Gender asymmetries and indignity in hereditary succession

This study analyzes the figure of Indignity, in the Brazilian Inheritance Law, by the focus of gender relations. It begins with the notion of gender, conceived as perceptions about the differences between the sexes that culminate in the construction of different cultural meanings attributed to women and men, to which are associated different and hierarchical social positions. The research carried out is bibliographical and documentary, exploratory and descriptive, using qualitative approach. It is argued that, in view of the reality of deep gender inequalities that mark patriarchal societies, a large part of the statutory legal provisions, like the Article 1,814 of the Civil Code, expose the normativity of situations in which hegemonic social groups assure their protection, in detriment of the society as a whole.

Key words:
Gender Relations; Inheritance Law; Indignity; Women; Violence