30 Books that Teach Female Dignity (according to one Italian Judge)

Chances are you’ll have caught the news this week of one Italian Judge handing down an unusual punishment to a man convicted of using an underage prostitute. The 35-year old man has been jailed for two years for having sex with the 15-year-old, but in addition to that the judge has insisted that he buy the 15-year old a list of thirty books that teach female dignity.

Judge Paola Di Nicola reportedly hoped the books would help his 15-year-old victim understand the damage done to her dignity as a woman. Though we can’t help but feel that maybe it’s him who needs to learn about feminine dignity, not his victim!

After reading the news, I was fascinated to hear what the book list is, but despite a mention of Anne Frank, Virginia Woolf and Emily Dickinson, I couldn’t find a complete list! We did eventually find a list in Italian, and so here it is translated. We’re not sure all the books are available in English, but it’s made up of some very interesting titles, indeed! Get ready for a feminst reading list to knock your socks off. Here it is!

Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
A Woman – Sibilia Aleramo
The novels of Alba de Cespedes
Mrs Dalloway – Virginia Woolf
To the Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf
A Room of One’s Own – Virginia Woolf
Family Sayings – Natalia Ginzburg
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Memoirs of Hadrian – Marguerite Yourcenar
A Man – Oriana Fallaci
My Home is Where I am – Igiaba Shego
History of Women in the West – Duby Perrot
Limbo – Melania Mazzucco
To Be Two – Luce Irigary
The Human Condition – Hannah Arendt
Shaping the Silence – Anna Rossi Doria
Against Women for Ever and Ever – Silvia Ballestra
Despite Plato’s – Adriana Cavarero
Gender Training – Isabelle Loiodice
Social Social Categorization and construction of the injury – Maria Elvira De Caroli
Gender Identity and Feminine Image – Mary Vinella
The Disappearance of Women – Marina Terragni
The Social Construction of Gender – Concetta Lodedo
Gender Identity in Language, Culture, Society – Franca Orletti
Differences and Inequalities – Franca Bimbi
The Women’s College: Comparing Knowledge – Bianca Gelli, Rita D’Amico
Other Securities – Maria Serena Sapegno

That’s quite the heavy reading list, especially for a 15-year old, and sadly the case does seem to be skewed towards victim shaming and the idea that it’s the victim with something to learn! If you do want to support a little girl power, I’d recommend this feminist reading list, and this list aimed at kick-ass, independent women!