Alessandra Bernaroli’s story became an important chapter in Italy’s struggle for transgender rights and legal recognition. In 2009, after completing her gender transition and obtaining legal recognition as a woman, she found herself facing an unexpected consequence: the authorities declared the end of the civil effects of her marriage, despite the fact that she and her wife wished to remain together. Their case raised fundamental questions about gender identity, marriage, and the right of couples to continue their lives together without state-imposed separation. Born in 1971, Alessandra began her transition in 2007, at the age of 36. She had studied economics, worked as a bank employee, and served as a trade union leader. After undergoing gender-affirming surgery in Thailand, facial feminization surgery in Spain, and voice surgery in the United States, she continued to build her life as a woman while confronting the legal obstacles that threatened her marriage.
In June 2014, Italy’s Constitutional Court ruled that the law governing the automatic dissolution of a marriage following the legal gender transition of one spouse was unconstitutional insofar as it failed to provide a way for couples wishing to remain together to retain a legally protected relationship. Although the ruling did not immediately preserve Alessandra’s marriage, it represented a significant legal victory and called on Parliament to introduce an appropriate form of civil union. The case is due to return to the Supreme Court of Cassation for a final decision. Alessandra’s struggle is about more than her own relationship. It challenges the barriers faced by transgender people seeking equal rights, dignity, and recognition under the law. In this interview, she discusses her personal journey, the implications of the Constitutional Court’s ruling, and her determination to contribute to lasting change for the LGBTI community in Italy.
