Today, discussing inclusion, gender, and diversity, as well as observing female lawyers, is common, although this was not always the case.
The International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that the fight against a patriarchal past is ongoing. Progress is evident, such as the rise in the percentage of elected female mayors in recent municipal elections.
It may not seem like much, but it’s progress rather than regression. We called upon the initial Brazilian attorney to testify, reflecting on the journey we’ve taken to reach this point.
Today, the importance of this article is more significant than ever.
What would Myrthes Gomes de Campos say if she were present?
My name is Myrthes Gomes de Campos, and even though I was the first authorized lawyer by the Brazilian Lawyers Institute, I was the second woman to graduate in law. Maria Augusta Saraiva was the first to graduate in 1897, and I followed a year later.
Esperança Garcia wrote a letter in 1770 to the governor of São José do Piauí denouncing violence and seeking justice. This act, later recognized as a petition, led to her being posthumously named the first female lawyer in the country 247 years later.
In 1902, I was the pioneer woman to practice law in a courtroom, a challenging task due to the prevalent and unquestionable presence of misogyny during that period when terms like inclusion, gender, and diversity were nonexistent.
The two major global conflicts, which can now be seen as a significant example of extreme masculinity, had not occurred yet in history.
Today marks a new era where women achieve success and respect in various fields, including space exploration. It brings joy to witness that what used to be a challenge for women is now commonplace. Being a trailblazer is significant, but the utmost importance lies in having the courage to pursue one’s passion and profession, in this case, being a female lawyer.
Gender-neutral equality in law
Society has progressed in discussing inclusion and diversity, but gender inequality still persists, indicating the need to further advance in reclaiming suppressed rights for women.
Below is a chronological line.
In 1770, Esperança Garcia wrote a petition, but it took 247 years for her to be acknowledged as Brazil’s first lawyer.
In 1897, Maria Augusta Saraiva becomes the initial woman to enroll in Law.
Myrthes Gomes de Campos became the first female lawyer in Brazil in 1898, being the second person to study Law.
Maria Augusta made history in 1902 by becoming the inaugural woman to serve as a juror in the Court.
In 1950, Esther de Figueiredo Ferraz became the first woman to hold a position on the OAB Council.
In 1965, Bernardete Neves Pedrosa became the first female law professor.
In 1982, Esther becomes the initial Minister of the nation, serving in the Education and Culture department.
In 2000, Ellen Gracie Northfleet became the initial Minister of the Supreme Federal Court.
Norma Cavalcanti becomes the first woman to be appointed as vice president of CONAMP in 2002.
In 2004, Ellen Gracie assumes the role of President of the Supreme Court.
In 2006, Ellen Gracie is appointed as the Vice President of the Supreme Court.
Norma made history in 2014 by becoming the first female president of CONAMP.
Norma is elected president again in 2016.
This is simply a summary highlighting the limited involvement of women in advocacy.
Seeing the obvious can be challenging.
51.7% of the population in Brazil are women, while 48.3% are men.
6 out of every 10 OAB cases are in women under 25 years old.
54% of female lawyers are aged between 26 and 49.
55% of females enroll in law colleges.
But solely:
10.5% of females occupy political roles.
16.3% attained a higher education by the age of 25.
39.1% hold a managerial role.
30% of female lawyers working in law firms are promoted to partners.
These figures are not indicative of all work settings, but rather a typical scenario. Many workplaces are traditional, and chances for leadership roles are scarce.
The difficulties
Being the first is not important; what matters is that everything starts to blossom after a waterfall.
We have a lot to accomplish together, inspiring both women and men who wish to break down barriers and embrace a more compassionate and balanced world. The primary challenges we need to address in advocacy work are:
Task overload – the hidden influence of masculinity
Culturally, women are often expected to take on additional tasks beyond their primary job responsibilities, which are considered secondary and typically not performed by men. These tasks can be small, almost imperceptible, and simple, like making photocopies or preparing coffee for a meeting.
Harassment – a serious problem of blatant structural sexism
Furthermore, in addition to all that, there is persistent harassment related to our clothing choices, skirt length, suggestive comments, inappropriate insinuations, strange propositions, degrading jokes, and unwelcome stares at certain parts of our body – all accompanied by the perpetual feeling of guilt for being out alone at night.
I bid farewell, feeling a mix of emotions as we make progress but also mourn the ongoing issue of gender violence, particularly the rise in femicides during the pandemic. I hold onto hope, recognizing that while I may have been one of the first to speak out, there are now millions joining the cause.
Happy International Women’s Day! Our adventure goes on!
Download our infographic Women’s Evolution in Law for relevant information and statistics references. Share with others as this is an important topic for discussion.