“PROFESSORA, A SENHORA TEM UM QUÊ DE TEATRAL”:

Corpo e estética na pedagogia feminista negra.

Abstract

This article presents a discussion that originated in the dissertation defended in April 2025 as part of the Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Humanities at UNILAB. At the time, I investigated the praxis of Black women in higher education, and this current research represents a deepening of an often underexplored dimension within Black Feminist Pedagogy: the body and aesthetics of Black female educators. My aim is to understand the significance of the body and aesthetics in the teaching practices of Black women. To this end, I employ the theoretical framework of Escrevivência (Evaristo, 2020) to analyze the narratives of three study participants—Rosa Negra, Ayana, and Ayó—as well as to interweave my own experiences as a university professor. The theoretical foundation draws upon the works of scholars such as Cida Bento (2020), Grada Kilomba (2019), bell hooks (2013; 2022), Lélia Gonzalez (2020), among other Black intellectuals. The findings underscore that the body and aesthetics are central elements in the praxis of Black women, as these subjects engage in acts of insubordination and critical questioning within the university setting—a space historically shaped by and for white men.