Tell us about yourself…Who are you, and what you do?
I’m a 34-year-old, in the body of a 90-year-old, but I am still restless teenager inside. What do I do? According to others, I am an influencer but I still do not understand what it means .
When you travel what do you look for?
I look for contrasts, culture, colors, sensations, and scents. I look for many things when I travel, and developed these interests by traveling a lot and accumulating experiences. Traveling regenerates me and gives me the right energy to face life. As you can imagine, right now I am suffering a lot by not being able to travel freely.
You are known as a successful influencer: how much has being gay influenced your career path?
Being gay has not influenced my professional path, but it has been part of it and it is part of my character, such as being Sardinian or being ironic. If I had been straight would something have changed? I don’t know. For sure, I can say that I have never hidden myself. I have always spoken about my sexual orientation in a free and natural way from the beginning, but I don’t think this has affected my professional career.
We know that you love to travel and tell about your travel experiences: can you tell us about your experiences in Italy?
I’ve traveled a lot in Italy and maybe it’s a bit trite but it really is the most wonderful country in the world because all the regions are different and beautiful. It’s a bit like a Dolce and Gabbana dress, it looks good from top to bottom . Until recently I also organized trips with my followers, “I viaggi di Pinna” and I remember one special trip to Puglia with about 20 followers. We stayed at a stunning and wonderful masseria…
What do you expect from a destination for it to be truly hospitable and gay friendly?
Having traveled so much, I’ve been to places that aren’t gay friendly, so I know what it’s like to not feel free. That doesn’t mean walking around with rainbow flags and glitter, but I’m referring to the simple freedom of being able to hug a friend or make a certain kind of joke. To me, a gay friendly destination has to embrace everyone, a place where I expect freedom to be oneself, without a person being afraid to express themselves. I call them intelligent posts.
Which Italian destinations, in your experience, are such?
In Italy I have not found any destination that is not gay friendly. Of course there are some areas that are less open-minded but I have been there only in passing so I cannot give a detailed opinion. I must say that in general I have always found very welcoming places. But then I’m very practical…when a community is not open, you sense it and so I move to where I can feel better but without too much fuss.
Do you see progress in the actions in favor of LGBTQ+ inclusiveness in Italy?
I see inclusivity starting right from the LGBTQ+ community, when before many were afraid to expose their sexuality. These voices have made heterosexuals less afraid to defend our rights… just look at how many people have expressed themselves regarding the DDL Zan. (QueerVadis note: DDL Zan is an Italian bill against discrimination and violence due to sexual orientation, gender and gender identity which takes its name from its author, Italian Democratic Party deputy Alessandro Zan). In this regard, I would like to say that the approval of this law is essential because there are still episodes of homotransphobia, despite the fact that there is greater participation of the straight community in defense of our rights.
How can our readers find you?
My favorite social media is Instagram, so you can definitely find me at @leperledipinna!
