Un president who recognizes and appreciates women only for their physical appearance and young age and insults all the others oscillating between childish and vulgar jokes is not a good premise for those who live in normality. Even if it is just the visceral reaction to the change taking place, a backlash that must be taken into account can generate serious consequences. So it happened.
In the United States, in the first half of 2025, 455 thousand women have left their jobs (US Bureau of National Statistics data)especially in the age group between 25 and 44, among black and South American women: cuts to childcare and elderly care aid have left their mark, smart working has been progressively set aside and in the meantime online bullying has grown.
In cascade, a misogynistic wave has fallen on the public debate. At the end of last year, the American conservative and anti-feminist wing launched the provocation: “Do women ruin workplaces?”. In offices, the presence of women would make the atmosphere “toxic” and undermine certainties by privileging empathy instead of rationality, safety instead of risk, cohesion instead of competition. Undermining the foundations of the institutions with its inadequacy and leading them to collapse.
Danda Santini, director of “iO Donna”. (photo by Carlo Furgeri Gilbert)
The Great Feminization, the great feminizationor the mass entry of women into the workplace, it would be the real cause of today’s chaos. Much better than the old “men’s club”. Where, incidentally, one could work by harassing, promoting favorites and not merit, mobbing, abusing one’s power, demonizing motherhood, childcare and women’s health.
The Trump effect is felt loud and clear (illustration by Cinzia Zenocchini)
It doesn’t take much to go back. A president anchored to outdated models authorizes and clears attitudes that are out of time. He opens a hole through which an avalanche passes. In there there are angry men who have seen women enter universities and come out well, workers who are afraid of losing their jobs to women, incels (involuntary celibates) who believe they are undesirable because they are unattractive and not rich, young people who are starting to fear comparison with their peers.
Some may believe that the world really runs the risk of suddenly falling into the bungling hands of capricious and inconclusive girls. As if they were unknown and dangerous enemies, as if it were an invasion of extra-bodies aimed at total destruction. Just as the order of the world is put at risk by elderly, authoritarian and cynical males, totally indifferent to the consequences of their excessive power.
Today, in reality, there is still no country that has bridged the gaps between men and women. Women have only 64 percent of the rights afforded to men in key areas: work, salary, security, family and pensions (data UN Womenthe United Nations body for gender equality). So: happy March 8th, anyway. Slash in the center, and away you go.
