The poster of a baby wearing a wristband labelled "homosexual" in an advertising campaign against homophobia has sparked a row in Italy.

The image of the rosy-cheeked newborn, with the slogan "Sexual orientation is not a choice", will soon go up on billboards across Tuscany as part of a drive by its regional government to curb discrimination against gays and lesbians.

The Vatican and conservative politicians were quick to criticise the advertisement, images of which have already appeared in Italian newspapers.