Names and Pronouns in the Portuguese Language: the Sexist Issue in Language and in Academia

Abstract

In this essay, I discuss the invisibility of female researchers due to Portuguese language norms and referencing guidelines for academic publications based on gender bias with regard to the crediting of women. With the exception of certain feminist journals, it is a general rule that male and female authors are referred to in articles, dissertations, and theses by their last names, which may reduce the perception of women who are cited in scientific research. Discussions about sexism in language, occasionally raised by the press in social discussions, are addressed here. The question posed is whether there could be a movement to revise the way women are credited in scientific papers. To this end, after the literature review, there will be a proposal that the crediting of female authors should be done in full, with first name, last name and the use of appropriate pronouns.