A female profession, but not feminist? Gender representativeness in the management of the Conselhos Regionais de Biblioteconomia in Brazil

Abstract

This research, of qualitative method and that used bibliographic and document analysis, analyzes the representativeness of gender in the Librarianship. The data analyzed come from the Conselho Regional de Biblioteconomia (CRB). Among the professionals registered in Brazil in March (data collection period), 82% are women and 18% men. It also notes that among CRB members the percentage of women drops to 75%, in the Board of Directors to 70% and in the Presidency of the body to 50%, a discrepant difference compared to the totality. In the light of the theoretical framework, it discusses and correlates with previous research on the same theme the relationships existing in the predominance of men in political activity, as well as the sexist language that generalizes in the male, regardless of the great female representativeness. It concludes that the debate needs a larger space for discussion with insertions of the theme, both in training and in the professional field so that machist practices are rethought in the light of gender studies and feminist discussion, as it was found that they still do not find resonance in the discourses and practice of librarianship and so that, beyond a female profession, it becomes a feminist profession.