Italian Stallion

Italian Men are a breed of their own. All these years of living in Rome have taught me many things about the particularities of the proverbial 'Italian Stallion''. While we cannot paint them all with a single stroke, here are a few pointers on what you can expect from many Italian men.

The Approach:

Italian men are not shy. If they see an attractive woman (well, any woman really) walking down the street, there is nothing to stop them from catcalling. “Ciao Bella!” This a typical cry on the streets of Rome that a woman inevitably grows accustomed to until it begins to just fade into the surrounding city traffic. Yes, this can even be expected on those lazy jogging suit and bad hair mornings.

If an Italian man likes you, he will tell you. He will not waste time, and if you give him your number, he will call you. There are no games in this system, no “3 Day Rule” of waiting before calling someone. They will call the next day, (if not a few hours after you gave them the number), and the day after, and the day after… They can be quite impatient, so I would suggest giving it careful thought before giving your number to an Italian man.

Dating:

Italians are in love with love. They are extremely romantic and old fashioned. This is a very nice treat sometimes, as they will never let a woman pay for her own meals. Italian men are great at showing how much they care, by paying ‘little attentions’ to the woman they are with, including small gifts and romantic Italian phrases. This is one of the ways they effortlessly win over women of other cultures.

However, while romanticism is definitely at the forefront of Italian relationships, an Italian man will not find anything wrong with looking at other women while in the presence of his date/girlfriend. In fact, jealousy plays a large part in Italian relationships, and some men like this because they find that it shows how much they care about the other person. Due to this factor, it can be very difficult to go out with male friends, or make them in general, if the man has not previously befriended them.

Cultural Curiosity

In many other Western countries, the housewife-working man relationship between men and women has faded enormously, with men staying at home to cook and clean and women wearing the work pants. Italy on the other hand tends to stay true to tradition. This means that many Italian men do not cook or clean, and many live with their families until they are 30+, or until they are married (hence, wife becomes their mother). Mammone is the term for a “mama’s boy” in Italy, a very common thing.

While you are sightseeing in Rome, it is always entertaining to understand the local culture. The Italian Stallion is a very real thing, and as a woman it is a phenomenon you will most definitely encounter on your journeys. I always find it easier to take the loudly voiced comments with a grain of salt. After all, as one of my favorite Italian websites states: 

 

"Some men in Italy claim they can carry a dozen doughnuts without their hands. Truth is...most of us can't carry two and we would pass out if we tried with more than three".

And if you actually are lucky enough to find a handsome and available Roman who wants to grab a cappuccino with you, just remember that if you give them your number, he will call (probably on his way home from that very cappuccino to tell you he is already missing you so much it hurts)! Also be sure to give them fair warning if you do not do laundry or cannot cook in order to avoid future heartbreak.

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