Our inner strength and your labels: Giusy Versace and Giorgia Surina against female stereotypes
Italian women are tired of labels. This is confirmed by a recent research commissioned by Special K which has identified the most belittling words for Italian women and those which, on the other hand, help to celebrate and strengthen their inner strength.
Giorgia Surina and Giusy Versace are the two ambassadors of inner strength for Special K, but also friends beyond the spotlight. We met them in the setting of a 15th century Milanese cloister, in front of an enchanting breakfast.
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Special K has compiled the list of words that Italian women would no longer want to hear. The ranking of the 5 words that according to the Italians diminish the strength of a woman sees in the first place menstruating, while in the second c "is hysterical. Followed by pain in the ass, bitch and prima donna. What was the most unbearable label they have ever attributed to you ?
Giusy: Definitely first woman. But it is a question of ignorance: people often stop in front of my surname or the fact that I always have a thousand things to do. So, I pass by the one who is in a hurry, while those who know me well know that many things can be said to me, but not that she is a prima donna. I am a very simple one, I give the tu to everyone, if I can lend a hand I give it. I'm used to living with this "label, though: even at school, people, even though they didn't know me, called me prima donna.
Giorgia: A pain in the ass, definitely. I am a very precise person, very demanding with myself and self-disciplined. Let me explain: if there is a meeting time and someone arrives late, I do not point it out, but I think it involves other people and that, therefore, it is a lack of respect. And the fact that I suffer from an approximate attitude makes me appear pain in the ass. But, I mean: that's okay! I feel much more right to respect the rules.
Giusy: Perfect! Now I know how to make her angry!
65% of the sample of interviewees - aged between 50 and 65 - agrees with you, Giorgia: that's okay. In fact, they believe that the prejudice expressed does not impact their ability to always be themselves. But is this always the case? What influence do labels have on the lives of the women you know?
Giorgia: A judgment always hurts, even more so when they use it as a prejudice. I am convinced that unfortunately many women still let themselves be crushed by labels, without rebelling, without explaining. So they become pain in the ass and convince themselves that they are in the error. This is probably due to a deep weakness, the lack of perception of their inner strength.
Giusy: I have friends who are self-convinced, as Giorgia said, that they are in the wrong. At the base there is a great insecurity. You cannot change your character, but you can fortify yourself through tricks ... irony for example! If you can abstract yourself, make a joke, let everything that comes your way slip on you and throw it back like a boomerang ... then you've found a solution. Because unfortunately the idiot on duty will always be there.
For younger girls, however, it's different: over 58% of respondents aged 18 to 34 believe that language labels can affect their ability to believe in themselves. If you could go back to a particularly difficult time, what would today's you say to the you of the past?
Giorgia: I would say to myself: "Believe it more. In everything. It is an act of faith towards yourself and the most beautiful way to love you and give yourself value". After an "analysis of what we are and what we want, giving ourselves a value helps to distance ourselves from what is happening around us. You know, unfortunately we grew up with ancestral beliefs: the princess who is saved by the prince, who therefore gives her a value . But no: the princess must take her beautiful crown and say: "Do you know what it is? I exist beyond you. I decide my value."
Giusy: Age certainly has an influence because when you are young you can't have the strength you have later. I, if I went back, I would do it all again: I have always been very determined and very strong, and as soon as there was someone who put a word out of place I I put it back.
Tell us why you think the other is strong starting from an adjective
Giorgia: Unstoppable! Other than inner strength, Giusy is a force of nature. What she does is more unique than rare and should be an example to many girls. One of the characteristics I like most about the concept of inner strength is resilience. In physics, it is defined as the ability of an object to absorb a I hit without breaking and resisting. This is what I see in Giusy.
Giusy: But how many do you know? Then send me the scientific description of resilience?
See, Giorgia: you are a surprise. Those who do not know her may think that she is haughty, almost unpleasant. Instead, Giorgia is really beautiful. She is not only good, courageous and determined: she has an infinite inner beauty on which her strength depends. I know few of such humble and serious people. Having her as a friend is a privilege.
A woman who succeeds in life, perhaps overcoming obstacles, is defined as a strong woman. A man, on the other hand, is not given any particular adjective, almost as if it were obvious. What do you think?
Giorgia: It's true! And indeed, I'll tell you more: it also says "you are a woman with balls". It all comes from the concept of the weaker sex. But, then, are we really the weaker sex? I don't think so. It seems to me that they have depleted us of our strength and weakened us by giving us a" label. As I said before, you get used to the labels and, little by little, you begin to believe that they are telling the truth. But, girls, we are not like that: we are the stronger sex! And men should begin to recognize it, because they are the same ones who gave us the labels.
Giusy: The feminine revolution was born a little while ago, we now have this story of the weaker sex in our DNA. Too much on terms. It happens all the time with me: disabled, handicapped, disabled ...
One never knows what term to use: but the difference is not in the word, but in the tone in which it is said. Many times it can also offend a well-spoken word in the wrong way.
The point is that we are really used to considering men the stronger sex, which is often not the case. Think about it: behind a strong man, of power, there is always an equally strong woman.
And who is behind a strong woman? Behind you, for example, who is there? Who is your inner strength model?
Giorgia: Behind a strong woman there is always her, herself. And maybe even a mother or a grandmother who gave her values, made her understand what true femininity is and gave her a model of woman who respected first of all its nature.
Giusy: True, but there can also be difficult tests that life has put before you. There, if you are really strong, the force will bring it out. If you are not, life forces you to become one.
What fuels your inner strength? And how important is breakfast for you?
Giorgia: I think I feed my inner strength with a recipe, not with a single ingredient. There is faith, music, affection for my family. From the little everyday things I draw a strength that not even I thought I had and a great serenity. I can mix all the ingredients I need, every day. Exactly how I mix the ingredients for breakfast: cereals, fruit, yogurt ... I need to start the day right!
Giusy: For me it's faith. Faith helps me to bring out all the grit I have. Along with breakfast! For me it is crucial because if I don't eat I become hysterical. I prefer to get up a little earlier and spend more time with me and breakfast: I love cereals, toast, eggs, yogurt.
Each of us hides a great inner strength: we must learn to let it show itself. Like? We asked some Italian women. Read the other interviews!
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