•
Rating:
Giulia Blasi is a writer, journalist, and radio host. She was the one, when the Weinstein case directly impacted our country and literally engulfed Asia Argento, who launched the initiative #quellavoltache, a hashtag encouraging women who have experienced harassment and violence to share and report their stories.
As a writer and journalist, she has collaborated over the years with Stereogram, Vogue.it, Me parlare donna un giorno, Donna Moderna, and Sorelle d'Italie. More recently with Grazia, Girlfriend, Mia, LosingToday, and Il Mucchio. In September 2009, she published the short story collection 'Nudo d'uomo con calzino' with Einaudi; in September 2010, it was the novel 'Il mondo prima che arrivassi tu' (Mondadori Shout). In 2013, 'Siamo ancora tutti vivi' (Mondadori Chrysalide). Her latest book, titled 'Se basta un fiore', was published in February by Piemme.
I contacted Giulia asking her if she would be willing to answer a few questions regarding the Weinstein case and what she gathered from this story and her experience which she chose to narrate through this initiative and which in an interview with the newspaper La Stampa she defined as 'A collective scream that deserves to be recognized and reach everywhere, and escape social media.'
Happy reading.
1. Hello Giulia. Thank you on behalf of myself and the entire debaseriana community for agreeing to answer my questions. You should know that ever since the Weinstein case exploded and particularly after Asia Argento's statements, we have been trying to discuss the topic on these pages. Not without some controversy and the expression of diverse opinions on the matter from everyone. You took an interest in the case and commented on it from the beginning, actively participating by launching the hashtag #quellavoltache and encouraging women to share their experiences. Can I start by asking what feedback you've received from this initiative? What feelings and material data (if any) have you gathered regarding the content and reactions and participation to this initiative? Do you think that although this was an initiative linked only to the web world, it still somehow served a social and educational function?
GB. I believe what has happened over the past two months has started a conversation, not always handled correctly by the media and the information or approached from the right point of view; and largely ignored by institutions, except for the deputies of Possibile, who supported us practically by bringing us to Montecitorio to talk about it and introducing the initiative into their speeches in Parliament.
The participation was vast - just in the first week, there were over twenty thousand occurrences of the hashtag, excluding Facebook - and more than a few people were disoriented. I believe the main effect was a form of women's self-awareness, realizing they had suffered abuses they had repressed, ignored, or downgraded to "that's just the way it is." You can't go back from that self-awareness.
2. Let's talk about the Weinstein case specifically. Who is Harvey Weinstein? And what is he accused of? Are there any actual complaints against him by one or more people who suffered abuse from him? Is there a judicial proceeding? What does he actually risk?
GB. On this, I think you should do a thorough Google search, you don't need me. It's all out there. Weinstein risks nothing for the moment unless a trial starts against him, which is not unlikely.
3. When commenting specifically on the events concerning Asia Argento, which have inevitably been and are the most discussed in Italy, many have claimed that in her case it cannot be called real violence or abuse, since the Italian actress allegedly consented to engage in a relationship with Harvey Weinstein. Why is this observation and this viewpoint wrong? How fine is the line between making advances and what can be considered harassment? I mean, is there a marked boundary between the two? Does it depend on the individual's sensitivity or the context? Since it is assumed that sex is not a taboo today, how and when can such an advance be considered 'right' or 'wrong'? Finally, how does one defend oneself in a situation like the one Asia Argento found herself in?
GB. Again, you should listen to Asia Argento, who has addressed this firsthand.
I believe what is essential here is to clarify that the victim's reaction to rape or abuse is irrelevant. Millions of women are raped by friends, relatives, spouses with whom they continue to have social relationships afterward, often in an attempt to "normalize" the experience they had. As if to say: no, he didn't rape me, it was just bad sex. I don't want to think of myself as a rape victim. But the pain doesn't go away, and often only after years do you realize the damage it has caused, and you talk about it to free yourself from it and to say: I didn't deserve it, it wasn't my fault, I didn't do anything wrong.
Regarding Asia, too many falsehoods have been said about her, to make her seem like an opportunist or a manipulator. She has spoken about this matter clearly, and I don't want to replace her. She doesn't need other voices: I support her because it's right, and because I'm on the side of those who have been raped, always and without question.
Regarding the "boundary between an advance and harassment": if there is no shared definition of harassment, it's because a woman's consent or desire is considered irrelevant. Men are taught that they must be sexually aggressive, try and insist, regardless of the context. That it is their right to take what they want, including women. That it's not strange or abnormal, in fact, appreciated to make even just verbal sexual compliments to colleagues and employees. There is no recognition of the link between these behaviors and the constant devaluation and social deprecation of women. There's even a cry of de-erotization of society, which is just a way to say that men want to retain the right to dispose of women, and women want to preserve their only capital, that is sexual, deciding to distribute it even based on calculations of opportunism.
This second power is entirely illusory and is often used to cover blackmail. In other words: it's known that "she" uses her body to advance her career, and this delegitimizes you all. The fact that to achieve one's goals, it is almost inevitable to go through the rigors of sexual blackmail is not questioned.
This is compounded by a process of re-victimization of the victims, who, having already experienced trauma, are forced to undergo the trial for the trauma experienced. This has the side effect of silencing women who do not feel safe in being believed, or who have too much to lose if they talk about the rapes or harassment they've endured. Society is designed to cover up the harassers at the expense of the harassed.
4. Do you think we have learned, are we truly learning something from this story? Many reference what they consider as the other side of the coin. For example, what has been defined as a media trial like the case of Kevin Spacey. An issue that, it seems to me, has not yet been resolved with judicial proceedings. Some refer to a case from long ago regarding a different type of situation, but which was nonetheless a media trial that caused a sensation in our country. I'm referring to the case involving Enzo Tortora, wrongly accused and arrested for drug trafficking and associated with the mafia in the trial of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata. Sentenced to ten years in prison, Tortora was later acquitted. But his life was somehow ruined and marked by this experience. Knowing how the media works, how can we prevent something like that from happening?
GB. Kevin Spacey did not undergo a "media trial." He was removed from the workplace because he had a long career as a serial harasser, and those who worked with him took action. Spacey is not in jail, not on trial, he is free to go and is paying a minimal price compared to the number of people he drove out of show business one way or another.
Let's not assume that listening to women's complaints or following through with their stories is unjust. For centuries, just a whispered rumor was enough to ruin a woman's life. Weinstein himself used gossip to get rid of women who opposed him because his word was worth more than theirs.
In my brief career in television, I've seen careers of colleagues made and undone based on a simple order from above, linked to this or that whisper from a powerful person.
For the first time in history, those with less power (generally women) can make themselves heard if they gather enough allies around them.
The imbalance still exists: a powerful man can ruin many people. A woman alone cannot bring down a powerful man. Look at what's happening to Miriana Trevisan, who mentioned Tornatore: the henchmen were mobilized. Even for Brizzi, about whom there are credible and consistent testimonies and who was already removed from the workplace when it became impossible to ignore his conduct, there is an attempt to rehabilitate him by relying on voices like Enrico Brignano's, portraying the women accusing him as delusional, attention-seekers, liars.
Enzo Tortora has nothing to do with this: his was a tragic judicial error case that is not relevant here. Tortora ended up in prison and was later acquitted.
5. Let's conclude by talking about you and your activity as a writer and radio host. I remember well reading your article for the first time just a few months ago, regarding the sexual violence against two American students by two carabinieri. Your article (you can find it here: http://www.iltascabile.com/societa/trumpcare/) talked about Donald Trump's attempts to reform the healthcare system. You began the article by quoting Vic Chesnutt and recounting his tragic events. Could you tell us something about your work both as a writer and a radio host and your interest in music?
GB. Help. It's hard to summarize over fifteen years of work in publishing and communication. I've published five novels, several short stories, many articles. Music is a fundamental part of my life and the functioning of my thought process, but the question is very vague. Maybe we'll save that for another time.
I hope this helps!
Loading comments slowly
