O gênero do discurso parlamentar: mulheres e homens na tribuna da câmara dos deputados

Data from a sample of nearly 12 thousand speeches on the floor of the Brazilian House of Representatives from 1999 to 2006 show that Brazilian Congresswomen expound on different issues as compared to their male counterparts. Does this reflect a different perspective by women, as some contend, or does the insulation of Congresswomen within these issues represent the reinforcement of a stereotype that impedes their access to central positions in the political field? In the latter case, the difference is due not to a distinct female sensitivity, but to the limited opportunities open to women in t...