Dialogika

In this episode, we discuss the KPI’s (Indonesian Broadcasting Commission) decision to censor ‘effeminate male behavior’ in television broadcasting as well as blur female body parts in the 2016 Miss Indonesia pageant in the context of yet another attempt by the authorities to control people’s behaviors and feelings on gender and, by extension, the LGBT issue. We dig into the KPI’s history and question what authority they really have as a regulatory body. 

We also take a closer look into the patriarchy (THE PATRIARCHY) and how it harms women in very tangible ways — in particular through sex-selective abortion and domestic violence — within a general conversation around toxic masculinity (sprinkling in a bit of James Bond in there too).

Finally, we discussed how feminism can not only help men and women alike but is also not a Western construct, but something for all women of all places & all ages — closing the episode with a deeper look into our new favorite Indonesian feminist icon, H.R. Rasuna Said, as well as other lesser-known-but-equally-awesome Indonesian women throughout history.

Thanks for listening!

For those interested in learning more about the topic, we’ve provided links to resources as well as other recommended readings. 

BROADCASTING BODY CRITICIZED FOR BANNING ‘FEMININE MEN’ FROM TV — COURTESY OF JAKARTA POST

ASIA STRUGGLES FOR A SOLUTION TO ITS ‘MISSING WOMEN’ PROBLEM — A WALL STREET JOURNAL INVESTIGATION INTO SEX-SELECTIVE ABORTION IN ASIA

MORE THAN 100 MILLION WOMEN ARE MISSING — AMARTYA SEN’S LANDMARK 1990 ARTICLE ABOUT SEX-SELECTIVE ABORTION

THE LOST GIRLS— amartya sen’s latest update on the ‘missing women’ problem

TOXIC MASCULINITY IS KILLING MEN — HOW TOXIC MASCULINITY AFFECTS & HARMS MEN, COURTESY OF SALON.COM

RASUNA SAID — a brief introduction from “WOMEN IN SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS,” edited by susan blackburn & helen ting

R.A. KARTINI — probably indonesia’s most famous female hero, who definitely deserves plaudits for her achievements in promoting women’s right to education

BUT LET’S NOT FORGET that HE’S actually A MISOGYNIST — daniel craig tells it like it is about james bond

MUSIC CREDITS:

SOUL HIGH by RYAN LITTLE

MONTMARTRE by JAHZAAR

NIGHT OWL by BROKE FOR FREE