Então tu é machorra : masculinidades de mulheres na literatura brasileira

Abstract

This work aims at reflecting on the representation of lesbian female masculinity in Brazilian literature written by women since the second half of the 20th century, with emphasis on the latest decade of the 21st century. In order to do so, the novel Eu sou uma lésbica [(1980) 2006], by Cassandra Rios, published first as a magazine serial in 1980 and the short stories Amora , Botina and Flor, flores, ferro retorcido from the short story collection Amora (2015), by Natalia Borges Polesso have been chosen as objects. The ways in which lesbian women who not only diverge from hegemonic femininity but also showcase diverse gender configurations, not necessarily masculine, are depicted and treated is the core of this dissertation. Besides that, this research ponders upon the role of texts written by contemporary lesbians in Brazil and they weight of their creative and political proposal. To achieve such goal, authors Diedra Roiz, Drikka Silva and Natalia Borges Polesso were interviewed. Drawing from the writers perspectives, this work broaches what lesbian literature could potentially mean in the light of the presence of female masculinity in their work and in the poetic production of lesbian authors. Apart from the interviews with the three authors, the theoretical background chosen as foundation of this dissertation comes from Queer theory (BUTLER, 2015; HALBERSTAM, 2008), literary studies (FACCO, 2004; DALCASTAGNÈ, 2012), lesbian feminism (SOARES; COSTA, 2011; ALMEIDA; HEILBORN, 2008). This work tracks the path of contemporary lesbian literature in the search of a sapatão Poetics , based on texts by lesbian writers who allow for women outside the dominant norm of femininity to exist. It is noticeable that the existence of these women is systematically denied or used as comic relief in other media of communication. Hence, the starting point is the work of Cassandra Rios, pioneer in the representation of lesbian subjectivities, to approach contemporary literary productions that, following Rios steps, depict complex and diverse characters. Throughout this research, it was perceived that a sapatão Poetics calls for a multiplicity of lesbian identities and female masculinities , beyond the stereotypes connected to one s behaviour, their sexual practices, their line of work or the way they relate to other women.