BRAZIL

Election of Black Women Doesn't Just Benefit Black Women, Says Political Scientist

Tainah Pereira says it is necessary to remove the idea that electing black people to public office is identitarianism

Mar.7.2022 
Tayguara Ribeiro

SÃO PAULO

Although black women are the largest demographic group in the country and represent 28% of the Brazilian population, they are underrepresented in political office.

In the Chamber and Senate, for example, there are only 14 black parliamentarians, which corresponds to just over 2% of the seats in the National Congress.

To try to change this reality, the Mulheres Negras Decidem (Black Women Decide) Movement emerged in 2018. It is currently coordinated by political scientist Tainah Pereira, 28.

"We are committed to having a more sophisticated debate on the issue of identities. To remove from the media this idea that the election of black people, the election of LGBTQIA+ people has to do with identity or with making policies only for that social group," he says.

The project promotes meetings to discuss the functioning of the political system, debates and training spaces.

In addition to supporting the candidacies of black women in elections for positions in Congress and the Executive, Mulheres Negras Decidem also supports the participation of black women in disputes for positions in several other spaces, such as tutelary councils.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en