The Inherent Link between Gender and Sexuality: A Queer View to the Portrayal of Women in Herland, Things Fall Apart, Bombay Brides, and The Winner Stands Alone

Stevie Jackson and Jackie Jones regarded in her article- Contemporary Feminist Theory that “The concepts of gender and sexuality as a highly ambiguous term, as a point of reference” (Jackson, 131, ch-10). Gender and Sexuality are two most complexly designed, culturally constructed and ambiguously interrelated terms used within the spectrum of Feminism that considers “sex” as an operative term to theorize its deconstructive cultural perspectives. Helene Cixous notes in Laugh of Medusa that men and women enter the symbolic order in a different way and the subject position open to either sex is different. Cixious’s understanding that the centre of the symbolic order is ‘phallus’ and everybody surrounding it stands in the periphery makes women (without intersectionality) as the victim of this phallocentric society. One needs to stop thinking Gender as inherently linked to one’s sex and that it is natural. To say, nothing is natural. The body is just a word (as Judith Butler said in her book Gender Trouble [1990]) that is strategically used under artificial rules for the convenience of ‘power’ to operate. It has been a “norm” to connect one’s sexuality with their Gender and establish that as “naturally built”. The dichotomy of ‘penis/vagina’ over years has linked itself to make/female understanding of bodies. Therefore my main argument in this paper is to draw few instances from some literary works which over time reflected how the gender- female/women characters are made to couple up with a male/man presenting the inherent, coherent compulsory relation between one’s gender and sexuality obliterating any possibility of ‘queer’ relationships, includes- Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland (1915), Bombay Brides (2018) by Esther David, Paulo Coelho’s Winner Stands Alone (2008) and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall apart (1958).

The Urgency of Protection House for Women Victims of Violence

Kekerasan terhadap perempuan saat ini masih banyak terjadi di masyarakat. Memberikan perlindungan dari segala bentuk diskriminasi dan kekerasan merupakan kewajiban negara sebagai wujud pelaksanaan falsafah negara serta kewajiban menjalankan konstitusi dan undang-undang. Sedangkan kekerasan adalah salah satu persoalan bangsa dan negara yang mendesak untuk dibenahi, karena kekerasan bertentangan dengan falsafah bangsa, hukum tertinggi di Indonesia, dan juga berdampak buruk pada kehidupan korban serta kelangsungan kehidupan bangsa ke depan. Perlindungan korban diartikan sebagai suatu perlindungan yang diberikan untuk mencegah seseorang menjadi korban serta perlindungan untuk memperoleh jaminan hukum atas penderitaan berupa pemulihan nama baik maupun pemulihan keseimbangan batin. Berdasarkan permasalahan di atas, maka yang menjadi fokus pada penelitian ini adalah bagaimana rumah perlindungan bagi perempuan korban kekerasan. Untuk menjawab permasalah tersebut dilakukanlah penelitian dengan metode pendekatan yuridis normatif dengan spesifikasi penelitian deskriptif analitis. Jenis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data primer dan data sekunder. Dari penelitian yang dilakukan diperoleh temuan bahwa perempuan korban kekerasan memerlukan rumah perlindungan sebagai upaya pemulihan dan reintegrasi social sesuai dengan tahapan kebutuhan korban. Rumah perlindungan tersebut memiliki pelayanan khusus. Pelayanan khusus yang dimaksud adalah tempat perlindungan dan tempat pemulihan. Pemerintah memiliki kewajiban dalam penyelenggaraan rumah perlindungan bagi perempuan korban kekerasan.

The Effects of Corona Virus Pandemic on Children

Background. With the outbreak of the deadly COVID -19 worldwide, children are at the risk of child abuse due to rising unemployment rates and school closures. The corona virus pandemic has caused a lot of stress especially to parents and guardians who have lost their jobs and such stress has heightened and increased family violence especially abuse against children. Methods A sample of 26 Child welfare professionals (64% female and 36% male ) practicing in Uganda completed a web survey regarding the COVID-19 experiences especially in connection to child welfare service delivery and well being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results This study identified the impact of corona virus pandemic on the life of children associated with child abuse and their coping measures. The fact that COVID-19 will continue to spread rapidly worldwide has caused immense consequences in regard to children’s safety and well-being. The major consequence of the pandemic is the risk of increased child maltreatment perpetuated by parents who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. This study identified parental job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic as the main cause for child maltreatment and physical abuse. Nevertheless, the findings support cognitive reframing as a measure to control physical abuse by parents. The financial hardships caused by COVID-19 pandemic will continue to negatively impact children’s safety and well-being. The consequences of COVID-19 pandemic are evident that the risk of child maltreatment increases as stress accumulates. Conclusion In conclusion, as world leaders and scientists make efforts to tackle the public health and economic threat resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; further research on the impact of COVID-19 on family existence and functioning will be significant in establishing empirically based policies, interventions and different practices to support victims of child maltreatment and physical abuse.

The Pattern of Early Childhood Character Education in Villages and Cities: A Study in Tulungagung Regency, East Java

The pattern of early childhood education is paramount to be attentively concerned as the instrument to immerse children's attitude and behavior. The present study was conducted in Tulungagung Regency, East Java. The study was initially started by selecting early childhood schools with village-city and public and religious-based criteria, namely 2 Early Childhood Schools (ECS) in the city area in Tulungagung and 2 in the village area. Using qualitative and quantitative methods by surveying the parents of 30 students, focus group discussions with 20 participants, and in-depth studies in schools, the study has arrived at some interpretative points. First, parenting in villages and cities showed the same pattern and was dominated by authoritative parenting patterns, meaning that the parents give choices to their children. Second, parenting showed different gender values and norms in which the daughter was treated to be more feminine than the son. Third, the different availability of the space area for playing outside the classroom between in the villages and the cities. In the city, girls had limited areas to play. Fourth, teaching materials, leadership, and group work were carried out jointly between girls and boys. The curriculum and school management have not been gender-sensitive and show no difference between village and city. Moreover, the focus of the curriculum is character education.

Reviewing Batik with Natural Coloring based on the Clean Production Theory with an Ecofeminist Perspective (Case Study: Putri Kawung Batik Community in Klaten)

Mass and rapid production of batik using synthetic color and printing techniques engenders environmental problems such as waste production, air pollution, water pollution, unhealthy and hazardous work environment, and a threat to the sustainability of hand-drawn batik. Clean production is one solution to this problem. This paper discusses the practice of batik with natural coloring based on the theory of clean production with an ecofeminist perspective. The method employed in this research is a case study with a one-unit production (cluster) approach of Putri Kawung batik community. The findings show that the practice of clean batik production in Putri Kawung batik community still focuses on the input and process of using natural coloring, material selection, and reuse of wax materials. This shows that the role of women through community gradually practices clean production, even though it has not yet extended to its output processing.

The Role of a Female Head Assistant at "Al-Walidaturrahmah" Orphanage in Implementing A Just and Civilized Humanity in Samarinda

This article describes and analyzes the role of Al Walidaturrahmah Orphanage in Samarinda in implementing a just and civilized humanity principle. Also, it tries to find out and analyze the forms of coaching and patterns of character development given to the children at AlWalidaturrahmah Orphanage in Samarinda. This research uses qualitative research with a descriptive approach, using primary data, namely the head and the manager of the orphanage. Secondary data sources were obtained through relevant photos and documents of Al-Walidaturrahmah Orphanage. Data collection techniques were done through observation, interviews, and documentation. The data were collected, reduced, and displayed before conclusions were taken. The study found out that the efforts of AlWalidaturrahmah orphanage in implementing the principles to foster children were quite good. Foster children feel treated fairly and well by the parties. The efforts to develop the institutional foundation for AlWalidaturrahmah orphanage are good enough and by the provisions, because it has been carried out well, and the Al-Walidaturrahmah orphanage children carry out appropriate activities to face their future in society later. The pattern of fostering character education at the Al-Walidaturrahmah orphanage can be said to have been carried out well because the AlWalidaturrahmah orphanage children carry out activities by the second precept and have the character to face their future in society.

Female Spellcasters: Mandar Women Existence in Mantra

Mantra is a series of words in the form of chanting prayers and hopes containing supernatural powers used to achieve certain goals. It is considered a part of the literary work of culture and presents in various aspects of life. In Mandar, mantras are often said by spellcasters. This study tried to narrate the role of women who cast a spell (positive) in preserving the ritual traditions of religion and culture in their daily lives and their existence as spellcasters. The research adopted the ethnography method. Data were obtained through interviews, discussions, observation, participation, and documentation in the form of notes, amulets, ancient manuscripts, photographs, and some other supporting data. The research was conducted in Polewali Mandar, WestSulawesi, where many women are part of society who are still chanting spells both orally and in writing. The results showed that mantras preserve their existence as they are passed down from generation to generation to formulate the future identity of the Mandar tribe.

The Gender Equality Argument of Nasaruddin Umar

Nasarudin Umar is an Indonesian Muslim scholar who has concerns about the issue of gender relations. He contributes many reflective thoughts, including the book entitled Argumentasi Kesetaraan Gender Perspektif al-Qur'an (Gender equality argument from the perspective of Qur’an). This research is motivated by his intellectual anxiety toward Qur'anic texts that are often used as a tool of legitimacy and justification by patriarchalism. This notion has gender-biased and misogynous thought that places women as the secondactor in ritual and social contexts. In his research, Nasarudin assumes that gender inequality does not come from the character of religion, but it refers to the understanding of religious thought influenced by social construction. Also, he argues that there is still ambiguity of the Qur'an interpretation on whether gender is nature or dynamic nurture (social construction). To understand the authenticity of Qur'anic perspectives, Nasarudin researched the Qur'an verses that discuss male and female relationships by applying thematic analysis (called Tafsir Maudlui) with various approaches such as semantic-linguistic, normative-theological, and socio-historical. The result showed that the Qur'an does not expressly support the two gender paradigmsof either nature or nurture. It only accommodates certain elements within the two theories that are in line with the universal principles of Islam. Generally, the Qur'an recognizes the distinction between men and womenbut the distinction does not benefit one party while marginalizing the other. The distinction is needed precisely to support the harmonious, balanced, safe, full of virtue, and peaceful life.

The Pedagogy of Intimacy: Mother's Contribution to Academic Parenting during Student's Learning from Home

This essay strives to articulate the pedagogy of intimacy born from mothers' engagement in academic parenting when formal learning shifts from school to home. Redefining parenting and intimacy, mothers implicitly articulated an alternative pedagogy when the space and time of learning during the Covid-19 pandemic move to home. Listening to the self-narratives of mothers who work full time at home, at least part-time, as informants in thisqualitative study, the words "parenting" and "intimacy" were prominent inthe semi-structured interviews. In the pre-pandemic seasons, these wordswere identical to activities at home and were seen as unrelated, at leastlimitedly related, to formal education. Learning from home, especially withmothers' engagement in informal learning during the Covid-19 pandemic,challenges the boundaries of maternal involvement in the formal educationspace. Mothers re-centralize home both as space and as a time for learning.Mothers reiterate their central role as informal teachers, further pedagogues,in children's education. Articulating intimacy's pedagogy, they reclaim homeboth as the steaming time and ubiquitous space for self-determined learning.

The Role of Women in Improving Family Resilience in The Middle of The Covid-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus is a deadly threat to all humankind. Its sudden arrival confused the government and society. The government policy, which limits activities outside the home and demands people to avoid crowds, followed by learning from home, is a new burden for the community. This article aims to explain a mother’s new role as a teacher and build more effective family communication patterns in dealing with Covid-19. The research was carried out by collecting data from several respondents who live in the Surakarta area. This article’s object is related to the activities of mothers who are also online teachers to their children at home with different educational backgrounds and social statuses. This study’s results show that the Covid-19 pandemic was an opportunity for women as citizens and citizens to experience social change. First, related to the globalization vortex that is increasingly aggressively forcing women to come into contact with information technology more. Women, namely mothers, are invited to better understand user information technology to become teachers and accompany their children when learning from home. Second, this period at the same time provides an opportunity for Javanese women to further instill social moral values as provisions for their children in the future. Third, this period is an opportunity to improve ourselves so that they are more worthy of becoming a more meaningful creature.