ANDra the May 19, 1975, One day that should have scored an epochal turning point in the history of our country. In a rapid transformation Italy, shaken by the disputes of ’68, in which the new generations, and in particular women, actively contested the consolidated rules, Parliament approved the law 151 which would reform the family law. The goal of the provision was ambitious: to rewrite the rules of the game within Italian families, Keep the centuries -old walls of Patriarchate And to build a new model of family relationships, based on equality and mutual respect. From that day, precise fifty years have passed, but, half a century later, can we really celebrate a complete victory?
1975: when Italy tried to get rid of the patriarchate
Law 151 came precisely, precisely, Twelve months after the triumph of the referendum on divorce and represented a fundamental moment. Thanks to the driving force of a female front that embraced bipartisan political positions, including Catholic positions, the legislator sanctioned a principle as simple as it is revolutionary: “With the marriage, the husband and wife acquire the same rights and take on the same duties». These words, which today appear almost obvious, unstopted a centuries -old order. Indeed, The fascist marital code of 1942Indeed, he attributed to the husband an undisputed domain on the family: He was responsible for decision -making authority, the management of economic resources, the last word on every aspect of family life.
A reform supported by women of all color and political force
The 1975 reform was strongly supported by prominent figures such as Nilde Iottithe leading protagonist of the Italian Communist Party and the first woman to hold the office of President of the Chamber, German lillesocialist policy, engaged in the struggle for women’s rights and for gender equality e Marisa Rodanoexponent of the Italian Communist Party and reference figure of Italian feminism. And finally conferred on women A parity of rank in the government of the family and in the education of children.
The reform of family law was an epochal turning point, but its principles have not yet been completely applied (Getty Images)
The end of the “homeland power”, the dawn of shared parental responsibility
The 1975 reform decreed, in essence, the end of the “homeland power”, replacing it with the concept of shared parental responsibility. Women obtained the right to the communion of goods, were exonerated from the obligation of the dowry And they saw their work recognized as equivalent to that of the spouse. Although the custom of supporting the surname Maritale at its persistent, this law marked unequivocal progress towards full female autonomya goal that, however, would have requested further decades of commitment and cultural transformations.
An unfinished evolution?
Half a century after that reform, it is true, however, that equality is still very far to reach: although they have made fundamental achievements, from the legalization of abortion to the massive participation of women in the labor marketstill see men at the same degree of career earn much more and reach the apical positions much more easily, and they continue to be the one to leave their jobs if a child is born or if there are elderly family members to look after. The question, therefore, on the real scope of the defeat of Patriarchate, arises spontaneously.
The Retage of Patriarchate are hard to die
Despite the undoubted legislative progress, It is evident that patriarchal retailed people deeply rooted in the social fabric persist. The testimonies are seen in the tragic plague of feminicides, but also in the resistances that hinder the adoption of the maternal surname. Law 151, for many observers, represents more an unfinished evolution than to accomplish, An adequate welfare system and effective policies should put on the plate In support of the conciliation between professional and family life, that is, what prevented women from reaching that full equality that the 1975 reform promised.
The legacy of a reform
The 1975 reform represented A fundamental pillar in the history of civil rights in Italy: Despite the incompleteness, it was certainly a point of no return in the transition from a hierarchical family model to a vision marked by equality and sharing. Laid the foundations for further legislative and social evolutionslike the equalization of children and the recognition of civil unions. However, it is undeniable that fifty years after its approval, The path to full equality is still dotted with obstacles and resistance.
The challenges of this
The challenges of the present, from the fight against gender violence to the promotion of a welfare that concretely supports families in all their forms, they must remind everyone that rights are a fragile conquest, which requires constant commitment and continuous supervision. Patriarchate, in fact, albeit defeated on a formal level, does not stop manifesting itself in multiple forms, requiring a profound cultural change and a renewed political effort to ensure that the principles of equality and shared responsibility sanctioned by the law of 1975, translate into an effective reality.
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