Or you can use a very simple technique that works everywhere:
Code:
em em {font-style:normal}
i i {font-style:normal}
.NameOfYourItalicStyle em, .NameOfYourItalicStyle i {font-style:normal}
This technique can be used because the css is looking for an em inside of an em, or an i inside of an i, or either inside whatever class you use that defines font-style:italic. It is a way to emphasize something by making it different from the surrounding letters/words. Most people would default em to italics but it certainly doesn’t need to… the em could denote a color, or a font size, or a text decoration… anything to emphasize the word.
Eg.
Code:
<p class="mentalspeak">I am emphasizing <em>this</em> word
within a phrase that is italicized.</p>
CSS:
.mentalspeak {font-style:italic}
.mentalspeak em {font-style:normal; color:red; text-decoration:underline}
RESULT:
I am emphasizing this word within a phrase that is italicized.
That provides a very clean, easy to read (in code view), and simple to code.