On the basis of the Italian law on civil partnerships this article focuses on the rationality of the neo-liberal political and economic actors who are able at the same time to align themselves with the fight for the legal rights of same sex couples and to forge alliances with conservative groups and parties, as far as sexuality and family are concerned. Besides, the article raises the issue of the political and symbolic meaning of the gay marriage and/or of the civil partnerships for the LGBTI* community, considering that the Italian political debate excluded heteronormativity and political demand of nonmonogamic LGBTI* groups and couples from its political themes.
