Novie Fauziah, Jakarta – Celebrity and renowned Indonesian designer Ivan Gunawan, commonly known as Igun, was recently fired from his job as a TV host for being too feminine.
The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) had warned and sanctioned Igun as he was found to display scenes implying the normalization of men adopting a feminine style, showcased to the public on the "Brownis" program on Trans TV. As a consequence, Igun had to exit the television program.
The warning issued by KPI was also posted on the @kpipusat Instagram account. The post stated that Igun had committed violations of the broadcasting guidelines.
"This is considered a violation of ethics and norms as outlined in the Broadcasting Behavior Guidelines and Program Standards (P3 and SPS) of KPI in 2012," KPI said in its statement quoted on Friday.
The violation occurred on Oct. 30, 2023, as Igun appeared on TV using clothing, makeup, accessories, and feminine body language.
In December, KPI requested Trans TV to explain and ask the TV station to undertake internal improvements and refrain from repeating the same violation.
Igun commented on KPI's Instagram post, questioning why he was the only one reprimanded while male singer Rhoma "King of Dangdut" Irama, who consistently wears scarves, did not receive any warning.
"Why didn't you reprimand Haji Rhoma Irama for wearing heels and a scarf?" questioned Ivan Gunawan.
Previously, Igun explained that his feminine appearance was inspired by 1960s fashion trends. He said that this is part of his character, and he does not want to change it.
"This is my character; I don't want to change. Maybe I was born different, not like the average man, but I'm happy with the life God gave me," said Igun some time ago.
Igun also expressed his hope that future leaders would respect the life choices and styles of others while remaining productive in all fields.
"For anyone who will be president and vice president, hopefully, creative people with characters like mine, somewhat feminine, can work anywhere and still be productive. This is 2024; remember that times are advancing, not regressing," he said.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/lifestyle/male-host-ivan-gunawan-fired-for-being-too-feminin