Oh, for Pete’s sake! Seriously?
The over-head advertisement inside the tram in Turin this morning is a large photo of a good-looking, young man in a tuxedo who is biting the shoulder of a totally naked woman. The text of this ad, translated loosely, suggests, “The lower your appetite, the more appetizing you’ll become.”
Allow me to share something with you. Americans are often guilty of imagining that all young Italian women are curvy and voluptuous, and older Italian women are, well … plump. Not so.
Most of the Italian women I’ve seen on trains and trams in Turin, or walking down the sidewalks of Milan, arm in arm, weigh less than 110 pounds. I am pleased to dispel stereotypes whenever I can, and I have to tell you that the women of northern Italy, young and old alike, eat pasta every single day, and still maintain healthy physical proportions. A plus-size, full-figured Italian woman is not the norm here.
Of course, I can only speak of the northern Italians, who, I am sorry to say, vehemently deny any similarity to or relationship with southern Italians. It’s a different planet down in the Mezzogiorno, they tell me. I can’t attest to that, as all my work has been in the north.
I am happy to report, however, that after six months of living and working in the land of gelato, polenta and focaccia, I still fit into my clothing and buckle my belt in the same slot.
I have to say, though, that chances are still very slim that a handsome Italian man will ever be compelled to bite me. I’d like to see him try!
Seriously, I really would.
Yum. The food, that is.
Such an entertaining piece! Loved it! And your observations are very accurate. North And south Italy are very different in many ways. Thank you