ABSTRACT
During the two decades of Fascism, the icon of the New Italian Man was Mussolini himself, an unequivocal inspirational model of virility for other men. In contrast, women had contradictory models of femininity, derived from tradition, religion and politics in a country with aspirations to modernity, secularization and imperialism. The model of the prolific mother was imposed from on high as the most suitable symbol of the new Italian woman. However, in spite of Fascist intent, the athlete Trebisonda 'On dina' Valla - a woman of the people - became both a symbol and a myth and came to inspire Italian women.
