Having a gay child is not a big deal for most Italian families, researchers at the University of Piedmont said on Wednesday.
In a survey of 200 Italian families, the researchers found that very few parents had thrown gay children out of the house or reacted violently after they admitted to being gay.
But while most parents accept their children's sexuality, they fear that they will not be accepted by society and frequently struggle with their Catholic beliefs on the subject, according to the study.
The researchers will present their findings in detail at an international conference focusing on families with gay children to be held in Florence on Friday.
Attending the conference will be Paolo Brunetto, an 18-year-old man from Palermo who made headlines here last month after his father stabbed him because he could not accept his sexuality.
