Abdullah Faqih – On 3 January 2024, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), the state agency authorised to oversee broadcast television content in Indonesia, issued a warning to Ivan Gunawan, a prominent male Indonesian fashion designer. The warning was prompted by his perceived feminine appearance (kewanitaan) on the Brownis variety show on a leading TV station, Trans TV.
Both Brownis and Trans TV were reprimand for what the KPI said was a violation of the 2012 Broadcasting Code of Conduct and Program Standards. As per the regulation, the KPI prohibits the normalisation of men dressing, grooming, and waving (melambai) like women.
In 2016, the KPI also established KPI Circular Letter Number 203/K/KPI/02/2016, which prohibited the normalisation of men appearing as women on TV, something which it claims is a violation of ethics and norms of courtesy, decency, and morality associated with Eastern culture (budaya ketimuran). The KPI believes that men who present themselves as women potentially have a negative influence on children.The reprimand of Gunawan for adopting a stereotypically feminine appearance highlights a significant issue in how authorities perceive masculinity. It suggests an ingrained view of men aligned with the concept of hegemonic masculinity.
In the Indonesian context, this concept was strongly emphasised during the New Order through the construct of "Bapakisme." This ideology distinctly separated gender roles, portraying men as providers, distant from domestic activities, and not affectionate, while women are considered to solely belong to the domestic realm and serve as companions to men (konco wingking) – assumptions from which Julia Suryakusuma's drew her concept of "State Ibuisme".
On the flip side, in early modern Indonesia, men who presented themselves in a feminine manner received a certain level of "acceptance" on TV and in other media. For instance, in 1979, Tessy, a male member of a comedic group called Srimulat who dressed as a woman, earned a spot on TV. The Indonesian Queer Archive, a project dedicated to preserving and celebrating materials on the lives of queer individuals in Indonesia, has also made an extraordinary effort by showcasing films like "Lenong Rumpi," "Jang Djatuh di Kaki Lelaki," and "Remaja di Lampu Merah" that clearly depict gender diversity representation on the silver screen. In contemporary Indonesia, Aming in Extravaganza, Aziz Gagap in Opera Van Java, and Olga Syahputra in Dahsyat also receive a certain level of acceptance to express feminine appearances.
However, even though they receive certain acceptance and celebration, it's important to acknowledge that these entertainers still face discrimination. Their representation is often seen as jokes (becandaan) and objects of mockery (olok-olokan), failing to capture the full breadth of who they are.
A new wave of LGBT panic?
Fair and comprehensive representation for diverse expressions of gender in popular media, including TV, remains crucial.
Yet the recent "cancellation" of Ivan Gunawan for violation of KPI bans on male "femininity" marks another phase of the LGBT panic that has lent justification to the 2016 KPI circular letter on "proper" gender presentation on broadcast media. In 2018, Trans TV's Brownis Tonight variety show received a warning from KPI for discussing transgender issues, as it was considered to have the potential to encourage children and teenagers to normalise inappropriate LGBT behaviours.
Source: https://www.newmandala.org/indonesias-problem-of-proper-masculinity