FEMINIST WOMEN PROFESSORS’ PROTAGONISM AND THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF GENDER IN THE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

This article aims to identify the challenges involved in incorporating a gender perspective into initial teacher education in Brazilian federal universities. It problematizes the concerning Latin American political context, marked by the rise of anti-gender movements that question the legitimacy of this debate within the field of education. The study is based on research grounded in the academic and formative experiences of four feminist professors working in Pedagogy programs and in the field of Gender and Education Studies, identified through the CNPq Research Groups Directory. The results highlight the social and academic impacts of these professors’ educational practices, with a focus on the social and political challenges that permeate their educational contexts. They emphasize the protagonism of these women, reaffirming their intentions, strategies, and forms of resistance to inequalities in the pursuit of a more democratic and plural university. Their experiences contribute to the development of critical thinking and to the advancement of emancipatory and democratic educational practices aimed at reducing inequalities and violence.