Promise and devotion: catholicism and Girl Guides in Brazil

Alexandra Lima Da Silva,Evelyn De Almeida Orlando

doi:10.36253/rse-10519

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyze the main justifications for the expansion of Girl Guides in Brazil, a movement that featured a strong expression of female association, a tactic mobilized by certain female Catholic intellectuals to legitimize their circulation in the public space. It indicates education, culture and assistance as important fronts, in a group of actions aimed at securing the Catholic foundations of Brazilian society. Although the elementary principle of Girl Guides wasn’t connected to any one religion or belief, it’s possible to assess that the movement in Brazil was strongly intertwined with a religious and moral discourse in the form of the “good Girl Guide”, who should be pious and devoted to her promise of serving God and country, with clearly Catholic roots.

Highlights

Girl Guides was a movement founded in England in 1910, created by Baden Powell1, with the goal of providing complete education to young women
The Girl Guides movement took its first steps in Brazil in 1919
The Brazilian branch of the movement was organized through the creation of Federação das Bandeirantes, the national federation: On August 13th 1919 the Federação das Bandeirantes [Girl Guide Federation] was born in Brazil, as a civil society which intends to educate women for their family and Country, strengthened by Christian faith

Summary

Introduction

Girl Guides was a movement founded in England in 1910, created by Baden Powell1, with the goal of providing complete education to young women. The Brazilian branch of the movement was organized through the creation of Federação das Bandeirantes, the national federation: On August 13th 1919 the Federação das Bandeirantes [Girl Guide Federation] was born in Brazil, as a civil society which intends to educate women for their family and Country, strengthened by Christian faith.

Results

Conclusion