Política, poder local e imagem pública: a construção da imagem pública da mulher no processo de disputas e ocupação de cargos políticos em um município situado no interior da Paraíba.

Abstract

This study investigates the construction of the public image of women in the context of political disputes and the occupation of elected positions in a municipality in the interior of Paraíba, Brazil. The research starts from the observation of the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and analyzes how historical, sociocultural, and symbolic factors contribute to the persistence of gender inequality in local politics. Using a qualitative approach based on interviews, observations, and document analysis, the study reveals that women's political participation is still largely conditioned by family ties, the reproduction of gender stereotypes, and the moral surveillance that regulates women's public performance. The public image of female politicians is constructed amid tensions between traditional gender roles and the demands of political life, revealing legitimization strategies that navigate between the reaffirmation of feminine attributes and the adoption of practices associated with masculine political behavior. The analysis shows that, although there has been progress in recognizing women as political subjects, a prevailing social imaginary still limits their autonomy and imposes barriers to their performance. Despite these constraints, female presence in local power also produces subtle shifts in the dominant logic, opening cracks for symbolic and institutional reconfigurations.