Abstract - This article investigates how the notion of fatherhood was played in the portrayal of masculinity in contemporary Indonesia, focusing on recent edition of men’s lifestyle magazines available in Indonesia. As a patriarchal country, men and masculinity was always treated as a norm resulted on the lack of men’s studies in Indonesia. This article argues that being the norm doesn’t always mean being the hegemonic. Fatherhood that have always been the essence of being a man in Indonesia apparently have been redefined in order to secure the what so called stereotyped masculine behavior.
“being a son means having a bigger responsibility because in the future he will become the head of the family” (Best Life Indonesia, 2012)
The above quote
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Indeed, being a dedicated father and husband is a man’s way of acquiring status. In the Indonesia male hierarchy, young men are subordinate to father and older male relatives until they have married and have formed family of their own. Several works focus on gender in Indonesia has indicated fatherhood as the idealized notion of masculinity (Blackwood, 1998; Graham, 2001; Clark, 2004; Nilan, Donaldson & Howson, 2007; Nilan, 2009). Man was expected to devote his life as reliable provider for his children and wife. No matter how wild man’s youth, once he is married and become father, he is expected to take care his family. Hence, family was man’s priority in life regardless his ambition and passion during …show more content…
As a result, fatherhood, which rooted in Indonesia’s masculinity, now is being detached. This research discovered contemporary men’s lifestyle magazines available in Indonesia do not consider fatherhood as their topic. Indeed, being a father and a husband were not on the magazine’s discourse about men’s life. After careful study from 7 most popular men’s magazines available in Indonesia including Esquire Indonesia, Men’s Health Indonesia, Men’s Folio, Best Life Indonesia, only the later provides fatherhood segment on each edition. While the other magazines focus more on men’s sex life, work life and men’s appearances. Therefore, in the following chapter, the article will discussed on how fatherhood was played in the portrayal of nowadays masculinity in Indonesia by (1) looking at historical and sociological factors that influence gender construction in Indonesia, (2) studying the changing of masculinity discourse and, (3) investigating the portrayal of fatherhood in Best Life Indonesia toward masculinity. Approximately 23 editions of Best Life Indonesia (BLI) were published during the years 2008-2012 and the whole editions from 2014 including three special editions on fatherhood were analyzed. Targeted on mid 30’s mature middle-class man, BLI was first published on November 2008. As a
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South Asian women engage in patriarchal values and normative structure established more than two thousands years ago, continue to be oppressed by a dominant group of men. These women suffer further oppression through the strict adherence to cultural garb. Still today, media and educational system portray South Asian women as self-sacrificing, faithful to the family, and submissive to men.
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India can be considered a masculine society. This is evident visually in the display of success and power, which is best observed in the flaunting of wealth. It is common for one to advertise their success. However as previously mentioned Indian culture is heavily influe...
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