Elephant in the room. What is the Italian equivalent?

Question

“Elephant in the room” or “Elephant in the living room” This idiom is used when we are referring to a big issue, an obvious truth, or an obvious problem that everybody is aware of, but no one wants to discuss for various reasons, for example , because it is embarrassing or it may cause arguments. It is based on the thought that an elephant in a room would be difficult to be unnoticed.eg: The increase in homeless people is the state’s elephant in the room. What is the Italian equivalent idiom or expression?

Answer 1

Most of the time, we use the expression “Il segreto di Pulcinella” (everybody knows what his secret is but no one speaks about it openly).

I have also heard the expression “fare come gli struzzi e mettere la testa sotto la sabbia” but I find this idiom to have a slightly different connotation as it also points to the animal fear for the situation at hand.

I hope this helps!