Reported by: Ahmad Hadid
There are many people who are still confused in understanding what gender is. Gender has been mistaken as biological sex. In fact, gender refers to roles associated with a certain sex that are socially constructed. This was stated by Asih Widiyowati in a Gender and Feminism Seminar, on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at the Auditorium of the Tarbiyah and Teacher Training Faculty in State Islamic Institute (IAIN) of Syekh Nurjati Cirebon.
“It is society that constructs roles of how to be a man or a woman. We have been constructed since we’re born starting from given a name, type of toys, clothes, and how to live a good life,” Asih said.
Every person born to perform attached attributes given by society, that men are supposed to be masculine and women feminine. Women have to be kind, gentle and sweet, while men have to be strong, tough and should not cry.
Society also constructs gender roles, in which men have to work in the public sphere to earn a living, while women in the domestic space take care of housework.
“From these roles, men are seen as the leaders of the family and women as caretakers of the household. Men as leaders must be strong, initiate things and be responsible. He has to make a living and support all members of his family. Meanwhile, women are weak and they must be protected, they must obey and obey. She has to stay at home and work taking care of the household and raising children,” she explained.
These gender roles also differentiate children’s character building. Boys are raised with strict parenting styles, they are taught that boys never cry. While girls are brought up with a more gentle parenting style, they are taught that girls have to be polite and graceful.
“From these gender roles, gender burdens and inequality often arise. I aspire men and women to be equal. Sitting as low, standing as high,” she added.
The seminar committee, Isna, explained that the seminar was part of the Ramadhan Vaganza event organized by the Biology College Students Association (HIMBIO) of IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon.
“We feel that students need to understand the concept of gender so as not to stigmatize and oppose someone’s characters among students,” she said.
Isna also added that this activity was part of the HIMBIO Gender Department’s agenda to strengthen knowledge for biology student activists. In order that students continue to learn and follow the knowledge development related to feminism and gender.
“So that they have provisions when relating among them,” she said.[]
This article was translated by Napol Riel.