JurnalPost.com - Imagine an old video showing a high-ranking official speaking English with hesitation, which then goes viral and becomes the subject of various media reports. This is what Puan Maharani, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), once experienced.
A framing analysis of reports by Suara.com and Kumparan noted how the way Puan delivered a speech at an Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) forum became a specific point of focus.
In one of its reports, Suara.com wrote:
"A video of DPR RI Speaker Puan Maharani is back in the public spotlight. This time, her video while giving a speech in English has become a target for netizens."
The video originated from Puan's speech while chairing a general debate session at the 143rd IPU General Assembly in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday (11/27/2021).
The question is simple: if a male politician had spoken with hesitation, would the scrutiny have been as intense?
Not an Isolated Case
This pattern is not an isolated phenomenon. A study in the Jurnal Komunikasi Dialogis regarding the media's response to Puan Maharani's reaction to demonstrations shows that female figures still face various forms of gender bias.
Such biases are visible through the focus on physical appearance, tone of voice, emotional expression, and the tendency to link a woman's identity to her family background, such as referring to her as the "daughter" of a prominent figure.
Tirto.id also once noted the circulation of memes when Puan was still serving as a minister. Some of these brought the issue of "muhrim" (kinship/marital status) into jokes regarding cabinet reshuffles.
A similar phenomenon was found in research published by the Jurnal Masyarakat & Budaya. The study showed that women involved in corruption cases are more frequently the object of reports that highlight their bodies and appearances, something rarely experienced by male perpetrators.
Meanwhile, a study on the coverage of female presidential candidates in the 2024 Election by Tirto.id, Tempo.co, and Kompas.com concluded that patriarchal ideology still influences how women are represented in political reporting.
This means that when women appear in political news, they are not always positioned as decision-makers or power holders. Often, they are judged based on their bodies, voices, expressions, and family backgrounds.
In communication studies, this phenomenon relates to the concept of framing, which is the way media selects and highlights certain parts of a reality.
A news headline highlighting someone speaking "hesitantly" might appear neutral. However, that choice also determines which aspects are considered important and worth discussing regarding a female leader.
Reading Through a Feminist Lens
Why does this condition persist?
In the book Communication and Gender, Merry Fridha Tripalupi (p. 58) places feminism as part of critical theory. This perspective examines the position of women within patriarchal societal structures, where women are often placed in lower or inferior positions.
Through this viewpoint, reports regarding Puan Maharani can be read more critically.
Simone de Beauvoir introduced the concept of women as the Other . In this line of thought, men are placed as the standard, while women are viewed as parties who are constantly tested for their worthiness.
As a result, mistakes or hesitation by women have the potential to be treated as proof of incompetence, while similar shortcomings in men can be considered human.
Gaye Tuchman explains this mechanism through the concept of symbolic annihilation, which is the process where the media ignores, belittles, or depicts women negatively.
When reporting focuses more on how a woman speaks rather than the political decisions she makes, the process of trivializing women's capacity can occur through media representation.
Radical feminism, as outlined by Rosemarie Tong, views patriarchy as the root of women's oppression. From this perspective, reporting that perpetuates gender stereotypes can be one of the channels that maintain such inequality.
On the other hand, liberal feminism emphasizes the importance of equal access through representation, quotas, and fair rules.
That approach is certainly important, but it is not enough. The presence of women in political positions does not automatically erase bias if their competence and capacity are still judged using different standards.
A seat of power without recognition of competence will only make women feel like guests in someone else's house.
The Vicious Cycle of Women's Representation
Bias in the newsroom does not emerge in a vacuum. This issue is closely related to the low representation of women in political power structures.
According to data cited by the DPR RI Library, women occupy approximately 22.24 percent of the 580 seats in the DPR for the 2024–2029 period. That figure is still below the 30 percent target for women's representation.
This representation issue also arises in the legislative nomination process. In the 2024 Election, the General Elections Commission (KPU) regulation regarding rounding down in the calculation of the 30 percent quota for female legislative candidates drew criticism for being considered a setback for women's political representation.
The Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) even ordered the KPU to correct 267 final candidate lists that were deemed not to meet the requirements for women's representation.
Meanwhile, research on political reporting ahead of the 2019 Election also noted previous findings that female politicians tend to be positioned as second-choice sources.
From this, we can see a cycle of interrelated problems.
When the number of women in power is still limited, their voices in political reporting also have the potential to be fewer. Representations filled with stereotypes then influence public perception of women's competence.
This perception can strengthen the hesitation of political parties and voters to provide leadership space to women. As a result, women's representation is difficult to increase significantly.
Criticism is Fine, Stereotypes Are Not
It must be emphasized that this article is not a defense of Puan Maharani or any specific female political figure.
Public officials, both men and women, must remain open to criticism. Policies, performance, political decisions, and public satisfaction levels are legitimate aspects to be questioned critically.
The problem arises when criticism of female officials shifts from the substance of policy to judgments based on gender stereotypes.
Fluency in speaking, intonation, appearance, or lineage can be discussed if they are truly relevant to public duties. However, these aspects should not be used as the sole measure to judge someone's political ability.
Criticism that focuses on substance can help the public understand public issues. Conversely, criticism built on stereotypes risks reinforcing prejudices against women more broadly.
The impact can even be felt by other women who are considering entering the world of politics.
There is one simple way that can be used to identify potential bias, namely through the gender reversal test.
Try replacing the woman's name in a report with the name of a male politician. If the perspective or word choice in the news feels awkward, there may be a bias that has been considered normal all this time.
This simple test can be done by journalists when editing news or by readers when consuming information through digital media.
The goal is not to protect women from criticism, but to ensure that criticism is directed at the right aspects, namely their actions, statements, policies, and political decisions.
The Way Out: Building Fairer Political Reporting
Reducing gender bias in political reporting requires the involvement of various parties, ranging from the media, politicians, election organizers, to the public.
First, newsrooms need to implement gender-sensitive reporting guidelines. Physical appearance should not be the main focus if it is not relevant to the public interest. The same applies to mentioning a woman's identity solely as the "daughter" of a certain figure.
Applying the gender reversal test can also be part of the editing process before a headline is published.
Second, the media needs to expand the involvement of women as sources, journalists, and editors. The presence of women in news should not only appear when discussing issues specifically related to women.
Women also need to be given equal space to express views on the state budget, defense, economy, law, and various other strategic policies.
Third, female politicians need to continue building personal competence as well as professional relationships with the media.
Research on political reporting in the Harian Lombok Post shows that good relationships with journalists can help reduce the tendency for gender-biased reporting.
However, the responsibility to improve representation should not be borne solely by women. Media institutions still have the primary responsibility to maintain the quality and fairness of reporting.
Fourth, the public needs to improve media literacy. The habit of sharing sexist memes or making gender stereotypes a source of entertainment needs to be criticized.
Every click, comment, and content share influences the type of reporting considered interesting and economically valuable in the digital space.
Therefore, the public needs to start demanding more substantive political criticism.
Fifth, the KPU and political parties must ensure the implementation of the 30 percent women's representation requirement runs consistently, without calculation loopholes that actually weaken the goal of such affirmative policy.
Judging Ideas, Not Gender
Ultimately, there is one important question that needs to be asked every time we read political news: are we judging the ideas and performance of a leader, or are we judging their gender?
A healthy democracy requires a political space that provides equal opportunity for everyone to be judged based on their capacity, integrity, actions, and the decisions they make.
Women who hold public office must still be able to be criticized firmly. However, such criticism should use the same standards applied to men.
As long as mockery of women in power is considered normal, society risks participating in maintaining patriarchal mindsets, even through actions that appear simple.
Change can start from daily habits: reading news more critically, writing with a fairer perspective, and stopping the use of gender stereotypes as a joke.
Because the main issue is not whether women can be criticized, but whether we have provided the same standard of assessment to every leader, regardless of gender.
References
Tripalupi, M. F. (n.d.). Communication and gender. Surabaya: Untag Surabaya Press.
Beauvoir, S. de. (1949). The Second Sex. Paris: Gallimard.
Garuda Kemdikbud. (n.d.). 2024 female presidential candidates in Tirto.id, Tempo.co, and Kompas.com reporting (Entman framing analysis). https://garuda.kemdikbud.go.id/author/view/5588869
Jurnal Komunikasi Dialogis. (n.d.). Media framing of Puan Maharani's response regarding demonstrations on Kompas.com. https://jurnal.tau.ac.id/index.php/jkd/article/download/1059/637/4979
Jurnal Masyarakat & Budaya, Vol. 17. (n.d.). Sexism in online news media (Women and corruption: Sexism on online news media). https://jmb.lipi.go.id/jmb/article/download/319/270/607
Journal of Social Science and Politics (JSSP). (n.d.). Media, gender, and society: Framing female politicians in Lombok Post newspaper, Indonesia. https://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/jssp/article/download/5604/3152/18415
Jurnal Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta. (n.d.). Framing analysis of Puan Maharani during the IPU speech on Suara.com and Kumparan. https://journal.uta45jakarta.ac.id/index.php/kom/article/download/6853/2489
Ningsih, S. (2019). Media framing of female politicians' actions in Kompas.com and Republika.co.id reporting ahead of the 2019 Election in Indonesia. Mercu Buana University. https://repository.mercubuana.ac.id/52457/
DPR RI Library. (n.d.). 30 percent women's representation in parliament remains just a hope. https://perpustakaan.dpr.go.id/epaper/index/detail/id/18972
Subarkah, T. (July 1, 2024). 2024 Election is an extraordinary setback for women's representation. Medcom.id / Metro TV. https://metrotvnews.com/read/b1oC9783-pemilu-2024-kemunduran-luar-biasa-bagi-keterwakilan-perempuan
Tirto.id. (n.d.). The taboo of Minister Puan Maharani's performance. https://tirto.id/tabu-kinerja-menteri-puan-maharani-bwpl
Tong, R. (2009). Feminist thought: A more comprehensive introduction (3rd ed.). Boulder: Westview Press.
Tuchman, G., Daniels, A. K., & Benét, J. (Eds.). (1978). Hearth and home: Images of women in the mass media. New York: Oxford University Press.
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