For the first time in history a woman — Virginia Raggi — will be the mayor of Rome. And here is how NBCnews.com chose to let us know that:

Think a man would’ve gotten that same headline? Yes, part of her reasons for standing for mayor were issues related to how it’s difficult being a mother in a city with decaying infrastructure (sound like anywhere else you know?).

If it were a man though, no matter what had spurred his political awakening the headline would’ve read something more like: “Lawyer Vows to Clean Up Infrastructure Woes in the Eternal City” or something of that nature.

This frames poor city services and a decaying societal framework as the concern of women — and that’s not the first time I’ve seen such equivalence. I guess Real Men just make do. No bridge? Just toss a rope across and brachiate. What are you, weak? Some kind of sissy?

Expect to see more of that sort of rhetoric as the US further declines.