Dilma Rousseff and the Challenge of Fighting Patriarchy Through Political Representation in Brazil
2012; Bridgewater State University; Volume: 13; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1539-8706
Autores Tópico(s)Gender, Sexuality, and Education
ResumoDilma Rousseff is the first woman elected head of state of Brazil. Although her election carries symbolism for Brazilian women, claims of women's emancipation through representation must be questioned through an analysis of the Brazilian patriarchal state. This paper examines the claim that Rousseff's election opens doors for all Brazilian women. The research involves analysis of electoral statistics, media frames, and government documents, which show that, in spite of woman president, women's representation in Brazilian government is still low in numbers and in the state agenda. The literature suggests that masculine gender hegemony and the presence of patriarchal state undermine the creation of possibilities through women's political representation. Rousseffs weak campaign positions on gender issues indicate that her election's potential for substantive representation is still limited. Keywords: patriarchy, political representation, Brazilian politics Introduction This paper explores the ambiguities related to claim-making regarding women's emancipation in Brazil through the election of President Dilma Rousseff. On October 31, 2010, the Brazilian voters elected the country's first woman president, Dilma Rousseff, as the successor of popular Worker's Party President Luiz Inficio Lula da Silva. The media, Rousseff, and her supporters argued that her election represented victory for Brazilian women. This claim is based on the assumption that political representation by engenders the government and results in public policy designed to diminish overall gender inequality. This essay examines the ambiguities surrounding Rousseff's election and the first three months of her mandate. Media reports and public statements from the campaign period in addition to public policy announcements from the first 100 days of Rousseff's administration are examined through Marxist feminist lens in order to measure the power of women's political presence to challenge masculine hegemonyi and patriarchal structures. This power is reflected in woman politician's ability to represent other both symbolically and substantially. The data collected will reveal that, from systemic perspective, it is unlikely that Rousseff's election can substantially challenge patriarchal structures and promote radical improvement in women's lives. I will argue that this is largely due to the lack of strong position on gender issues and uncertainties regarding Rousseff's own gender awareness. In addition, although her election evokes important symbolism, the impact of Rousseff's ability to symbolically represent as group is diminished by the continuity of masculine hegemony in the political arena. Feminist theoretical dialogues on women, the state, and politics Four important theoretical concepts are useful to understanding woman's prospective of engendering the state through politics. We must consider patriarchy and its structural stronghold of the state and how it relates to the presence of masculine hegemony. In addition, the connection between gender awareness and political representation must be made, especially since political representation may be symbolic (or descriptive) and/or substantive. Heidi Hartmann defines patriarchy as a set of social relations which has material base and in which there are hierarchical relations between men, and solidarity among them, which enable them to control women (Hartmann 1976, 138). Other research on gender domination expands on this definition to argue that patriarchal systems promote the oppression of femininity by masculinity and heteronormative relations (Frank 1987). Rosemary Hennessy explains that patriarchy is differential, since while all as group are positioned the same (as subordinate or other) in relation to men, they are positioned differently in relation to each other and at times in relation to men in subaltern groups (Hennessy 2000, 24). …
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