Minister of Women's Empowerment 'Rebukes' Purwakarta Regent After Viral Song Degrades Women
Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Arifah Fauzi, has urged all parties to build public spaces that respect women’s dignity and support the realisation of gender equality. Arifah stressed that every song must prioritise respect for women’s dignity, not reinforce gender stereotypes, and not contain narratives that could perpetuate gender-based discrimination.
The statement was made in response to a song by Purwakarta Regent Saepul Bahri Binzein concerning women’s biological experiences. Arifah views this moment as a reminder that artistic and cultural works play a strategic role in shaping society’s perspectives, values, and social norms. Therefore, artistic and cultural works are expected to serve as educational tools that promote respect for women’s dignity.
"Women’s biological experiences, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and miscarriage, are part of life that must be understood with empathy and respect. Narratives that turn these experiences into jokes or degrading portrayals risk reinforcing gender stereotypes that hinder the realisation of equality between women and men," Arifah said in a statement on Sunday (5/7/2026).
From the perspective of preventing gender-based violence, Arifah noted that changing social norms is one of the strategic efforts to create a safe and equal environment for women. She explained that prevention is not only carried out through law enforcement when violence occurs, but also through strengthening a culture of mutual respect, using inclusive language, and conveying public messages that do not normalise discrimination or gender bias.
"We respect freedom of expression and art as part of democratic life. However, this freedom must also be accompanied by social responsibility by considering the impact of the messages conveyed to the public," Arifah said.
She added that messages delivered by a regent, in particular, must prevent gender discrimination. Arifah encouraged all public communications to strengthen public trust in the government’s commitment to realising an inclusive Indonesia free from discrimination.
"The Ministry of PPPA believes that artistic and cultural works have great power as educational media, social reflection, and drivers of change towards a more inclusive and equal society," Arifah stated.
Previously, a song by Purwakarta Regent Saepul Bahri Binzein, familiarly known as Om Zein, titled "Lalaki Langit, Lalanang Bejat" came under scrutiny. The Sundanese-language song went viral because its lyrics were seen as containing stereotypes against women. The song’s lyrics spread widely across various social media platforms. Many parties viewed the song’s content as not merely humour, but as touching on women’s biological issues in a way that was considered degrading and gender-biased.