N.084 - Jesce Sole ’96

On June 29th, 1996, a historic event took place in Naples: not only the city’s first Gay Pride, but the first in all of Southern Italy. After Rome in 1994 and Bologna in 1995, Naples became the stage for a demonstration that was, and still is, a symbol of courage, hope, and the fight for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. At the time, many identities were still excluded from public discourse, which largely centered on white, cisgender, gay men. Yet, to the sound of “Jesce Sole” and the slogan “Even the Madonna of Pompei loves gay people”, Naples sent out a message of openness and change. Massimo Basili’s illustration celebrates that day, and a movement that still matters today, in its more inclusive and evolving forms.