Laki-laki tidak boleh nangis: Pentingnya pendekatan alternatif dalam mengeksplorasi pengalaman lelaki Indonesia dalam relasi romantis

Karel Karsten Himawan (Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Pelita Harapan)

Jurnal Psikologi Ulayat: Indonesian Journal of Indigenous Psychology
Vol 9 No 2 (2022)

Academic discourses around interpersonal relationship in the patriarchal culture tends to assume men in the superior position, hence their unique experience is considered less significant to be investigated. As a result, what we know about men’s experience and expectation in a romantic relationship is only as far as what their gender stereotype subscribes; that relationship is only for sex, status and power exercise, and social symbol. In the present editorial note, I emphasize the urgency to utilize an alternative approach in exploring unique experience of Indonesian men in romance; such insight would be valuable to improve the quality of interpersonal relationship through culturally-informed perspective.