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| Photograph: Pietro D’aprano/Getty Images |
The out-gay Italian fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana caused a storm of protest last year for their insulting and derogatory remarks about same-sex couples who have children. In an interview with the Italian magazine “Panorama”, Dolce discussed his thoughts on gay families, saying he was not convinced by what he called “synthetic children” and “wombs for hire” and then added, “we oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one.” He went on to describe children born through IVF as “children of chemistry, synthetic children, rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalogue.”
It brought them the wrath of very many people including Sir Elton John, who has two children born with the help of IVF and a surrogate. After initially calling for a boycott of the designers, John at least, later said he forgave them after Dolce apologized.
Now on the eve of a vote in the Italian Parliament where politicians are expected to decide on a proposal that would recognize same-sex civil unions and – in some cases – extend parental rights to couples in a same-sex union, Dolce & Gabbana appear to be trying to make amends. They have released of a very questionable line of handbags and T-shirts that seem to be celebrating gay and diverse families. The items are for sale on their website which includes a T-shirt featuring an image of the two designers and their menagerie of pets with the #dgfamily hashtag. It costs a mere $745 (!)
A spokesman for Dolce & Gabbana told The Guardian newspaper that the designers would not comment on the new line and its meaning. Perhaps we should do the same.
