“Brides” without Husbands: Lesbians in the Afro‐Brazilian Religion Candomblé

Abstract

In this article, I seek to update and deepen the conversation about female same‐sex sexuality in Candomblé through description and analysis of the ethnographic data that I have gathered in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil for the past ten years. Instead of focusing on the topic of male same‐sex sexuality in the religion, which has been studied internationally by numerous scholars since the late‐1930s, I concentrate on black lesbians’ experiences in Quêto houses of Candomblé in Salvador. In the article, I argue that lesbians find different forms of affirmation in Candomblé than do gay men; these differences stem from certain theological and hierarchical aspects of the religion and from the influence of Brazilian gender and sexual ideologies on the religion. Unlike gay men, who find affirmation both as men and men who have sex with other men, lesbians are only affirmed as women and not as sexual beings in this purportedly matriarchal religion. This analysis of black lesbians’ encounters with Candomblé also highlights the inability of present‐day academic discourses about same‐sex sexuality, which typically focus on men's behavior, to describe adequately the lived experiences of black lesbians in Brazil, and throughout the African Diaspora.

Ain't I Too a Mulher? Implications of Black Lesbians’ Well‐being, Self‐care, and Gynecology in Brazil

“…I draw on an anthropological tool kit of approaches and analyses that aim to both decolonize and rework (Harrison 1997, 2008) anthropology, particularly as a field that includes the study of the people of the African diaspora (J.S. Allen 2012; Farfán‐Santos 2015, 2016). My ethnographic research evidences that gender in Brazil is rigidly framed by heteronormative binary ideas and processes of gender identity, norms, and performances via identification of people as either homen (man) or mulher.…”

“…Nonetheless, this presentation was very important for Luciana because she is not just a devout Candomblé member but also takes pride in how her sexuality is accepted by her priestess and in her terreiro. Unfortunately, this is not a freedom that many women experience in Candomblé (Allen 2012). These women often reflect on their self‐understanding of themselves as descendants of Africans who brought their religion to Brazil (Harding 2000).…”

“…These women often reflect on their self‐understanding of themselves as descendants of Africans who brought their religion to Brazil (Harding 2000). Luciana believes that her “religion does not discriminate against gays and lesbian, like other religions” and that “Candomblé is open to everyone.” At first, such a welcoming attitude seemed like a contradiction to me, given the extent of homophobia by many Candomblé members and the religion's leaders (Allen 2012). Although Luciana's sexuality was accepted in her terreiro, her gender expression was often challenged by microaggressions from heterosexual male members.…”

“…Luciana was deeply committed to revealing self‐interpreted dimensions of herself for my research to envision her ideas of social change in Brazil. I understood that for many women, like Luciana, their Candomblé beliefs and identity were critical for appreciating how they resist all forms of intolerance within their society against them because of skin color, gender, and sexuality (Allen 2012). For example, Luciana's attitude against religious intolerance drives her to engage in activities such as protests and marches against religious intolerance, which she, like many others in the religion, interprets as a form of racism.…”

Ruth Landes and the remaking of the anthropological canon

“…However, the consequences of the pioneering contributions of social scientists' such as Roger Bastide, Florestan Fernandes, Lévi-Strauss, Buell Quain, Charles Wagley are still very much a part of contemporary history in Brazil, when considering themes such as ethnographic authority, the Black Atlantic (Gilroy, 1993), comparative race relations, religious tolerance and diversity, democracy, sexual rights and erotic justice (Allen, 2012;Epprecht, 2013). Ruth Landes' fieldwork experience can illustrate contemporary anthropologists' positions about different forms of oppression in Brazil today.…”