Corporeidades negro- femininas: a expressão da sexualidade em Olhos D’água de Conceição Evaristo

Abstract

Afro-Brazilian literature, aiming to distance itself from Eurocentric models of perceiving and portraying Black people, seeks to recover the history, memory, and identity of Afro-diasporic Black peoples elements that have long been forgotten and disregarded as part of Brazil’s formation. In this context, Afro-Brazilian literature not only serves to promote and value Black culture but also often assumes the role of denouncing the ongoing practices of violence and oppression against the Black population. As a result, various authors have gained recognition for their work and achieved national prominence over the past twenty years. Specifically, the writer Conceição Evaristo, through her concept of escrevivência (writing from lived experience), explores themes often considered taboo, such as sexuality and violence against Black women. Her work addresses not only physical violence but also psychological abuse, the marginalization of Black women in society, and the challenges they face due to the intersection of race, gender, and class.This study aims to analyze how the representation of Black female sexuality is constructed in Olhos d’Água through three short stories from the collection: <How Many Children Did Natalina Have?=, <Kiss on the Cheek=, and <Luamanda=. The analysis will focus on issues related to gender, race, and class, in order to demonstrate how these elements intersect and shape the identity and sexuality of Black women