BODY POLITICS AND THE IMPERIALISM OF PLEASURE: A DECOLONIAL HISTORY OF THE FEMALE BODY IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This study historically examines the ways in which coloniality structured the control of the female body and sexuality in Brazil, understanding these processes as expressions of an imperialism of pleasure that transformed bodies into objects of political, economic, and symbolic domination. It addresses the following research question: how have colonial legacies shaped the politics of the female body, and what forms of resistance can be identified against these structures of power? The study aims to investigate the historical construction of mechanisms governing female sexuality from the colonial period to the present, articulating issues of gender, race, class, and sexuality from a decolonial perspective. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative, historical-bibliographical approach, grounded in the critical analysis of historical sources, legislation, literary works, and scholarship in the fields of History, Decolonial Studies, and feminist theory. The analysis explores themes such as religious morality, slavery, regulated prostitution, the international trafficking of women, and the objectification of female bodies, highlighting the persistence of colonial mechanisms of power within Brazilian society. The findings demonstrate that the regulation of sexuality constituted a central dimension of coloniality, producing gender and racial hierarchies that continue to shape contemporary forms of violence, exploitation, and bodily control. The study concludes that a decolonial reading of the history of Brazilian sexuality makes it possible to challenge traditional narratives, foreground the experiences of historically marginalized women, and contribute to historiographical perspectives committed to social justice and the democratization of sexual and reproductive rights.