Women need more choices amid men's skepticism

Women need more choices amid men's skepticism

JAKARTA (JP): Emancipation means giving women the right to
choose on various issues, including their family and career,
Prof. Saparinah Sadli said.

This, unfortunately, is the core problem with the emancipation
movement in Indonesia, head of the Women's Graduate Program of
the University of Indonesia said at a seminar yesterday. "They
(people) do not believe we can make our own choices."

Empowering women to make their own choices is not easy in
Indonesia because of the skepticism, particularly among men, on
their ability to make their own decision, she said.

This condition has been strengthened by the stereotyping of
women's role as a housewife and mother, she said.

However, there are some encouraging signs.

More and more women are taking up careers out of choice rather
than being dictated to by economic circumstances, as has been the
case with working women in the past.

The discussion on women was held by the Women's Support
Project and Indonesia in Country Orientation Program, in
conjunction with the national Women's Day (Hari Ibu), which falls
on Dec. 22.

Speakers at the discussion said that if a woman is allowed to
make her own choice, she still has to overcome cultural and
social barriers.

That means that a lot of women have given up their career
ambitions for the sake of the family.

Jessie Imman, a Canadian executive of the Women's Support
Project, warned Indonesian women "not to look too much at the
West."

"Just enjoy your choices," she said, commenting on those who
decided to become housewives.

She said not all women are able carry the burden as a worker
and a mother at the same time. In a way, she said, those who
could play the dual role were "super women".

The discussion agreed that the Indonesian feminist movement
was different from the West.

The government of Indonesia defined the term of equality
between the two sexes as "the equal level of partnership" in the
sense that both have the same rights and opportunity.

"Whether or not the women explore the opportunity is up to
them and is based on the values existing in our environment,"
Saparinah said, explaining the difference of the Indonesian
feminist movement from the one of the West.

Sri Hartati, a psychologist, revealed how difficult it was for
her to make up her mind to pursue her PhD. degree abroad. She
said it took her and her husband two to three years before both
of them agreed that she should go.

"It's not just to choose between this or that...," she said,
adding that there was "a gray area" in the choice itself.

"It's easy for men to study but not for us," she said.

As a matter of fact, the role of women as mothers has become
an obstacle in their efforts to achieve better careers and
education.

Saparinah said that in making the choice, women should take
into account the need of the family, due to the values
incorporated in life. But, if a woman decided to stay at home and
take care of the family, people should respect her choice as
there was no reason to belittle the work of a housewife.

Saparinah criticized the government for over-emphasizing the
role of women in the family, which seemed to be inconsistent with
the campaign to improve women's role in Indonesia's development.

Mochtar Buchori, rector of the Muhammadiyah teachers' training
institute, said what the government has done so far to improve
women's role was merely "lip service."

The Javanese culture, which favors men, has greatly influenced
the national culture and values, he said.

Nona Poeroe Utomo, the executive director of the Indonesian
AIDS Foundation, said that sexism is not only embedded in the
national culture, but also in the language.

Not until people release themselves from the sexist linguistic
traps can women be fully emancipated, she said.

She cited as an example the word tuan (Mr.), which is
addressed to a man regardless of his marriage status, but a
single woman is called nona while a married one is nyonya.

What's worse was the language which claimed the superiority of
men, she added.

Nona said that a husband might say 'I am giving her (the wife)
the choice' instead of 'she has the choice.' (sim)