Four out of 10 LGBTQ people in Italy believe discrimination has damaged them at work, a survey by national statistics bureau ISTAT and state anti-discrimination office UNAR showed on Monday. 

Among those surveyed, 41.4% said that being gay or bisexual had been a disadvantage for their career, professional recognition or salary, especially among payroll workers in the private sector.

More than six out of 10 preferred not to speak about their private lives at work in order to avoid revealing their sexual orientation, the survey showed.

The poll was carried out in 2022 and surveyed 1,200 people.

LGBTQ rights and gender equality in Italy have been a particularly sensitive issue since right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni came to power seven months ago vowing to combat what she called the “LGBT lobby.”

Her government has told mayors to stop registering the children of same-sex parents and the ruling majority has submitted a bill to parliament aimed at prosecuting couples who go abroad to have a baby via a surrogate, mainly targeting gay couples.