Mulheres cientistas e suas representações nos livros didáticos de biologia: o que a moda tem a nos dizer?

Abstract

What is the style of a scientist beyond the lab coat? Fashion, as a language, builds identities and conveys messages, yet Biology textbooks still reinforce stereotypes by portraying scientists only in laboratory attire. This erases the plurality of women in science, especially Black women, whose representations are shaped by racism and the whitening of scientific life. This study analyzes how scientists are represented in these textbooks through their clothing, discussing the symbolic elements in their images and understanding fashion as a tool of resistance against gender and racial oppression. It is a qualitative, documentary research based on image analysis and interpreted through Bardin’s (1977) content analysis. Results reveal some humanized representations, with patterned clothes, colorful accessories, and personal styles, that bring science closer to society. However, such images remain rare.