Como a História constrói misoginia ao invisibilizar as figuras femininas | Dia da Mulher

History is made by men and women. But it is told through men. There is a monopoly of cisgender male protagonism in historical records, silencing female characters who were equally—or, in countless cases, more—important in the milestones and developments of humanity. Did you know that Brazil's independence—proclaimed by Dom Pedro I—was actually engineered by a woman? Maria Leopoldina, the first empress of Brazil, wife of the "man-hero" of our history, was the one who took the lead at that crucial moment of rupture between the Latin American colony and Portugal. The then-prince regent, Dom Pedro de Alcântara, was inclined to return to Lisbon, as ordered by the court, but Maria Leopoldina—who shrewdly moved in politics and other spheres of power—convinced her husband to stay, seeing a more promising future in Brazilian lands. But who plays the leading role in oral history, books, and other cultural products that portray the Dia do Fico (Day of the Fico)? Pedro Américo's painting "Independence or Death," which tells the world, in images, of the cry of Ipiranga, depicts only male silhouettes and faces. This is symptomatic of a sexist culture, while simultaneously reinforcing it over the decades to this day. In this video, Professor Leandro Karnal highlights this and other notable female figures in Brazilian history—in politics, science, economics, literature, music, and sports. It would be impossible to name all the women who deserve to occupy their prominent positions but who end up silenced by patriarchal bias. But these dozen names listed in this video provide a sense of the relevance of these women—and how invisible they remain. March 8, International Women's Day, serves this purpose: to raise the fundamental discussion of women's invisibility. To what extent does this continue? Looking to the past—both distant and recent—is an important resource for gaining clarity on such pervasive harmful patterns. Reclaiming the transformative and revolutionary role of women in history is not about gender vanity—if such an argument needs to be justified. It is a fundamental issue of equality, the antidote to misogyny. The undervaluation of women in the workforce, ageist machismo, violence against women, and other misogynistic consequences stem from a poorly told history. And when this history is not retracted, it ends up reinforcing the error it created. What other women do you highlight in our history? Comment 👇🏽