominance, and physical vigor.

ARCO is therefore committed to opposing male chauvinism and promoting a new understanding of gender—one capable of overcoming the most widespread stereotypes.