Marine Area: The Handmaid’s Tale dystopia and the Match of the Heart

There are days when the idea of ​​a dystopian future like the one narrated by Margaret Atwood in her book, The Handmaid’s Tale, from which a series was also taken, it doesn’t seem so absurd to me.

«You’re a woman, you can’t stay here, it’s our rules», These are the words that the general manager of the National Singers, Gianluca Pecchini, addressed to Aurora Leone of The Jackal on the eve of Match of the Heart, during the official dinner. When Aurora Leone reiterated that she had been called exactly like Ciro Priello and that she had also given the measurements for the outfit, Pecchini adds: “The outfit you put it in the stands, since when do women play? ». I have to admit, I haven’t caught such a blatant episode of sexism since Trump gave his “best” on Twitter.

Something as serious as this would have deserved at least a reaction from the National Singers and all those present instead they chose silence, the only one to rebel at that time, together with Leone, was Priello. And as if that were not enough, beyond the injury, the insult, after the two members of The Jackal have reported the incident via social media, a Story arrives on the Instagram profile of the National Singers who, instead of distancing himself and apologizing, puts his hands up forward by unrolling a list of women who participated in the Match of the Heart, and mentioning those who are part of the staff, why not, they do not discriminate. In short, from the series «we also have many female friends“. IS truly surprising as even in a beneficial context such as that related to cancer research, the football environment once again proves to be one of the most male-dominated.

We know well that within the sport the players are not recognized as professionals and the insults that are addressed to him are many and frequent, as well as the idea that women do not understand anything about football is very present in the collective imagination. Toxic masculinity of men’s football is a well-known thing, after all if footballers who are admittedly non-heterosexual can be counted on the fingers of the hand (and in Italy there is not even one), I don’t think it is a coincidence. Evidently un coming out in that environment it would most likely not be welcomed positively.

Sexism and misogyny are everywhere, and if in football these things are more evident it is only because it is a universe that has always managed to maintain a mentality that moves by stereotypes. When we think of the strong man, who never has to ask, successful and full of women, the image that will form in our heads will almost certainly be that of a footballer. And in fact, it is not surprising that when men talk to women in a certain way, we define those speeches “chat from the locker room».

The football environment is the litmus test to understand that ours is a misogynist and sexist culture, and serious episodes like the one that happened to Aurora Leone prove it to us.

At this point, waiting for things to change, we just have to say: under his eye.