Never before has Italy been filled with women rights dialogues like these days and it is about time. The question is: will they manage to make a change? The discussion is on political level as on the streets. There is though a generation gap and also a regional gap, also a difference between areas in the regions. It is quite harsh to say that north is more liberate than south, which is a quite brave generalisation. E.g. in Sicily you see cities like Catania and Siracuse as very open cities, while you just take some steps out from Torino or Venice center and you find the old mentality again. Milano is an own exception in all levels. Then it also differs between families, if the mother works or not, and residental areas.

It is quite difficult to explain the mentality difference and have tried to do that so many times, until I was at at the airport and heard two young sicilian women talk which became a perfect example. They just sat by me, 18-20 year old, so it was quite difficult not to hear what they said. One young woman lived closed to Milano (A) and the other was living here (B) and both were flying up to north Italy:

Woman A: If you are not happy with him and this situation, find a job. Any kind of a job, get a small apartment and take care of yourself.

Woman B: Well, it is not that easy. We have been together since school time and meant to get married in the future, We also live together in the apartment under his brothers house and his brothers wife is giving me a hard time when he is not home.

A: You can’t go on like this. Why are you hanging your life on other people’s expectations? Can’t you move back home for a while?

B: No, my mother does not want me back. She wants us to get married. I have nowhere to go.

A: Hm…well, first find yourself a job and then start to organize. Come up north if you like.

B: But I have not finished school. What kind of a job can I really get? Nothing, Not even people who finished university have jobs.

A: Just take any kind of a job so you get on your feets, restaurant, call-center…anything. You get your own place and then you start to organize. You can not marry a man just to have a home or just because your mother wants that.

B: Hm…I do not know…I have to see…

Svenska

Aldrig tidigare har Italien varit fylld med kvinnors r?ttighetsdialoger som nuf?rtiden och det ?r p? tiden. Fr?gan ?r: kommer de att lyckas g?ra en f?r?ndring? Diskussionen ?r p? politisk niv? som p? gatorna. Det finns dock en generationsklyfta och ?ven en regional skillnad, ?ven en skillnad mellan omr?den i regionerna. Det ?r ganska v?gat att s?ga att norr ?r mer befriat ?n s?der, som ?r en ganska modig generalisering. T.ex. p? Sicilien ser du st?der som Catania och Siracusa som mycket ?ppna st?der, medan du bara ta n?gra steg ut fr?n Torino eller Venedigs centrum och du hittar den gamla mentaliteten igen. Milano ?r dock ett helt annat undantag i allt. Det skiljer ocks? mellan familjerna, om mamman arbetar eller inte, och residentala omr?den.

Det ?r ganska sv?rt att f?rklara mentalitetsskillnaden och har f?rs?kt att g?ra det s? m?nga g?nger, tills jag var p? p? flygplatsen och h?rde tv? unga sicilianska kvinnor prata som blev ett perfekt exempel. De satt bara brevid mig, 18-20 ?r gamla, s? det var ganska sv?rt att inte h?ra vad de sa. En ung kvinna levde redan i Milano (A) och den andra bodde h?r (B) och b?da fl?g upp till norra Italien:

Kvinna A: Om du inte ?r n?jd med honom och den h?r situationen, hitta ett jobb. Oavsett vilken typ av jobb, ta en liten l?genhet och ta hand om dig sj?lv.
Kvinna B: Tja, ?r det inte s? l?tt. Vi har varit tillsammans sedan skoltiden och t?nkt att gifta oss i framtiden, vi lever ocks? tillsammans i l?genheten under hans broders hus och hans brors fru ?r jobbig n?r han inte ?r hemma.

A: Du kan inte forts?tta s? h?r. Varf?r ?r du h?nger ditt liv p? andras f?rv?ntningar? Kan inte du flytta hem ett tag?

B: Nej, min mor inte vill ha mig tillbaka. Hon vill att vi ska gifta oss. Jag har ingenstans att ta v?gen.

A: Hm … ja, f?rst hitta dig sj?lv ett jobb och sedan b?rja organisera. Kom upp norr om du vill.
B: Men jag har inte gjort klart skolan. Vilken typ av jobb kan jag verkligen hitta? Ingenting, inte ens folk som avslutat universitet har jobb.
A: Bara ta n?gon form av ett jobb s? att du st?r p? dina f?tter, restaurang, callcenter … n?got. Du f?r en egen plats och sedan b?rjar organisera. Du kan inte gifta sig med en man bara f?r att ha ett hem eller bara f?r att din mamma vill det.

B: Hm Jag vet inte Jag m?ste se