“Minha vida tomou cor”: trajetórias, lutas e (r)existências de mulheres lésbicas no Ceará

Abstract

Since the 2000s, Ceará has presented advances in terms of public policies for LGBTQIA+ people, the social movements formed by these subjects are the main precursors of legislative, cultural and epistemological transformations. Therefore, this research investigates women who call themselves lesbianities, about the constitution of their lesbianities and ways of coping with lesbophobia. In the research, the idea of lesbianides is used because it refers to the singularities and pluralities of lesbian women's experiences, that is, a more subjective perspective on how lesbian women understand and place themselves in the world. Other clippings such as race, class, territory and generation can contribute to this process. Starting from the following question: what practices of resistance to lesbophobia are woven by lesbian women in their trajectories? The general objective is to analyze practices of (r)existence to lesbophobia in the trajectories of lesbian women in Ceará. The specifics being: knowing how women narrate the constitution of their lesbian experiences, from an intergenerational and intersectional perspective; to analyze with lesbian women the expressions and coping strategies against lesbophobia in their trajectories and, finally; discuss challenges and possibilities of the political organization of lesbian women's struggle in organizations, movements, collectives and/or groups that deal with LGBTQIA+ issues. Therefore, the qualitative research is based on participant research as a modus operandi, both in the interview with 13 lesbian women, as well as in the insertion of activities and manifestations of coping with lesbophobia. The methodological tools are: autobiographical interview and construction of field diaries. Feminist and decolonial assumptions were used to radicalize not only the way of doing research, but of producing situated knowledge, located in time and history, that is, an embodied ethical-political attitude. The results point to the diversity of lesbian experiences, which are 17 permeated by distinct socio-historical, political and cultural contexts. The main expressions of lesbophobia identified include invisibility, stigmatization and emotional violence, which manifest themselves in family, school and professional environments. The coping strategies of these women involve building support networks, seeking safe spaces and actively participating in political and social movements. These practices are fundamental for the affirmation of their identities and resistance to discrimination. The research also highlighted the importance of an inclusive and intersectional approach in Psychology and suggests that future studies explore intersectionalities and the impact of public policies on lesbian experiences in greater depth.