UNAIR NEWS – “People nowadays, includes the people who in LSM (non-governmental organization) loudly speaks about basic study about gender. I would like to say to public that there is a basic study about gender. This study talks about the relation between men and women. The perspectives used (in Political process) that underpin the establishment of policies,” said the professor of Gender Sociology prof. Dr. Emy Susanti. M.A

Gender sociology is one of the subfields of social science that maps the problematic situation and examines the reality of gender issues in social life. In this study, theory and research are developed to address social constructs, as well as the interaction of gender dimensions with social power and social structures.

“There may be a policy about education that leads to gender equality, gender mainstreaming and women’s representation quota in the legislature was at least 30 percent, in fact there are underlying thoughts or perspectives. If we place perspective A, then the policy would come out with that perspective.” Prof. Emy said, a Lecturer of Faculty of Social and Political Science Universitas Airlangga.

She said that there were not many people know about gender study, the incomprehension lead to inequality relation between men and women. According to her, women have been hegemonies by a long-standing cultural structure.

The inequality relation just did not only happen in rural area, but also came to urban community. Woman did not realize that have been used by capitalist matter.

“Upper middle class women are affected by the gender complex. They didn’t realize that they were exploited and substituted. In fact, they, the young women proudly show their bodies. They didn’t realize that they’re exploited for profit or capitalist, “explained the Pacitan-born woman.

This women professor who also served as coordinator of S-2 (Master program) of Sociology Study Program FISIP UNAIR talked about the policy of women’s representative in Government. In her opinion, the number of women in government was unproportioned with society’s circumstances.

“Currently, there were many Indonesian women have been as minister. Indonesia also have ever had women president but it does not mean that the circumstances of society have changed, it’s not a matter,”

Women Must Have Power

Emy said that women must have power in any matter, either as worker, entrepreneur or housewives. Women were expected capable to be a backbone, including in their family, so the household economics went well

In the other side, the housewives also needed to be empowered. The writer of Kajian Keluarga Miskin dan Perangkap Kemiskinan di Perkotaan” said that a housewife was a proud occupancy, because from family, the following generation was expected to be the keen mastermind of development.

“What must be understood is that when they are working or not, protect her. Let she works as a housewife but protect her as a worker. Protect her from violence. Let her be at home but provide facilities for her children so they can be well educated, “said Emy.

“The housewives need to be taught and empowered. As wife and mother do not only watch the soap opera. They need to gain their capability. Why should women have to be smart? Because they can give the best for her family and children,” She said

Author: Defrina Sukma S