Difference and identity in the contemporary feminist movement: the Rio de Janeiro Marcha das Vadias (Slut Walk)

• In Event: Brazilian Feminisms Then and Now

Abstract

The aim of this paper to analyse the contrasts and continuities in the way of “doing feminism” between different generations and groups in Brazil. The starting point is the Brazilian Slut Walk (Marcha das Vadias), a protest that has been highlighted in the current Brazilian feminist movement. With slogans such as “We’re all sluts”, the protest's main demands are the end of “sexual violence”, “victim blaming” and “slut shaming” and the defense of “freedom” for women and their bodies. Participants in Marcha das Vadias greatly invest in the presentation of their bodies. Some women show their naked breasts, others wear brassieres, high heels and red lipstick. By emphasizing bodies, sexuality, provocation and by attracting new political subjects, such as men, sex workers and transgender people, the protest brings innovations to the feminist movement and differs from already-established formats, gaining both supporters and detractors. In the debates brought about by the protest within the feminist movement, activists formulate narratives about “self” and the “other”, evaluations of what is and is not legitimate in feminism that draw borders and produce re-accommodations within the political field. From there, this study seeks to analyze the practices and perceptions concerning feminism, body, difference and identity held by participants of this protest and how they differ from or are similar to those of other feminist generations and groups. This study is based on a two-year-ethnography of the Rio de Janeiro Marcha das Vadias and interviews with feminists.

Author

• Carla C Gomes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro