“We are all antifascists” translates literally to “we are all antifascists.” The phrase serves both as a declaration of collective identity and as a rallying cry. Its use goes beyond traditional activism: it circulates in marches, on banners, in stadium chants, and, in recent years, in variations that modify the pronoun or ending to include other political subjects.
Italian origin of the antifascist slogan and political function
The slogan is part of a tradition of resistance to Italian fascism that dates back to the opposition to Mussolini’s regime. The phrase is not attributed to a single author. It emerges as a collective cry, passed down from generation to generation in Italian political culture.
Its grammatical structure is deliberately simple. “Siamo” (we are), “tutti” (all), “antifascisti” (antifascists): three words that establish a collective subject, a universal quantifier, and a political position. This simplicity explains its persistence and ability to transcend contexts.
As shown by recent articles on Perspective Media, the French translation and its inclusive variants are generating increasing interest beyond Italy. The slogan does not remain fixed in history: it is reactivated with each mobilization.
In September 2026, a march in Venice chanted this phrase in response to provocations attributed to content creators associated with the radical right. The slogan then functioned as a collective response to a digital staging of political confrontation, rather than as a mere historical reminder.
Inclusive variants in Italian: from “tutti” to “tuttx” and “tutte”
The word “tutti” in Italian is a masculine plural with a generic value. It is meant to encompass everyone, but feminist and queer movements have challenged this supposed neutrality for several decades.
Three main variants are currently circulating:
- “Siamo tutte antifasciste” feminizes the entire phrase. The pronoun “tutte” and the adjective “antifasciste” change to the feminine plural. This form explicitly refers to a female political subject and claims a place in the antifascist struggle.
- “Siamo tuttx antifascistx” replaces gendered endings with the letter “x.” This approach, borrowed from inclusive writing practices in Spanish and English, aims to neutralize grammatical gender and include non-binary individuals.
- “Siamo tutt* antifascist*” uses the asterisk in the same logic as the “x,” with a different graphic convention. The asterisk is more common in traditional Italian activist circles.
These modifications are not mere typographical games. Each variant redefines who is speaking and who is included in the “we.” The journal La Déferlante dedicated an analysis to the “tuttx” variant, linking it to the construction of a queer antifascist front where the struggle against fascism and the fight against gender norms converge.
French translation of the slogan and activist adaptation
The direct translation, “we are all antifascists,” poses a problem similar to that of Italian: the generic masculine “all.” French adaptations therefore follow parallel logics.
“Nous sommes tou·tes antifascistes” uses the mid-point, the most widespread inclusive writing convention in France. “Nous sommes toutes antifascistes” adopts full feminization. “Nous sommes toustes antifascistes” merges the two forms into an oral neologism, common in marches.
The circulation of the slogan between Italy and France is documented. This transnational transfer shows that the slogan does not function as a mere translation, but as a sign of recognition among movements that see themselves as allies.
Contemporary antifascism: a slogan that has become a civic marker
Reducing “Siamo tutti antifascisti” to a far-left slogan would be inaccurate. Recent mobilizations in Italy show a broader usage.
In Venice, the September 2026 gathering brought together local residents and community associations. The slogan functioned there as a marker of a local civic front, in response to assaults related to provocations on social media around immigration and the Muslim presence. The phrase “Venezia è antifascista” (Venice is antifascist) territorialized the message: the political subject was no longer an abstract “we,” but a city defining itself collectively.
This territorialization alters the pragmatic meaning of the slogan. It shifts from a declaration of ideological identity to a claim for public space.
The slogan adapts to each context without losing its basic structure. Whether chanted in Italian, translated into French, feminized, or territorialized, it retains the same mechanism: establishing a collective “we” in the face of what is identified as a fascist or authoritarian threat.
The inclusive variant does not contradict the original version; it clarifies its scope. The debate over grammatical endings is, in reality, a debate about who has the right to claim to be part of this struggle.
