Norm spoiling, gender washing and the pushback against women’s rights in Brazilian foreign policy

Abstract

ABSTRACT The rise of radical right governments has intensified the pushback against gender norms in international forums. States who traditionally embraced gender equality in their foreign policies are now recreating their repertoires to resist their promotion. This was the case of Brazilian foreign policy under the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro. During his government, Brazil reoriented its foreign policy attitude, privileging family and moral values against the threat of 'gender ideology'. Yet, the rise of this anti-feminist foreign policy was suffused with ambivalence and inconsistencies. This article explores these contrasting repertoires to shed light on how anti-gender actors engage with gender equality norms in multilateral settings. We argue that Brazil used a double-track approach that combines norm spoiling and gender washing to maintain a conservative and yet acceptable international profile.