ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 has already presented several ways in which rhetorical activism has the potential to shape public consciousness and promote more favorable attitudes and perceptions towards the LGBTQI community through digital media cultures. This chapter intends, instead, to examine the effects of the implementation of Law 76/2016 on civil unions on the online discourses and attitudes of Italian public prior to and after its enactment. First, an overview of the highly misunderstood and often misused right to freedom of expression enshrined in international human rights treaties and European instruments is presented. Second, the chapter investigates whether legal means, including hate speech regulation, are enough to combat hate, attain justice and promote a culture of human rights and peace, including through digital media.
