TIME AND THEIR LEGACY: EXPERIENCES AND MEANINGS OF MATURE WOMEN IN POLITICS IN TOCANTINS – AMAZON TERRITORY

Abstract

The participation of mature women in political positions represents a complex phenomenon, marked by structural challenges and resistance strategies, especially in regional contexts such as Tocantins. This study aimed to understand the meanings attributed by mature women holding political office in Tocantins, the Amazon Territory, to the mobilization of identity and their experiences in challenging structures of gender and age inequality. A qualitative multiple-case study approach was adopted, based on phenomenological epistemology, involving seven women aged 45 or older in political office. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The results showed that these women's political capital is forged through non-traditional paths; their political identities are constructed at the intersection of personal trajectories and collective commitments; age is experienced ambivalently, with ageism being overcome through the redefinition of maturity; Their actions and proposals convert experiences into concrete public policies to address inequalities. It is concluded that these women's trajectories challenge traditional conceptions of politics by incorporating dimensions of care, listening, and social innovation, which broadens democratic horizons in the Amazon context and offers pathways to more diverse and inclusive political representation.