The Italian Americans

While I found many aspects of this documentary series to be interesting, I was nevertheless disappointed by the sheer absence of women. Could the producers have not found a single Italian American woman worth mentioning? From politicians to Mafia thugs to entertainers - not a single woman. Twice, the town of Roseto was mentioned but no connection was made between the weakening of family traditions (ie-Sunday dinner) and the empowerment of women. Who do you suppose made Rosetans healthy in the first place? It was the women - and when they opted out of traditional female roles to enter the wider society, the price that was paid was higher rates of heart disease. It doesn't take a social scientist to connect the dots. An acknowledgement of this would have served to pay respect to what traditional female labour provided: strong family ties and increased health. It also would have presented an opportunity to mention the restrictions modern Italian women have felt; their dilemma has been experienced probably greater than anyone. This series should have been titled, "Italian American Men." Watching this series could lead one to surmise that only the men worked hard, suffered, and sacrificed. I am a history teacher, by the way. And a proud Italian Canadian.