A wave of sexist insults and Body Shaming against Dalila Nesci, already undersecretary for the Prime Minister and today the exponent and candidate of Fratelli d’Italia in Calabria, has unleashed a hard political reaction.
The regional coordination of Fratelli d’Italia della Calabria has released a note in which it expresses “full solidarity” to the manager, firmly condemning the offensive comments that have targeted not his ideas, but his physical appearance. “It is not tolerable – reads the press release – that a woman engaged in politics is attacked in this way. In a historical moment in which the theme of hatred and violence in public language is dramatically current, these behaviors must be rejected with determination and clarity”.
According to the party, Nesci’s decision to publicly denounce the attacks suffered represents a gesture of responsibility, made “in the name of many women who, for fear of becoming the target of insults and body shaming, give up publicly exposing themselves or participating in political comparison”.
The coordination also recalled the value of mutual respect as a “foundation of a civil society and a healthy democratic debate”, hoping for a unanimous condemnation, even from the opposing political forces: “We are sure – concludes the note – that even from the left there will come clear words, because in front of such episodes there can be no ambiguity or silences”.
The episode brings back to the center of the debate the theme of hatred on the net and verbal violence against women in politics, a phenomenon unfortunately growing that raises questions about the quality of democratic comparison and on the protection tools to be put in place.