The #MeToo movement arrived late in Indonesia, but it is here with a vengeance. The aksi of cowok in public spaces—catcalling, unwanted touching on public transport (KRL), or cabul (lewd acts)—is now being recorded and virally shamed.
While not directly "cewek-cowok," the binary norm erases non-binary and same-sex aksi. Article 292 KUHP criminalizes same-sex acts (private, adults) in the new code. Public affection between same genders is often seen as teman (friends), but any hint of romance leads to cyberbullying or dismissal from schools. The #MeToo movement arrived late in Indonesia, but
Indonesia has a severe stunting (child malnutrition) crisis. Traditionally, this was a cewek problem (pregnant women’s nutrition). Now, cowok as future fathers participate in aksi like cooking classes for iron-rich foods and pendampingan (mentoring) for teenage cewek about anemia. The data shows that when cowok join the aksi, compliance rates double. Traditionally, this was a cewek problem (pregnant women’s
| Law/Regulation | Impact on Aksi Cewek Cowok | |----------------|-----------------------------| | KUHP 2022 (Art. 411-412) | Criminalizes living together unmarried, adultery reported by spouse/family. | | ITE Law (UU 11/2008) | Criminalizes "electronic insults" – many women jailed for criticizing male online harassment. | | Permendikbud 30/2021 (Anti-sexual violence in universities) | Requires campuses to investigate aksi like unwanted touching or lewd comments. | | Fatwa MUI No. 14/2020 | Forbids "selebgram" (Instagram celebrities) from posting aurat-revealing photos – disproportionately enforced against female influencers. | compliance rates double.