Italian Court Ruling Hits Men Below Belt

ROME — The Italian Supreme Court has outlawed men from touching their genitals in public. Crotch-grabbing is an ancient superstitious habit in Italy that is believed to ward off the evil eye — it is traditional for men to do it if passed by a hearse or when discussing serious illness or disasters. The phrase "Io mi tocco" ("I touch my") is as common as crossing fingers for good luck.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that an unnamed 42-year-old man from Como had broken the law by "ostentatiously touching his genitals through his clothing."

His lawyers said he had a "compulsive, involuntary movement" because of uncomfortable overalls. But the court said his behavior was an "act contrary to public decency" and that the rules "require everyone to abstain from conduct that is potentially offensive to collectively held feelings of decorum."

The judges pointed out that if men needed to grab their crotches, they should wait until they were in the privacy of their own home. Many Italians are superstitious and common fears include the number 17, purple, and black, which are colors of mourning, and leaving hats on beds — because a priest always leaves his hat on the bed while performing the last rites.