If not now, when?

As you probably have read in my bio, I come from Italy. I have been disgusted my entire life by the portrayal of women in the Italian media and by the behavior of some of my fellow Italians, including men in the highest government and business positions.

According to the most recent report (2010) from the World Economic Forum on Gender Gap, Italy is at number 74, out of 134 countries, in a list that measures the differences in opportunities between men and women. The United States are at number 19.

As a photographer I mostly work with women and I try to represent women in a way that is respectful of our beauty, intelligence and dignity. And I am committed to supporting women business owners.

I usually only blog about my work, but today I am making an exception. I can work because generations of women before me fought for the right to work. And I am lucky to live in San Francisco where I am treated with dignity and respect and where my work is valued. I am lucky because I don't have to see this on television every day.

 

Italian women are taking to the streets on February 13th to show Italy and the world that it's time to stop gender based discrimination in Italy. Women deserve to be treated better. Women deserve real equality.

Although I won't be there, I will be thinking of my fellow citizens, the women and the men who join them, to say BASTA. Italy is not a country for women right now. It's time to change this.