It’s no doubt that when people think of Italian mother’s their first thought is a woman who stayed at home, took care of the children, and had a feast ready on the table every night. But do you ever wonder how this perception came about?
It started during Italy’s fascist era from 1922 to 1943. Prime Minister Benito Mussolini insisted during this time that a women’s place was in the home. Meaning that she should give birth to lots of babies, cook dinner every night, clean the house and not work. Italian women weren’t even really given a choice on this matter either. The women were restricted from participating in the workforce.
Over time throughout the wars and even after the wars, Italian mother’s proudly represented a “casalinga”, or a housewife. The role was a prestigious one, and one to brag about as the family was supported by the successful husband. However, during the same time as the United States, Italy had a feminist movement which lead to women wanting more. This brought many changes to Italian women, as in 1975 family rights legislation promoted equality of women and equal responsibility between a mother and a father.
But what does the modern day Italian mother look like? Because we still do have Italian housewives who raise the children, which by the way is a very difficult job to do all by yourself! I believe that the modern day Italian mom could look like just about anybody. We have plenty of Italian mother figures today who traveled to the moon, became Academy Award winners, and businesswomen. The new generation of Italian mother’s today are not so much like the old-school Italian mother’s. Elon Musk actually reported on ‘X’ that the birth rate in Italy has never been this low since the unification of the country in 1861. More women today are pursuing education and careers and are not as concerned about having children as the older generation typically was.
But one thing that always remain consistent in all these women is that the mothers are the glue to the family. They are fiercely protective of their children, and are a force to be reckoned with overall. Mother’s Day in Italy is widely known as ‘Festa Della Mamma’ where mothers will receive flowers, candy, perhaps a meal at a restaurant, and more.
Regardless of what your Italian mother ‘looks like’, make sure to show your appreciation this upcoming Mother’s Day with something special for her.
