Without lipstick, but with a voice: how Italian women made history

Eighty years after Italian women first gained the right to vote on a national level, the country is celebrating a significant milestone. On June 2, 1946, women participated in a referendum to decide Italy's future as a monarchy or a republic. A widely circulated image from that day, featuring a young woman and a headline from "Corriere della Sera," has become an icon of that pivotal moment.

Today, Italy sees women at the helm of major institutions. Giorgia Meloni serves as Prime Minister, Elly Schlein leads the opposition, and Silvia Salis, the mayor of Genoa, is a key figure in the political center. Women also command significant roles in major companies, universities, and influential associations. Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, the first European woman to command the International Space Station, further exemplifies this advancement.

This surge of women in leadership positions suggests the "glass ceiling" in Italy may be breaking. However, the occasion is not without its complexities. A wealth of new books and debates are surfacing, examining the "unfinished revolution" of women, the long journey from suffrage to the highest political offices, and the contributions of women to the constitution. Children's books are even introducing young girls to women's rights.

The ongoing discussions highlight that much work remains. While visible successes are undeniable, women are not yet considered a standard component of the political landscape. The legacy of figures like Silvio Berlusconi, who often viewed women in his governments as mere decorative elements, still lingers. Meloni herself had to forcefully assert her identity as a woman and mother during a past election campaign, and Schlein's rise to lead the Social Democratic Party followed a hard-fought contest. These instances underscore that the path to full equality continues.

“

I am a woman, I am a mother