Italian Politicos Play Out Homophobic Squabble on Facebook

Giuseppe Ripa, the deputy mayor of the city Lecce, Italy, apologized after attacking a gay member of the left-wing Democratic Party on Facebook. Initially Ripa wrote, "In nature, there exist only two types human beings: the man and the woman." He added that anyone else that didn't fit into that binary should be subject to psychiatric treatment, according to Agence France-Presse.

He then directed his attacks at gay activist and current Apulia governor Nichi Vendola, calling him "abnormal." Vendola did not respond to the remarks, but Ripa's statements have been denounced by other political figures.

Deputy Governor Loredana Capone said a "homophobic junta" was running Lecce, and Lecce's mayor, Paolo Perrone, also denounced Ripa's statements.

"I like to practice politics by debating with my adversaries on the issues, not on the sexual preferences of this or that person, which are a matter of one's private life," Perrone wrote on Facebook.

On Sunday, Ripa went back to Facebook to apologize to Vendola and said his comments were misconstrued by the press.