Mulheres negras na política maranhense: sub-representação na Câmara Legislativa Municipal de Pinheiro

Abstract

This study investigated the factors that determine the under-representation of black women in the Legislative Chamber of Pinheiro, a municipality located in the Baixada Maranhense. In this way, it sought to analyze the persistence of the deficit and lack of representation of black women councilors in the city council, even with the adoption of the gender quota system. As research subjects, we selected candidates, elected and not elected in 2020, for the position of city councilor and the president of the Partido dos Trabalhadores in Pinheiro, the only party based in the municipality. The research is classified as qualitative and quantitative in terms of methodological approach; exploratory and descriptive in terms of objectives; and bibliographical and documentary in terms of procedures. The timeframe of the study includes the 2017-2020 and 2021-2024 elections to the Pinheirense City Council. Data was collected using pre-existing databases and information found on institutional websites and official documents, as well as through interviews. Historical and dialectical materialism was used as a method of analysis and black feminism as a theoretical contribution, to better grasp the reality studied, build knowledge and reach the essence of the phenomenon investigated. To systematize the study, the types and methods of research, the profile of the participants and the process of data collection and processing were detailed. We discussed gender inequality and politics, emphasizing the inequality and under-representation of black women in the Pinheirense City Council, as well as the impacts of the racism-capitalism association on the existence of black women, focusing on the anti-racist and anti-capitalist struggles and resistance of black feminism in the face of oppression and intersecting inequalities of gender, class, race and ethnicity. A brief socio-political overview of Pinheiro was drawn up and the choice of this research locus was justified. Finally, we analyzed the political representation and occupation of power spaces by black women in the municipality, as well as presenting the results obtained from the interviews. Thus, considering that no women were elected in 2016 as councilors for the 2017- 2020 elections and only two were elected in 2020 for the 2021-2024 elections, it was found that patriarchal culture, lack of financial resources and party support, political violence based on gender and race, non-compliance with electoral laws and norms, the sexual division of labor linked to capitalism, patriarchy and racism and the little/existent party incentive to train female candidates are all factors that contribute to the phenomenon of under-representation of black women in Pinheiro