{"id":187,"date":"2025-06-10T16:52:46","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T14:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/chi-siamo\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T17:58:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T16:58:16","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]ARCO<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

ARCO<\/strong> was established in 2018 through the initiative of the historic network<\/strong><\/a> of clubs and associations dedicated to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people throughout Italy. These clubs are commonly referred to as \u201cgay clubs\u201d or \u201cLGBT clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thanks to this network<\/strong><\/a>, LGBTI<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

ARCO<\/strong> aims to enhance these spaces for meeting and socializing which, since the 1980s, have allowed\u2014and continue to allow\u2014thousands 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.<\/p>\n

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<\/strong> 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\u2014elements 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.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]ARCO<\/strong> therefore supports and promotes the creation and development of welcoming and safe spaces, open to anyone who wishes to share our values\u2014places where people can meet, freely express their sexuality and gender identity, and access essential services and information for their physical and mental well-being.<\/p>\n

Aware of its own history\u2014as an association that has been predominantly male and affiliated with many clubs traditionally reserved for men\u2014ARCO 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.<\/p>\n

ARCO<\/strong> 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 \u201cmanhood\u201d centered on strength, dominance, and physical vigor.<\/p>\n

ARCO<\/strong> is therefore committed to opposing male chauvinism and promoting a new understanding of gender\u2014one capable of overcoming the most widespread stereotypes.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1763975684322{padding: 30px !important;background-color: #494949 !important;border-radius: 15px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

BOARD<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
CHAIRMAN<\/th>\nRobert Dartenuc<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
VICE PRESIDENT<\/th>\nMassimo Florio<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TREASURER<\/th>\nMarkus Haller<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BOARD MEMBERS<\/th>\nAngelo Bifolchetti
\nDavide Valente
\nFrank Semenzi
\nGennaro Sorrentino<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-187","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":381,"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/187\/revisions\/381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arco.lgbt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}