ItalianAware: Italian Stereotypes: An In Depth Look (Part 2)

Italian Stereotype # 2- Italians Are Violent

Italians are constantly stereotyped as being violent. Yelling, screaming, hitting people and things, etc. A violent temper is not a quality anyone wants to be known as having. Now, let's make this clear: there is a distinction to be made between being a "hot-blooded" Italian and having a violent temper. Italians ARE passionate, and may border on fanatical when it comes to precision and specificity. Italians ARE NOT violent goons that punch people and things with little to no provocation. Italians are always stereotyped as the violent type- not the passionate type.

Unlike our last write up on the Italian stereotype of being "sweet but dumb," I can't really figure out a time and place where this Italian stereotype started. I could say that it stems from a spill-over effect of the criminal (Mafia) stereotype.

However, there are indications that the Italians are violent stereotype originated outside crime: The regular, sleeveless undershirt (top) is referred to in many circles as either a "guinea- tee" or a "wife-beater." Seeing as how it is the #1 garment Italians are portrayed in (bottom), referring to them interchangeably as guinea-tees and wife-beaters subtly indicates that Italians beat their wives- adding to the myth that Italians are violent.

But, we are living through a period of change for the stereotype- it is no longer a male dominated one, with neighborhood tough guys roaming the streets with bats. Now, it is all the rage to show Italian women being physically violent. Look no further than Mob Wives, Jersey Shore and my all time favorite- Real Housewives of NJ. The Real Housewives clip is my favorite because Teresa Giudice justifies her actions by saying "I'm Italian, its what we do"

Real Housewives GIF: