Women, for generations, have watched others make decisions that directly affected their personal and social lives without a medium for input. Dilma Rousseff, the first female president of Brazil, became a symbol of resistance in her youth after combating the military dictatorship. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Rousseff was a member of several left-wing guerrilla movements opposed to the military dictatorship that had taken power in Brazil in 1964, combating censorship, repression and human rights abuses. She was later arrested and tortured by military members. However, her resilience and commitment to her political beliefs have earned her recognition as a symbol of resistance. She remained active in politics, advocating for human rights, and eventually reached mainstream politics when she became the first elected female president in Brazil. Rousseff’s leadership exemplifies the potential of women in political roles and the fragility of their positions as they are threatened by misogyny.
Under Rousseff’s leadership, starting in 2011, Brazil continued to progress in reducing poverty and income inequality. Her government expanded social welfare programs such as Bolsa Família, which provided financial assistance to low-income families, and the Minimum Wage Policy, which increased the minimum wage to improve workers’ living standards in Brazil. She obviated infrastructure projects to improve transportation, energy, education and health care. Rousseff’s government promoted domestic consumption and investment, contributing to economic expansion in the early years of her mandate.
Rousseff took several steps to address gender-based violence and promote women’s rights in Brazil, launching the Women Living Without Violence Program that provided stations, shelters, hotlines and other support for victims of gender and domestic violence. She also launched Minha Casa Minha Vida, a program providing three million shelters for homeless people, giving priority to single mothers with children, who are often the hardest social group to lift out of poverty due to low job opportunities and accumulating responsibilities. She further implemented several campaigns supporting LGBTQ+ rights in schools. The public’s approval led to her second election in 2014, which was later interrupted by a politically motivated impeachment.
The primary accusation against Rousseff was her alleged manipulation of the federal budget to different investment areas, which was not considered a crime in previous cases, such as in the instance of the current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Roussef changed the national budget with the vision of increasing the funding for public education and the social programs she launched. However, she was accused of “pedaladas fiscais,” a non-existent financial crime. Such practice was previously employed by her predecessor and other presidents who advocated drastic changes that would reduce the severe inequality faced in Brazil. Rousseff’s impeachment was clearly politically motivated, as no evidence to take her out of office was ever raised.
Former President Rousseff’s tenure was also interrupted by conversations regarding her physical appearance to question her seriousness and intelligence. While Rousseff’s leadership and redistributive policies invited political enemies, her leadership style did not cross boundaries for what is considered unacceptable.
The case of Rousseff’s impeachment illustrates that deep-rooted gender biases and stereotypes persist in modern society. Despite progress in women’s rights and increased representation of women in various fields, women in leadership positions continue to face unique challenges and scrutiny that their male counterparts do not. The gendered double standard forces women to navigate a narrow path, and when they challenge or defy these expectations, they often face misogynistic backlash.
Rouseff’s leadership exemplifies the potential of women in political roles, as her journey from resistance to the presidency showcases the resilience and commitment that female leaders can bring to their positions. Women’s journeys in leadership are marked by a long history of struggle against patriarchal norms that must be dismantled to unlock the untapped potential of female leaders.
