Perception of women in relation to self-image and structural chauvinism in a reference service in Pernambuco

Abstract

We sought to understand the implications of structural chauvinism in the perception of women's self-image. We opted for a cross-sectional, qualitative and exploratory cohort approach, with women aged 19 to 25 years in an outpatient clinic that is a reference in women's health care, from November 2022 to May 2023. Data were collected through semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews, and transcribed. Data analysis was guided by the content analysis technique performed by Bardin. The sample included 10 women, with an average age of 21.8 years and all declared themselves as black or brown. Of the ten participants, one is transsexual and nine are cisgender. The categories revealed, through the women's reports, that they recognize the existence of machismo, but with a distance from its crossings in their lives. There was also a lack of awareness about the relevance of self-image, and a closer look at this dimension of the female psyche. It is understood that there is a long way to go in understanding this phenomenon, as well as in health professionals' strategies for prevention and intervention in women's health care.