In the coming days, the Democratic Party and the 5 Star Movement will present two resolutions on sexual and emotional education in schools to the Chamber of Deputies’ culture committee. The first signatory of the 5 Star Movement’s resolution is Anna Laura Orrico and claims that talking about these issues starting in elementary school should be “a shared responsibility for the growth of boys, girls and adolescents”. The signatories of the Democratic Party’s resolution are Irene Manzi, Matteo Orfini, Mauro Berretto and Nicola Zingaretti and commit the government to promote a procedure on bills that can introduce emotional and sexual education in both the first and second cycles of education to “promote, in light of the commitments mentioned above and to the extent of its competence, a rapid process of bills aimed at introducing issues of emotional and sexual education in the first and second cycles of education”.

Italy is among the most backward countries in Europe

The reaction of the majority parties was not long in coming. Lega MP Rossano Sasso, group leader in the Science, Culture and Education commission, declared: “Schlein and Conte care a lot about gender propaganda, let them do it in their own party headquarters and in social centers, but not in our schools and without the knowledge of families”. For this reason, Sasso presented a resolution that “blocks any progressive drift and defends our children. We will reject any attempt by the opposition to propagate gender ideology starting from the first grade and, indeed, we will commit the Government to legislate clearly once and for all on delicate and important matters, safeguarding everyone’s rights, sanctioning those who discriminate but avoiding gender propaganda by ideologically-driven teachers and self-styled external experts called without the knowledge and consent of families”.

For the M5S, Sasso’s words would be inappropriate (gender studies are not gender propaganda) but above all the deputy would be proposing a “distorted and deliberately falsified version” of reality, ending up fueling a risky “propaganda” “against the freedom to love without any discrimination and to choose one’s own gender identity”.

At this time, therefore, the opposition’s proposal on emotional and gender education would find a firm negative response from the majority. Italy would remain among the few European countries, together with countries such as Poland and Hungary, without a structured educational offer on emotional, sexual and gender education.

Sex education at school, Italy a negative example: “Far from WHO holistic standards”

In 2024 there are still couples like Federica and Alfonso from Temptation Island

But who is then responsible for providing boys and especially girls with the coordinates to create the conditions for a healthy and equal relationship if the school doesn’t take care of it?

The initiative, naturally, is entrusted to families and to some enlightened school directors who independently organize training courses in their own institute.

And then there are the media, of course. The new season of the reality show Temptation Island has begun on Canale 5 and this year too, some rather problematic emotional dynamics are being told. In this edition, among the leading couples is the one formed by Alfonso and Federica: the girl was 12 when the two got together and since then his jealousy has prevented her from living like any other girl her age. Alfonso forbids Federica from having friends outside their relationship, from going out, from going dancing and even from wearing a bikini on the beach. She said she signed up for the program as the only chance to enjoy a bit of freedom with the hope that the experience could help Alfonso open his eyes. For his part, the boy immediately showed himself to be extremely jealous, for example when Federica confessed that for the first time and away from his control, she had bought two-piece swimsuits. He went berserk: we’ll see how the situation evolves and if sooner or later someone will point out to him that his behavior is unacceptable.

Education on affection must be compulsory in schools or women will continue to die

Dynamics like the one just described generate debate especially on social media and contribute to broadening the audience of people who follow the program (the surveys in fact speak of a fairly heterogeneous audience). However, it is sad to note that even in 2024 there are couples like the one formed by Federica and Alfonso, two young people who would have every right to have the tools to have a healthy relationship. If this happens it is also because this country has refused for years to equip itself with the antibodies necessary to counteract sexist and patriarchal dynamics which, as is quite evident, should not be material for a reality show. If this happens it is because TV, especially popular TV, must necessarily offer the public something that resembles them, that resonates, that they can identify with and above all something to discuss. It would be desirable, however, that all of this were also discussed in schools, perhaps in the presence of professionals capable of explaining to the younger generations that where there is possession, there is no love.