Luxuria has an interesting history. From early on, she knew she did not feel comfortable with her male gender, so at the age of 16, she began to identify with the female sex. In 1994, she organized Italy’s first gay pride parade. After she began her political career, becoming the first transgendered individual in the Italian Parliament. During her time in Parliament, she was asked to leave the ladies room by a fellow politician, who believed the transgendered population should have their own separate bathrooms. This incident helped to publicize gay and transgender issues in Italy. She is also known for participating in a well-known Italian reality show L’isola dei Famosi, which she won in 2008.
In remembrance of the 500th year anniversary of the death of Amerigo Vespucci, the theme of Luxuria’s speech was exploration. In a lecture entitled, “Encountering the Other: Across Oceans and Genders” Luxuria examined the ties between the old and new world by interestingly weaving together the story of Amerigo Vespucci’s journey with topic of prejudice today. She noted how, we should all emulate Vespucci’s “courage to venture into the unknown.” She is hopeful that people today will have be brave enough to accept things that are unfamiliar to them, such as the transgendered population.
She warned that the journey for a transgendered individual may be “dangerous and possibly violent” but she urged her audience to “keep going.”
She expressed admiration for people that, like Vespucci, “risk their lives to explore what is unknown.” She advised students “cross the borders” of prejudice, specifically the “border of the division of men and women.” and work to accept things that are different.
Students of Syracuse University Florence responded positively to her message.