An ice cream parlour has been slammed for selling a ‘Gay Pistachio’ gelato.
The shop owners combined green pistachio with pink chocolate to create the colourful sweet treat.
A spokesperson for the parlour, located on Piazza Duomo in Catania, Sicily, Italy, explained: “We combined pistachio with pink chocolate and that’s why we called it that.”
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The choice of name, however, didn’t go unnoticed.
Luigi Tabita, an actor and LGBTQ+ activist, criticised the naming of the gelato on his Instagram page.
He accused the owners of “fuelling bullying and stereotypes, especially in a still chauvinistic culture that associates the colour pink with femininity and considers it a sign of weakness”.
“There is a habit of using the word gay as an insult,” he added.
“I work in schools. Unfortunately, the word ‘spastic’ used to be a frequent insult, but thanks to awareness-raising work on disability issues and inclusive language, this no longer happens.
“However, it is very common to hear ‘gay’ in the hallways, giving it a negative connotation even if it’s not related to sexual orientation.
“Imagine a child or a young person who is bullied daily and then finds ‘gay pistachio’ written in an ice cream shop,” he added.
The LGBTQ+ group Open Catania echoed Luigi’s sentiments: “In Catania, we have a clear problem with homosexual identity.
“It’s 2026, and we don’t want to waste time with gay pistachios and other gimmicks.
“Also, there’s a world burning out there and our priorities should be elsewhere.”
Luigi’s post went viral on Instagram yesterday (8 Jan), as reported by Need To Know.
One follower said: “Unfortunately, ignorance still reigns supreme, but there are people in Catania who don’t think so and that’s a positive sign.”
“A boy died over a pair of pink trousers, these things still happen in 2026,” added Luna.
Alex remarked: “I agree with you, however, the intent is certainly playful and even gay-friendly. Whoever proposed it naively doesn’t realise how harmful, stereotypical, and embarrassing the association of pink with homosexuality can be.”
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