Gender Roles In Italy

441 Words2 Pages
Masculine societies have clearly defined gender roles. All the men are considered to be tough and assertive; meanwhile women are viewed as modest, tender, and nurturing. In feminine societies gender roles overlap. Main values in masculine societies are material success and progress and many of their conflicts are resolved through violence. Feminine societies value people and relationships and resolve conflicts through compromise and negotiation. Italy is a fairly masculine society, even today. Many Italian men still treat women with gallantry and value machismo (Welcome to Italy). Even though women are now able to work, their numbers are still small and few are in upper executive positions. Italian households are the main headquarters of women; Italian women for the most part cook, clean and care for the children (Welcome to Italy). Italians place a prime importance on material possessions. It is very important to look good in Italy. However, like a more feminine culture, Italians also know how to take time to appreciate the good things in life. Italians work in order to live rather than living to work. Ambition is not prevalent in Italian culture. Italy is a paternalistic country with the father taking the authoritative role in family matters (Welcome to Italy).…show more content…
Women were given the task of being of the heart of the family, while men were the muscle. Men were there to support and keep the family safe while women raised the children and kept themselves hidden and private so they do not embarass the family (Salome). How much of this ideal was ever found in the real world is problematic. Women in general always had more power than they were traditionally supposed to have. Currently, Italian women are usually considered to have to most freedom in Europe
Open Document