The case was brought to the supreme court by a lawyer named only
as Vittorio against his cousin Alberto, a justice of the peace, for
the phrase uttered during a heated courtroom exchange in the
southern Italian city of Potenza.
"Apart from the vulgarity of the term used, the expression
definitely also has an injurious quality," the male judge, Maurizio
Fumo, said in his ruling as quoted by Italian news agency ANSA.
"It refers not only to the target's lack of virility but also to
his weakness of character, lack of determination, competence and
coherence -- virtues that, rightly or wrongly, are still identified
as pertaining to the male gender."
The court also found that because the insult was uttered at the
workplace with third parties present it could be seen as damaging
Vittorio's reputation.
Vittorio's lawyer had argued that the expression implied that
his client was "worth less than other men because he did not have
the attributes."
A judge will now rule on the fine that Alberto should pay to
Vittorio.
The ruling, which comes after years of legal dispute, did not
specify whether any insults against women should now also be
considered crimes.
