THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL? ONLY IF THEY WERE LIKE THE GIRLS FROM HOLLYWOOD

the representation of American women in the pages of the magazine “Fon-Fon” and the influence of the Good Neighbor Policy in Brazil during the Estado Novo

Abstract

This article plans to analyze the Brazilian illustrated magazine Fon-Fon as an important media resource during the Getulist dictatorial government of the Estado Novo (1937-1947), specifically within the context of the implementation of the U.S. Good Neighbor Policy in Brazil. The representations of this policy were adopted by Getúlio Vargas in his strategy to modernize the elite and middle-class Brazilian society, using American cultural style as a reference, as depicted in the magazine. In this context, the ideal of the American woman—particularly Hollywood actresses and models—was presented as the standard for Brazilian women to follow, requiring them to adopt the typical routine, fashion, and beauty standards of American women, conforming their bodies to these aesthetic regulations. Thus, this study seeks to question the political media discourse evidenced in the photographs of American actresses displayed on the pages of Fon-Fon, considering the disciplinary measures they conveyed. Methodologically, this study is anchored in authors such as Foucault (1999), Louro (2000), and Kossoy (2014). In this way, the study aims to contribute to an understanding of the relationships between media, politics, and gender in Brazil during the Estado Novo.