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Originally posted by Lavinia from Italy:
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Originally posted by Sicilian Babe:
[b] Just to give you an idea of how seriously the Siclian take the honor of their women:
well, SB, I don't know where in Sicily this wedding was held, but you must have spotted an exception, a very traditional family. Modern Sicily is generally far from the folkoristic and frankly outdated image people from abroad may have of its people and costumes. Sicilian women are free of doing what they want, they can divorce, have pre-marital intercourses, take the pill without much scandal. And of course, if a woman is left by her husband or fiancé it is very unlikely that a killing will be performed. Not more likely than in any other place in the world, at least. Kidding about Sicily and Sicilian old traditions is funny and Sicilians themselves like to do that, but reality is another thing. It's 2005 in Sicily too. [/b]
Well, this wedding took place in 1979 and nobody was joking. When I visited my relatives in 1989, my husband and I still had to chaperone my cousin and his fiancee because her parents wouldn't let her out of the house with him unescorted. The last time I visited was 2001, and I did notice that the young girls were allowed to go out in groups of boys and girls unchaperoned, but that one-to-one dating was still frowned upon. And my family lives about 30 minutes outside of Palermo, so they're not in some remote mountain town.

President Emeritus of the Neal Pulcawer Fan Club