Faces of Exile: The Arrusi and the Policing of Sexuality and Gender in Fascist Italy
In early 1939, forty-five men from Catania, Sicily, were arrested for homosexuality and exiled to the island of San Domino off the coast of Italy. The men, aged 18 to 54, were charged with “passive pederasty,” a crime against masculinity, morality, and the integrity of the “Italian race.” Rigolli uncovers their forgotten stories and the power of a totalitarian state intent on erasing them. These photographs offer a chilling glimpse into the social climate and the frequently overlooked history of the persecution of homosexuals in Mussolini’s Italy.
Join us for a reception and panel discussion to celebrate the launch of this photographic exhibition. Meet the artist, enjoy refreshments, and engage in conversations about power, persecution, and the institutional policing of sex, sexuality, and gender.
- Meet the artist, mingle, refreshments 5:00pm
- Panel discussion 5:30 - 6:30
- Experience the exhibition 6:30 - closing
Panellists:
- Dr. Luana Rigolli, Photographer, Artist, Civil Engineer
- Dr. Jennifer Evans, Historian, Carleton University
- Dr. Alessio Ponzio, Director, Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, MacEwan University
Moderator:
- Dr. Kelly Summers, Historian, MacEwan University.