Thread by @Timotero2

Time for a thread.

Fascist Italy, Mussolini and Feminism

Although in order to touch on this topic, we must recognize that Benito Mussolini, although a visitor of Feminist Congresses and a supporter of women's rights in public. He clearly held negative opinions on women behind the doors.

Nevertheless, throughout his regime, he would be open for his support to strengthen the role of women and not only that, he would act on it. Fascism, as a doctrine, both in theory in praxis, was a highly feminist movement.

The full background of Fascism came from support of equality between sexes, sexual liberation, and, a great amount of feminists joining the movement. From Fiume, up until the Fascist Program of 1919; where fascists advocated for suffrage rights for women.

As a fun fact, Mussolini would write an article for the Colombian Maganize "El Tiempo" in which he would criticize beauty contests (he would ban them) along taking a harsh stance against the objectification of women.

"We honor and revere women as they fulfill their true and legitimate mission: to train the future generation, instill in them the ideals of justice and patriotism, and help the nation to become better and stronger. When we contemplate it in all her sublime virtue and maternal ...

greatness, we could not tolerate being put on display in the streets, as a "beauty queen," to satisfy a greed for profit or to excite a curious mob, unable to feel the heightened emotion that feminine attributes should stimulate. "

For a country with a Latin Tradition (male domination), the measures in which the Fascist regime engage when it came to women were fairly progressive. Not only that, but the one time that a "series" of Anti-Feminist policies appear, would be after 1925.

One of the most popular campaigns of Fascist Italy, was that of the battle of the births (increasing the population), and as time progressed; the interest was set on guaranteeing the success of such a policy. Richard Korherr...

an author that believed that the liberation of women eventually led to a decline of birth rates, and that the idea of emancipation the of women with the chant of "her body & rights", would undermine the reproduction of the people's, thus lowering birth rates.

Mussolini would eventually write an introduction for the book of Mr. Korherr, and would get highly influenced by him. We could add this to the fact that other philosophers of Fascism such as Alfredo Rocco, would start to get behind this idea.

Due to this policy of wanting to increase the birth rates, and the correlation between increasing birth rates and monogamous families. The emancipation of women would be deemed as counterrevolutionary, and not only that, women would be discouraged from pursuing their own goals.

Not out of "Hurr Durr Trad family time", but because for Fascism, given the time and needs of the nation, certain liberties were to be taken as a means to an end, especially with something as important (at their eyes) such as stopping the decay of birth rates.

This can be added as a very important issue for Italian Fascism, especially for the relevance they found in the dialectic of Proletariat vs Plutocratic Nations. It was a very important issue, since, through a high birth rate, quick industrialization, etc. Italy could have found..

itself strong enough to battle the so called Plutocratic Nations that held a boot on its neck. To make up for the sacrifices certain groups made, Fascism would put forward several social welfare programs in order to not simple ask for things, while not giving anything back.

At the end of the day, Fascist Policy on women came out of an issue they deem as relevant, and wasn't neccesarily on hatred for women and the need to subjugate them to the regime, it was, an attempt at solving the decline of birth rates.

In the same way Feminists joined the British Union of Fascists, so would it happen on Italian Fascism with figures such as Teresa Labriola or with strong women like Ines Donati.

slate.com/news-and-polit…

If we were to fully summarize the position that Generic Fascism has of women (away from the needs of the time), it can easily be responded by Oswald Mosley in his 100 Questions Asked and Answered:

At the end of the day, Fascism has always been inherently Feminist. Since the unity, collaboration, and equality of opportunities between men and women to contribute to the nation, is to Fascism, one of its biggest goals.

The End

Thanks to @Pinpon13175461 for giving me access to the article Mussolini wrote for the colombian magazine (page 12)

news.google.com/newspapers?nid…