Paper short abstract:

We will take as examples of analysis, in this paper, two fields of political struggle in gender and sexuality in which Brazilian anthropology had an important contribution.

Paper long abstract:

Brazil has strong Anthropological research in gender and sexuality. This theoretical production is closely linked to the development of feminism as a political ideology and as a reflection theory that emerged in Brazil in the 1970s. Unlike other intellectual traditions, in which gender and sexuality belong to different thematic and disciplinary fields, in Brazil these two themes constitute a single field of study, usually composed of researchers who defend feminist theories and queer theory and activists of feminist and LGBTTT movements within the same framework for analysis. Add to this another feature of this field of study, which is the strong relationship of the academic field with the production of public policies from the demands of the state. We will take as examples of analysis, in this paper, two fields of political struggle in which Brazilian Anthropology had an important contribution. The first relates to studies of violence against women, which had a significant contribution in the establishment of one of the first laws passed in the world of defense of women in situations of violence, known as “Lei Maria da Penha” (Maria da Penha Law). The second is related to the recent legislation in the field of university and education; of respect for transgender identities, the political recognition of the "Social Name". From these two examples we will reflect on the Brazilian Anthropological contribution to transformation of social relations in contemporary times.