Dresses, professions, language, lifestyles, even – again – chromatic combinations, between “pink” and “blue”. The gender stereotypes permeve transversely, again, the society in which we live: the substantial difference is that, however, today we are increasingly aware of the very serious consequences that they have had in determining conditions of social disadvantage for women, well beyond the color of an accessory. This is why contemporary sensitivity requires to recognize and therefore “dismantle” what is a “stereotype”, that is, what has no objectively relevant value, but derives only from discriminatory retairs linked to the alleged superiority of one genre on the other. It has been talked about for a long time and intensely in the Auto Aula of the University during the Masterclass with Maura Gancitanophilosopher and essayist.
“We are proud to inaugurate with this event a new phase of our collaboration with Taobuk – said the rector Giovanna Spatari – host Maura Gancitano allows us to deepen a central theme in the contemporary debate, that of stereotypes, which affects the construction of personal and collective identity. I also want to thank the professors Calabrò and Meo and all the other colleagues constantly engaged in the deepening of gender issues ». “Taobuk – underlined the president and artistic director of the Antonella Ferrara Festival – feeds on the young and critical thought that the students and students of the University of Messina offer every year. It is necessary to ask ourselves who we are, who defines our identities and, therefore, our “borders”, a term that will accompany the 2025 edition ».
The guest introduced were the teachers Victory Calabròhistorical of political institutions and president of the Unique Unime Guarantee Committee, e Milena Meopolitical sociologist, vice -president of the Cug, who have outlined – between philosophy, sociology and gender studies – the mechanisms through which stereotypes are built and transmitted: in the media, in the school, in the family. The regulatory path that eliminated the discrimination against women still existing despite the clear constitutional dictation of article 3 against all inequality, including gender, also reconstructed. Among them, for example, some articles of the criminal and civil code (including the regulation of family law and the so -called crime of honor) and the law which, until the 1960s, prevented women’s entry into the judiciary.
“The stereotypes – said Gancitano, co -founder of the Tlon cultural project – are historically located social constructions. We can transform them, but to do it we have to understand where they come from. As narrative animals, we always need stories from which to draw teachings or behaviors, but it is up to us to distinguish between a true and invented story. Since children, with fairy tales, we need stories to understand the structures of things. To better understand this passage, I always mention the example of Maleficent and her writer Linda Woolverton. According to his rereading, things are not as Disney showed us in “Sleeping Beauty”. Malefiche reacts to a violence suffered, that is, the cutting of the wings. It follows that stereotypes derive from the stories that are told to us and can be destructured and overcome with commitment and constancy. Some stereotypes, such as that linked to the myth of beauty or female aesthetics, have crossed the millennia and have been modified. All this also applies to the gender stereotypes of our time: we learned them to know and we can overcome them ».
Also present were the students and students of Universome and Unime Gds Labjournalistic technique laboratory promoted by the University of Messina in collaboration with the South Publishing Company, coordinated by Prof. Maria Laura Giacobello and by the head of the GDS Academy of SES Natalia La Rosawhich underlined how the commitment of the course is also to promote among young people, through the SES network, a responsible approach to professional information. And precisely this aspect emerged during the final debate – also animated by the students of the Lab – in which Gancitano spoke of the impact too long “underestimated” of social media and the special responsibility of the territorial media in proposing a correct narrative – especially of the news events, such as the violence of gender – to an audience that often cannot have – or does not seek – other sources of comparison.