From Valentina to Lea. The 1970s and the Fight for Women’s Emancipation in Comics

Abstract

In the 1970s, feminism also utilized comics as a tool for denunciation and reflection. Authors such as Nidasio, Ghigliano, Simola, and Sansoni gave voice and form to a type of imagery distant from representations that commodified women's bodies, instead showcasing an emancipated and liberated femininity. These comics addressed, for the first time, issues related to the female body and its relationship with maternity, contraception, abortion, and gynecological violence. The feminist struggle of the 1970s employed comics because it understood their versatility and expressive potential, transforming them into influential tools of resistance. Research materials emerged from archives, women's libraries, and interviews with some key figures.