2.3 Gender Roles and Italian Products

Gender Roles

In the past, women were seen as exclusively homemakers, but the times have changed in Italy and this belief and stereotype is no longer representative of the state and cultural ideas of the nation. More women work outside of the home and have jobs similar to that of men, but gender equity is still not perfect, and there is more work to be done...

Following the USA...

• American women received more opportunities prior to the Italian women
• There are more laws in American society to protect women
• The change is more rapid in the United States, and women have a greater voice
• Large focus on individualism and equality between men and woman

+++ for Italy and USA

• The level of equity (parità di genere) is increasing as the countries continue to advance
• Greater # of women represented in government
• Expansion of laws to protect women from violence
• There are events, marches, parties, etc. to celebrate women's opportunities 🥁 🎊
• The mentality of men is changing

Italian Products

Due to the mountainous and rocky terrain that is prevalent, agriculture can be difficult in the nation. So, Italy turned its attention toward the manufacturing sector. It is one of the largest exporters in the world, and is famous for its fashion and food (Armani, Valentino, Versace, Prada, FIAT, pizza, pasta, gelato...). This demand for high quality and premium products has allowed Italy to find its niche in the global marketplace.

• Exports: machinery, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, metals, furniture, clothing
• Imports: minerals, vehicles, machinery, plastics, steel, organic chemicals'
  

Image by Frank Vessia, courtesy of Unsplash

Image by Karim MANJRA, courtesy of Unsplash

Unfortunately, the demand for excellence has created a major problem throughout Italy, where the economy is being drained by individuals who use the idea of "Made in Italy" to illegally sell Italian goods.

Counterfeiting 

The sellers use specific words, colors, and images to try to deceive the consumers and sell fake products to different markets (often to Americans)

• Common "Italian" products include parmigiana, wine, prosciutto, pasta
  • Other items: cosmetics, jewelry, electronics
• Products are sold at low prices, but are of lower quality than name-face brands
• Lombardo is the central region for the market of counterfeited goods
• Counterfeiting damages the economy of Italy because it creates a high level of crime, and the locals do not earn as much off of their items
• The police try to confiscate the goods, but the problem is increasing because technology/social media has connected people all over the world

Strive for Five Vocab

• Sfruttare - to take advantage of
• Sequestare - to confiscate
• Arrestare - to arrest
• Spacciare - to sell illegally
• Il marchio - brand name
• Il prodotto falsificato - fake product
• Il mercato del falso - trafficking of false products
• Lo sfruttamento - exploitation
• A prezzi modici/stellari - low/high cost
• Contraffatto/a - counterfeit, imitated
• Qualità inferiore/superiore - low/high quality
• Acquistare - to purchase
• La merce - goods, merchandise
• Illecito/a - illegal