Naples – "Since you're alone, you have no responsibility for your children." This was written in a justification for his absence from a city council meeting by a councilor from Naples's Fourth Municipality, addressing President Maria Caniglia.
These statements have provoked a storm of reactions, not only because of their paternalistic tone, but because they bring to light an age-old prejudice: the one that measures the value of a woman—and an institutional representative—based on her private life.
“Not having children is not a crime”
Caniglia doesn't accept this and responds in kind: "There are times when reading certain comments is truly shocking." For her, those words are "an invasion of personal space," as if "not having children were a shortcoming, not a choice, or even worse, the result of difficulties no one has the right to judge."
And he adds: "Family isn't just about procreation. Family is also about caring for loved ones after immense pain; it's sacrifice, it's responsibility that those who judge often don't understand."
Institutional solidarity (and the question: why is it still necessary in 2024?)
The story has sparked a wave of support. Some, like Ciro Bonajuto, national vice president of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI), have expressed their sympathy. And Naples City Councilor for Equal Opportunities , Emanuela Ferrante, has spoken of "unacceptable behavior, especially from institutional representatives."
“These are stereotypes that hinder female emancipation,” she adds, emphasizing how “serious it is that a woman in politics still has to defend herself not from criticism of her ideas, but from judgments about her private life.”
The political (and cultural) knot
The question is inevitable: why, in 2024, must a woman in power still be told that "childlessness" makes her less credible? Why is her dedication to work questioned based on her choice (or lack thereof) to have children? Caniglia's battle is not an isolated one: it's yet another sign of how certain legacies persist, even in the halls of power. And while the institutions mobilize in unison, the question remains whether it will be of any use, or whether tomorrow another councilor will find a way to remind another woman that, "being alone," perhaps she doesn't count enough.
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Reading this article, I wonder why certain prejudices still exist. It's strange that in 2024, we're still talking about this. A woman is valuable even without children; it's unfair to judge her on this. Motherhood should be a choice.