THE STRUCTURAL LONELINESS OF THE BLACK SINGLE MOTHER IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This article analyzes the phenomenon of the structural loneliness of the Black single mother in contemporary Brazil from the intersection of gender, race, and class, identifying the impacts of this convergence on the social vulnerability and mental health of this group. Methodologically, it is an exploratory and descriptive study based on documentary research of secondary statistical data and a critical literature review. The investigation articulates the theoretical framework of Black feminism and the care economy with socioeconomic indicators drawn from IBGE and FGV IBRE. The results reveal that single-parent households in the country have a markedly Black demography (61%), characterized by deep socioeconomic asymmetries, in which 63% of these households survive below the poverty line and face severe constraints regarding income, sanitation, and education. Furthermore, it is found that the myth of the “strong Black woman” operates as a mechanism of dehumanization that renders their ethico-political suffering and parental burnout invisible, thereby legitimizing paternal abandonment and state disinvestment. The study concludes that the loneliness of these women goes beyond the emotional dimension, configuring itself as institutional and structural neglect. Finally, it highlights the urgency of addressing the care economy as an issue of distributive justice and historical reparation, demanding intersectional public policies.