10 March 1946-2026: eighty years since women first voted
A project funded by the Region of Tuscany
A project on the history of women in Castelfiorentino from the Resistance to the post-war period. At the end of the project, a photographic and documentary exhibition will be set up, accompanied by a film festival to be held in March 2026, on the 80th anniversary of the “first time” women were able to vote in Italy (1946-2026). These are, in summary, the main activities that the Municipality intends to carry out in the coming months, for which it has obtained funding from the Tuscany Region as part of a specific call for proposals aimed at promoting “projects for the protection of the historical, political and cultural heritage of anti-fascism and the Resistance”.
A lesser-known story is that of the women of Castelfiorentino during the Resistance: sometimes marginalised by a certain male narrative (even the role of “courier” was often given a reductive value, underestimating the enormous risks to their safety), and confined only to a few personal memories, which, however, highlighted the link between active participation in the anti-fascist struggle and subsequent presence in institutions. Proof of this can be found in the stories of Lea Arzilli and Rosa Masini, members of the GAP (Patriotic Action Groups) and then municipal councillors (Lea Arzilli also held the position of councillor) of the new municipal administration that took office after the local elections of 10 March 1946.
The research also aims to highlight the role of women in the rebirth of the main political and social organisations in the post-war period (primarily political parties, but also some associations, such as the UDI), as well as their commitment to rebuilding the social and economic life of the country, which anticipated “de facto” emancipation even before it was achieved in terms of rights. Once the research is complete, as mentioned, a documentary and photographic exhibition will be set up and a film festival will be held focusing on the role of women in the period in question, focusing on the activities carried out by women during the Liberation struggle, their contribution to the Constituent Assembly and their presence in the culture and customs of Italian society in the post-war period.
‘We are delighted,’ notes Marta Longaresi, Councillor for Remembrance, “that the Region of Tuscany has recognised the validity of our project through this funding, which allows us to fill a historical gap and highlight the contribution of women to the struggle for liberation, as well as their contribution to democratic participation, community life and the economic and productive reconstruction of the Community of Castelfiorentino after the Second World War. This is a page that is still largely to be written, and which allows us to understand how the battles for the full emancipation of women would subsequently develop in the following decades.
The project, conceived and promoted by the Municipality of Castelfiorentino, benefits from the collaboration of partners such as the Fondazione Teatro del Popolo, ANPI, Circolo del Cinema ‘Angelo Azzurro’, cultural association ‘La stanza rossa’, DPI CGIL Lega Castelfiorentino, Istituto Comprensivo, Istituto Superiore F. Enriques.