File. Together translated into Italian, or rather a “a group of people working together for a common outcome”. The definition comes from Treccani’s online dictionary and perfectly fits the aim of the Ensemble festival of the same name, the first parenting festival no filter designed as part of the Born to change lab of Luz, a Milanese B-Corp agency, to be held in Milan on May 4 and 5 on Stecca3 Hub at via De Castillia 26.
It’s not a festival for mothersindeed: “We are addressing mothers and fathers, single-parent families, single-parent families, childless or childless families, couples who are about to or want to have children, those who are not planning the arrival of a baby but would like to think about the topic, experts and experts in field of study: anyone who wants to share their opinion or experience in the subject or anyone who has a desire to know more”. A word from the artistic director of the festival Anna Shopping areamother of two little girls, author of the Grembo podcast.
#nofilter parenting
It takes a village to raise a child, says an old African proverb. But in 2024 Italy, it is hard to find a welcoming community where parents and children are. There are many difficulties: gender inequality, the delicate search for a balance between private life and work, the defense of reproductive rights and freedom of choice, the gender pay gap.
“Not to mention practical matters such as childcare, which still falls mainly on women, and new mothers returning to work,” adds Anna Purchasepace. “And then the issue of missing places in public and private kindergartens: they ask us to have more childrenbut what are the policies that are in place to help families care for the little ones?”.
So to create a new village, we have to start here: from the opportunity to tell the long journey of parenthood without taboos and filters. “What we need today is a debate on the topic of what is healthy, which leaves room for different points of view without ideologies, which brings different perspectives,” adds the artistic director of the Ensemble festival. Which it wants to be: a two-day stay disrupt the narrative the sweetening and polarization of being a mother, a father today, and creating a new village that tackles parenting in a collective, social and inclusive way.
The taboo of infertility
There are those who find out in advance, that is, even before trying to get pregnant. Who will find out in the meantime when the wait gets too long. Whatever the moment, the word infertility remains a black stain that is difficult to wash off and can be washed away it’s still hard to talk.
Lack of information on the topic of fertility and lack of awareness about one’s own body are the main problems that need to be addressed: “In addition to the fact that the topic of infertility is a taboo that needs to be broken, we must work to eliminate this concept. shame,” he explains Sabrina Fiorentinopharmacist expert in fertility integration, co-author of the book “Let’s integrate fertility”, CEO and founder of the Sestre startup.
During the Ensemble Festival, Sabrina Fiorentino will be one of the speakers at the “Waiting to Wait: Fertility Challenges and Taboos” conference. The topic that concerns quite a percentage of people: “It is estimated that one in eight couples today has difficulty conceiving,” adds Fiorentino. “25 percent of women suffer from hormonal dysfunctions that threaten fertility, and today they are more than a hundred million people all over the world suffer from infertility. With Sestre, we try to face medically assisted procreation (PMA), a path of integration, information, nutrition, adequate lifestyle, work on the substrate and adaptation of the body for pregnancy”.
Free yourself from this taboo which it affects fifty percent of women and fifty percent of men, the path to follow is the same as for endometriosis, the “invisible disease” that is now not so invisible because of complaints and stories. Another current example: “We are working on a clinical trial that targets the 20-25 age group and that involves girls who suffer from pain during menstruation. The absurd thing is that fifty years ago this goal of women did not exist, girls who suffered from menstruation were considered normal, so something that cannot be taken into account.”
Gender Violence and the Enlightenment Community
In this new normal we are building, composed of open and shared spaces inclusive communitiesgender equality and opportunities, a strong and collective response must also come to this topic gender violence.
“When a couple becomes a parent, gender differences can become more pronounced,” adds Anna Purchasepace. “Already, leaves are very unbalanced towards mothers, five months of maternity leave compared to ten days of paternity leave. If we get used to this, to greater obligations and burdens towards the mother even after returning to work, and if we add that sometimes there is little dialogue in families, situations of violence can arise”.
It seems essential the role of the educational community, starting with family time. “We must rethink the concept of parenthood as responsible for the education of boys and girls: this basic task can no longer be delegated only to parents, family and school; the media has a huge responsibility because today it is easily accessible to everyone from preschool age and has expanded the boundaries of the educational community. We have a collective responsibility towards the new generations, their education is not only in the hands of their parents or schools.”
The appeal comes from Flavia Brevicommunications manager of the Libellula Foundation, which deals with issues related to diversity and inclusion and the gender gap, one of the speakers at the conference “Collective response to gender violence: the Ensemble community of educators”.
To avoid extreme cases we need to change the narrative, highlighting gender-based violence and rights violations. The desire is to start from parenthood to move on and pass something on to new generations. “Something” to create together, which is not the result of the stereotypical and sexist legacy we have inherited. Something of ours that benefits everyone.
Ensemble Voices
The Ensemble program is divided into three different springs:
- a series of conferences on various cross-cutting topics that affect parenting;
- workshops where you learn information, concepts and test yourself;
- free activities for families, parents and children that are accessible, such as an adoption photography exhibition, the opportunity to have portraits taken by Elena Givone, an expert photographer in family and newborn portraits.
He will be there in two days area dedicated to expectant mothers who want to meet the midwife, the breastfeeding area and the area dedicated to the little ones.
Among the guests of the festival many voices of the contemporary panorama: Flavia Brevihead of communications of the Libellula Foundation, who will moderate a round table on the topic of gender violence; Cristina Maccarrone, marketing expert, journalist dedicated to care work; space for debate then with Ella Marciello“godmother” of the festival and creative director in her professional life, Giulio Cavalli journalist and writer Alice Syracusano founder of Luz Agency Benefit & B Corp and author of Born to change. Also Sonia Malaspina from Danone, the author of The Original Vacation, who will moderate the Caring Work and the World of Work round table, Alessia Dulbeccowriter, educator, trainer and consultant, specializing in the fight against stereotypes and gender violence and Francesca Bubbaactivist and popularizer on the topic of motherhood, will contribute to the dialogue about parenting without filters.