Gender inequalities, intersectionality, and queer theory: (in)visibilities and new possibilities of existence of Black Brazilian women entrepreneurs

Abstract

This study aims to understand how inequalities rendered invisible in entrepreneurship are constituted through an intersectional lens by analyzing the possibilities of existence of Black Brazilian women in male-dominated ventures. To answer the research question, we conducted in-depth qualitative study involving 14 Black Brazilian women entrepreneurs in the Southeast region of Brazil. Foucauldian discourse analysis techniques were employed to analyze the data, from which two major analytical categories emerged. The results showed that the enterprising man remains a successful, self-made professional, while the enterprising woman is seen as a professional with few skills. In the Brazilian context, intersectional aspects constitute fundamental social markers for understanding gender inequalities and invisibilities faced by Black women entrepreneurs. Another result was the possibility of (re)constructing the identities of Black Brazilian women in entrepreneurship through a queer theoretical lens, treating identity as an ongoing process. This involves queering both their identities and, consequently, entrepreneurship.