Authorship of 19th-century women in Latin American social thought

the press as a strategy of self-representation

Abstract

We address the contribution of A Família and A Mensageira, founded respectively by Josephina Álvares de Azevedo and Presciliana Duarte de Almeida, to the emancipation of Brazilian women in the 19th century. To understand the themes addressed in this newspaper and magazine, we used bibliographic review and content analysis, along with the concepts of 19th-century press, women, Latin American social thought, and androcentrism. The research findings indicate that both publications were fundamental in defending women's rights, especially regarding education, which was seen as an essential means for women's emancipation. They not only challenged the patriarchal norms of the time but also contributed to the formation of a critical consciousness among women, highlighting the press as a significant space for struggle and self-representation.