Abstract

SANTOS, Beatriz Oliveira  and  GERMANO, Idilva Maria Pires. Regulation of the Female Body in the Pharmacy Almanac d’A Saude da Mulher. Rev. Estud. Fem. [online]. 2020, vol.28, n.1, e57854.  Epub Jan 01, 2020. ISSN 1806-9584.  https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9584-2020v28n157854.

This paper discusses aspects of the regulation of the female body, from the end of the 19th century to the mid 20th century, based on the analysis of a selection of numbers from the pharmacy almanac entitled d’A Saude da Mulher (Women's Health). The publication was one of the most read by the ladies of that time and advertised the most popular medicine in the national industry for their health. It featured medicines ads, horoscopes, illustrations, letters from readers, among other contents. Involved in moral discourses, they acted as a pedagogical device, teaching, inspiring and regulating behaviors and modeling subjectivities, especially those of women, who should be docile, good mothers, wives and home caregivers. This essay argues how the almanacs acted as instruments of regulation of the female body, spreading ideals of femininity/virility, family, health, hygiene and national progress.

Keywords : Female body; Women's health; Pharmacy almanacs; Pedagogical device.

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