Inside the Dark Corners: Carmen Dolores, a Feminist in Defense of the Divorce Cause (1905-1910)

During the First Republic, especially after the separation of Church and State and the institution of civil marriage in 1890, divorce became a topic of debate among the Brazilian population. Among the politicians, jurists, clerics, and journalists who dealt with the divorce issue was Carmen Dolores, the pseudonym of Emília Moncorvo Bandeira de Melo, a columnist for the newspaper O País. Carmen Dolores acted vigorously in the defense of the divorce cause, linking it to the incipient feminism that was beginning to take shape in Brazil and building bonds of solidarity with other activists of the cause. Her performance was not limited to the pages of the press, she was also present at the meetings of the Institute of the of Brazilian Lawyers (IOAB) as a listener to support lawyers in defense of divorce.

Keywords:
Marriage; Divorce; Press; Carmen Dolores