Big news this week in Italy!

The Italian government was ordered to pay $160,000 to a gay man who received a driver's license for the disabled after he volunteered information on his sexual orientation to military authorities!

Danilo Giuffrida, 27, said he told officials about his homosexuality when he took a physical after being called up in 2000 for Italy's mandatory year of military service, which has since been abolished.

Giuffrida told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from his hometown, Catania, that he had hoped to avoid service and keep working to help support his family. Giuffrida was disqualified for psychological reasons.

"It's the old assumption that if one is homosexual then he is also psychologically disturbed," said Aurelio Mancuso, president the main Italian gay rights group, Arcigay.

Italy military officials sent  paperwork to motor-vehicle officials in Catania, who changed his standard driver's license to one for the disabled!

Giuffrida said the disabled license must be renewed every year instead of every 10 years, as is the case for standard licenses! - A judge in Catania, Sicily, ordered the Transport and Defense Ministries to pay damages to Giuffrida in a ruling handed down this past  week. - Danilo said he wants to use some of the money to buy a new car....since he was deemed disabled, does that mean he will get a "handicap sticker" for better parking???