ROME, February 25 (RIA Novosti) - A 45-year-old Italian gay man is planning to undergo a sex change operation and become a nun, although so far the church has failed to back his plan, the ANSA news agency said on Wednesday.

The man, whose name has not been revealed, lives in a small town near Rome but intends to leave his job in May and travel to a country in Northern Europe to undergo the operation.

"I talked about my wish with a priest but I was misunderstood. A conversation with a bishop was even worse," the man told the Italian news agency.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for CasaPound, a social justice organization, Massimo Carletti said, "All men and women should be equal and have equal opportunities."

"He is determined to [achieve his dream] and we will help him," Carletti said.