Have you heard about the feminist movement in Indonesia? The movement arose due to social constructs that restrict women’s movements and impose negative stigmas on them. For example, the association of colors with gender or the classification of occupations that limit women’s opportunities.


However, the feminist movement is not about reversing the roles of men and women, or oppressing men. In actuality, the movement aims to fight unjust systems like patriarchy. In Indonesia, the feminist movement began in the 1960s and became an issue during the new development era of the 1970s.

One famous figure in Indonesian feminism is R.A Kartini. She was a courageous woman who defied the highly patriarchal colonial system. In the biography “Panggil Aku Kartini Saja” by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, we can see Kartini’s struggles and high spirit in fighting for women’s rights.

But, behind her bravery were also many injustices that she had to face. We can see this from her school days, where it was very difficult for women to receive education during colonial times. Girls were not even allowed to leave their homes, much less attend school.

From here, we can observe that women were considered weak and uneducated. However, this fact only motivated Kartini to fight for education. Her journey was not easy though, as she faced discrimination like racial discrimination that claimed native skin and intellectuality were inferior to the colonizers’.

Kartini had to go through a period of seclusion and could not continue her studies at HBS as she wished. During this time, Kartini had a deeper reflection and was forced to understand issues that were not deemed her job. Nevertheless, she remained strong and did not give up.

Upon completing her seclusion period, Kartini regained her freedom. In another chapter, we can see that Kartini also paid attention to the lives of common people and their poverty. She observed feudalism within her own society and rejected the notion that it only belonged to the elite class.

Therefore, Kartini fought for education for her society and corresponded with her European friends. Even their letters were compiled by Mr. J.H. Abendanon and published with the title “Door Duist”.

That’s a bit of a glimpse into the feminist movement in Indonesia and its figures like R.A Kartini. Apart from Kartini, there are many other remarkable women in Indonesia who fight for women’s rights and against unjust systems.

The feminist movement is not about oppressing or overpowering men. It aims to create equality and justice between men and women in various aspects of life.

However, the struggle for women to achieve equality still faces many obstacles and challenges. There are still negative stigmas and stereotypes about women that makes the feminist movement relevant to this day.

Therefore, let us support the feminist movement and continue to fight for a world that is fair and equitable for all genders. Every person deserves to achieve their dreams and potentials without being hindered by discrimination and injustice.