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| Cover of AntoloGaia | |
| Author | Porpora Marcasciano |
|---|---|
| Translator | Francesco Pascuzzi and Sandra Waters |
| Language | Italian |
| Genre | |
| Publisher | Allegre |
| Publication date | 2014 |
| Publication place | Italy |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
AntoloGaia is a memoir that chronicles the life of Porpora Marcasciano, a pioneering figure in the LGBTQ+ activism movement in Italy during the 1970s. This poignant narrative not only reflects Marcasciano's personal journey as a trans woman but also encapsulates the struggles and triumphs of the LGBTQ+ community amid the broader social and political landscape of the era. The memoir highlights the profound impact of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, which devastated many of Marcasciano's contemporaries.
Content
The book provides an insider's perspective on the emergence of the gay liberation movement in Italy and its interconnectedness with left-wing activism. Marcasciano's experiences, including her discovery of the vibrant sexual minority communities in Naples, Bologna, and Rome, are vividly portrayed. She recounts her introduction to Naples's femminielli subculture by anthropologist Pino Simonelli, who gives her the name Porporino, later shortened to Porpora. Notably, *AntoloGaia* employs gender-neutral and mixed-gender language, making it a significant contribution to Italian life-writing.
Author information
Porpora Marcasciano is a sociologist, activist, writer, and municipal counselor in Bologna, Italy. She is recognized as the honorary president of the Trans Identity Movement (MIT) and is the author of *Dawn of the Bad Transwoman: Stories, Gazes and Experiences of My Transgender Generation*.
Francesco Pascuzzi is an assistant teaching professor at Rutgers University–New Brunswick and coeditor of *Dreamscapes in Italian Cinema* (2015). He resides in Somerset County, New Jersey.
Sandra Waters is the managing editor of *Italian Quarterly* and coedits the Other Voices of Italy series for Rutgers University Press. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Reception
AntoloGaiahas received positive reviews for its authentic portrayal of trans experiences and contributions to LGBTQ+ history in Italy. Critics have praised its exploration of gender, personal identity, and the socio-political context of the time. Notable endorsements include:
- "This trans memoir by Porpora Marcasciano... could not come at a better time." — Bernadette Wegenstein, coeditor of *Radical Equalities and Global Feminist Filmmaking: An Anthology*.
- "Porpora Marcasciano's electrifying memoir is a valuable part of trans history." — Diana Goetsch, author of *This Body I Wore: A Memoir*.
References
- Marcasciano, Porpora (2024). AntoloGaia. doi:10.36019/9781978835818. ISBN 978-1-9788-3581-8.
- Marcasciano, Porpora. AntoloGaia: Queering the Seventies, A Radical Trans Memoir. Rutgers University Press, 2024.
- Wegenstein, Bernadette, et al. Radical Equalities and Global Feminist Filmmaking: An Anthology.
- Goetsch, Diana. This Body I Wore: A Memoir.