Gendered Identity in Indonesia: Discursive (Re)positioning of Perempuan and Wanita

Annisa Laura Maretha; Alistair Welsh; Yanying Lu

Gendered Identity in Indonesia: Discursive (Re)positioning of Perempuan and Wanita

Annisa Laura Maretha, Alistair Welsh, Yanying Lu

Abstract

This study explores the linguistic preferences between the terms perempuan and wanita in reference to women in contemporary Indonesian society, highlighting how language reflects and shapes gendered identities and social positioning. While prior research has examined these terms in formal texts and news media, little attention has focused on their use in mediated spaces, where social media enables rapid circulation, negotiation, and reinterpretation of meaning. Employing a qualitatively driven mixed methods approach, this study combines an online survey of 271 social media users recruited through convenience sampling with a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of Instagram posts. The study reveals that perempuan is often preferred for its association with empowerment and activism, while wanita continues to be used in formal or professional contexts. Survey results further indicate that some participants strategically alternate between the two terms to navigate complex social and professional landscapes through evolving linguistic practices. Using SketchEngine software, corpus data of 516,633 tokens from Instagram posts support these patterns, demonstrating that perempuan appears more frequently than wanita in the social media discourse of this study's sample. The study also identifies a growing disconnect between the KBBI (The Official Indonesian Dictionary) definitions and societal usage, suggesting that official lexical norms may lag behind lived linguistic practices. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how linguistic choices shape and reflect women’s agency and identity in Indonesian society and underscores the evolving discourse of women’s empowerment in contemporary contexts.

Keywords: gender identity; linguistic choices; perempuan; positioning; wanita

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini meneliti keutamaan linguistik antara istilah perempuan dan wanita dalam merujuk kepada wanita dalam masyarakat Indonesia kontemporari, dengan menonjolkan bagaimana bahasa mencerminkan dan membentuk identiti gender serta kedudukan sosial. Walaupun kajian terdahulu telah meneliti penggunaan istilah ini dalam teks formal dan media berita, masih kurang perhatian diberikan kepada penggunaannya dalam ruang bermedia, di mana media sosial membolehkan penyebaran, perundingan, dan pentafsiran semula makna berlaku dengan pantas. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kaedah campuran yang dipacu secara kualitatif, kajian ini menggabungkan tinjauan dalam talian terhadap 271 pengguna media sosial yang direkrut melalui pensampelan kemudahan bersama analisis wacana berbantukan korpus terhadap hantaran Instagram. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa perempuan sering dipilih kerana kaitannya dengan pemerkasaan dan aktivisme, manakala wanita masih digunakan dalam konteks formal atau profesional. Hasil tinjauan turut menunjukkan bahawa sebahagian peserta secara strategik bertukar antara kedua-dua istilah tersebut bagi menavigasi landskap sosial dan profesional yang kompleks melalui amalan linguistik yang sentiasa berkembang. Dengan menggunakan perisian SketchEngine, data korpus sebanyak 516,633 token daripada hantaran Instagram menyokong pola ini, menunjukkan bahawa perempuan muncul dengan lebih kerap berbanding wanita dalam wacana media sosial sampel kajian ini. Kajian ini juga mengenal pasti jurang yang semakin ketara antara definisi KBBI (Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia) dan penggunaan masyarakat, yang mencadangkan bahawa norma leksikal rasmi mungkin ketinggalan berbanding amalan linguistik dalam kehidupan seharian. Penyelidikan ini menyumbang kepada pemahaman yang lebih mendalam tentang bagaimana pilihan linguistik membentuk dan mencerminkan agensi serta identiti wanita dalam masyarakat Indonesia, di samping menekankan perkembangan wacana pemerkasaan wanita dalam konteks kontemporari.

Kata kunci: identiti gender; pilihan linguistik; perempuan; penempatan sosial; wanita

Keywords

gender identity; linguistic choices; perempuan; positioning; wanita

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