Are the people of Italy becoming less friendly toward people of African descent?

Question

I really hate to ask this -- and I have avoided asking since returning from Italy about a year ago. However, I've gotta know!

I detected a small amount of US-style discrimiation toward me, particularly from older Italian men. The young men were, well, wonderful :) but the older men would act very much the same toward me as their American counterparts, which is NOT GOOD!

I was not expecting this, as my sister who lived in Europe about 15 years ago said the people of Italy adore African people and treat them (us) well. When I got the disgusted looks, and "what are you doing here?" type stuff from the older men I was shocked!

Where was this coming from? Thanks for your responses!!

Yes, I am a professional woman with a command of standard English and a smattering of Italian, if that helps complete the picture.

Answer 1

Italy has experienced an influx of illegal immigration.  A lot of these "clandestini" are not able to earn a living through legitimate means and resort to crime.  Italians are weary/fearful of African and Eastern European immigrants because of the high crime rates and social problems caused by illegal immigrants.  I'd be willing to be that the average old Italian man would just assume that the USA had the same problem with African immigrants and assumed you were like the African immigrants in Italy.  I worked for many major corporations in Italy and NEVER encountered a black employee.  Italians don't have the opportunity to see black people in professional, successful, fulfilling roles (mainly due to management's hiring practices and restrictive immigration policies).

Add that to a culture that is generally extremely proud and disinterested in anything different, and you've got a recipe for hostility.

Answer 2

my friend,

italian men are all sh*t no matter of the age!!!!!!!

kiddin,

i am italian as u can figure.

As u know Italy is full of Africans, and some people stand them, some others don't.

It's a matter of culture, education and politics: coz someone is racist and someone is not.

Someone is still fascist-thinking (like Berlusconi) but they're radical and most important they're ignorant.

i can tell u that i like African people (it's stupid listening to beyonce, the hip-hop, bob Marley and then be racist with the people in the street)

and the people of all the countries and all the italians as long as they are kind people, as u know!!!

i got no problems.

I know someone doesn't like the Arabs because of the terrorism fear, u know, and they just don't make any differences among African cultures, that are many, as i told u already: coz they're ignorant, especially the old generation, most of them don't even know english!!!!!!

But in Italy there's much more old people than ypungsters, that's one big problem of this very ******* country.

Anyway don't bother about them.

I wanna be true to u: unfortunately in Italy there are many poor African girls forced to work "the oldest profession of the world" to survive

so they think every female golden skin is doing that, but they think this coz they like this as they like african women.

but this is not ur problem,

in every country and situation u have to choose the people to meet as long as u can!

Anyway all i explained above is much more in little cities, the less in big towns whre u can find less narrow-minded people!!

And it's true that Italy, as a governement, is the first USA kiss- a.s.s. of the world, so figure out! but not all the people it's like that!

Kiss u

Answer 3

well lately her in Italy we have lots of problems with immigration,and many people are complaining about this.

especially the old and closed mined people that say that immigrants steal the job to us Italians and that they bring criminality....and this is really absurd...

the fact is that many of the immigrants come from Philippines and northern Africa, so maybe that's way they reacted like this to you...i am very sorry about this situation..but it's hard to get people to understand that coming from another country doesn't mean being criminal or different....

Answer 4

Like some have already mentioned, there has been a lot of immigration (especially illegal immigration) in the last decade or so and not all of the immigrants have been what you say "ideal persons"....robbing, killing, drug pushing, etc. I think this only holds true for less than 10% of the immigrants (the grand majority come to live and work and better their lives), but sadly the media portrays the negative immages.  People see this and start to believe it's true...especially people with little education and who don't travel much.  There are racist and bigot people in Italy (just like in the rest of the world) but there are also a lot of very good and intelligent people in Italy as well.  Although it may be hard to do, ignore those dumb Italians that look down on you, and enjoy Italy and your friendly Italian friends.

Answer 5

I have lived in Italy for 23 years, and I know this is a very unpopular answer, but Italians are very prejudiced.  They used to hide it more, but many political figures became very outspoken about not wanting non-Europeans in Italy over the last 10-15 years and now some people think it's OK to show their prejudices openly from day one.  

I answer the phone at a school in Florence and people have said to me over and over "If the teacher is a foreigner like you, I won't send my child to your school"  Parents told their children in a class with an Indian student, when we have all of the little children hold hands in a circle, not to touch the little Indian girl because she was "dirty".  This kind of prejudice is what I mean.

Answer 6

I just returned from Italy in mid March with my fiancee.  We are both African-Americans.  We are also professionals with a smattering of Italian as well.  One thing that I noticed was there is a fear of immigration in Italy.  It was most noticable in Rome.  I felt it more than my fiancee.  I am biracial, and would get blatent stares in the face from men and women alike who were older.  My fiancee kept on saying it was because they didn't know what I was.  Which is probably true.  I am often mistaked for Peurto Rican in the US, but who knows what that means in Italy.  One thing that I noted was the lack of children in most of the cities we visited (Rome, Florence and Venice) and I saw maybe two biracial children.  Most of the interacial relationships are of women of color and northern European men.  My fiancee is brown skinned, but obviously of not pure African descent.  He said he didn't feel any discrimination.  Not that this is right, but now Italians seem to be targeting the "gypsies".  I think that after people realized that we were American the discrimination lessened.  After all, we were spending out dying American dollar there.

Answer 7

To be honest I have noticed a change in Italians attitude to people of African origin. There has been a substantial influx of poor immigrants from Africa over the last ten years or so. Many from Morocco and Nigeria and unfortunately they have become associated with drug dealing, crime  and prostitution in the eyes of many Italians. It is a huge change for Italians to live in a multi-cultural country rather than just accepting tourist and many are finding it difficult

Answer 8

I live in the north of italy and have noticed a lack of colored people. This is so strange to me because in america a lot of my best friends are dark. The only african people Ive seen around are one or two young students or prostitutes. But almost NONE in between. I havent noticed any attitudes or stigma for or against. but the lack of (people here) is visually clear to me. But I have seen many other cultures living here (japanese, finish, german, russian, etc) Come here and change that!  :)

Answer 9

Alas, these are trying times...

Answer 10

Immigration has very recently become a big problem in italy, so Italians are having a problem with anyone who is not italian.  I have been living in Florence for 5 years and it is incredible to see how it is changing.  The study abroad programs from america are taking over the city, and after 10pm the streets are filled only with American students, loud and drunk.  This has put all Americans here into one big group of obnoxious, spoiled, ignorant people.  After five years i am still treated with disrespect everyday because of my accent.  Don't take it personal.