About ‘Comfortable Silences’: My Experience at the International Seminar Fazendo Gênero 13

Hi, this is Julia Mendes, WREN’s Brazilian Representative 😊

At the end of July, I had the pleasure of participating in the International Seminar Fazendo Gênero 13, organized by the Institute for Gender Studies at UFSC in Florianópolis, Brazil. The event was a deep dive into debates and exchanges of experiences on gender, public policies, minorities, motherhood, and much more. Along with my engineering research team, I immersed myself in discussions that moved and challenged me.

The Stark Reality

One of the most impactful moments was hearing Prof. Débora Menezes emphasize that “no right is guaranteed” and that we need to fight against religious fundamentalism. It’s a wake-up call not to become complacent. Another critical issue was the discussion about how CNPq (Brazil’s main funding body) handles gender identity — currently, only a binary option, reflecting a lack of sensitivity and inclusion in our public policies.

Focus on Motherhood

Motherhood was one of the most debated topics. We talked about the challenge of being a mother in academia and in a society that not only pushes women towards motherhood but also restricts abortion rights and then leaves women to “fend for themselves”, without any supportive policy framework in their academic careers.

The “comfortable silences” was a new concept that deeply resonated with me. It is convenient today to keep the status quo. It’s all too convenient to avoid collecting data or creating public policies that support mothers and minorities. The prevailing sentiment was clear: those in power do not always seek change, so perhaps it’s time for new leaders. (Critical qualitative representativeness, not only women as numbers in chairs/meetings/positions).

Discrepancy in University Positions

The disparity in the types of positions held by men and women in universities was a focal point of debate. Men tend to occupy more management roles with decision-making power, such as deans and vice-deans of finance and planning. In contrast, women often fill roles associated with teaching and care, such as vice-rectorates of teaching, research, and outreach—a division that mirrors broader societal inequalities.

Kicking the door open

What I took away from the event is the urgency to bring about practical changes. As one of the speakers said, to change something, “you need someone with a hand on the doorknob and another person to kick the door open.” It’s about active leadership and direct action.

What Now?

Returning from this meeting, I feel more committed than ever to the work of making the academic space a more welcoming and fairer place for everyone. We are building a feminism that not only includes mothers but is made by them and for them. We’ll continue to push these doors open, ensuring they don’t close behind us.

Acknowledgement: The Project “CAPES 88881.744259/2022-01 (Alteridade na Pós-graduação) – Diferenças de gênero na docência de Engenharias: diagnóstico e sugestão de conduta para os PPGs brasileiros” is funded by the Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES).