A second Test

Same-sex marriage or civil unions is legal throughout Western Europe, including many traditionally Catholic countries. The last holdout was Italy, where the Senate is about to take up a bill on Thursday this would legalize civil Unions-thou GH it would not authorize gay marriage.

Tens of thousands of Italians took to the streets last weekend in some cities demanding legalization of civil unions, Including those of gay and lesbian couples.

"Italy, it ' s time to wake up," they shouted.

The rallies were organized by LGBT activists and their supporters, who said they has grown impatient as they watched Thei R European Neighbors legalize same-sex marriage or civil unions.

Carlo Terriaca, who has a gay son, attended the Rome rally. After retiring from he job as a bank manager, Terriaca became president of an association of parents of the LGBT children.

"I think in the last years, Italian society had been deeply changing, particularly the new generation, you had quite a Different feeling about this, "he said.

One of those young people is Alessandro Piavani, on, who sees the civil unions bill as a crucial human rights issue for th E Entire society.

"Because It s a sign of modernity and [a move] forward in the right direction to rights for all, not just for bisexual, ho Mosexual people. But for all, "he said."

A second Test