“Priawan” Identity Construction in Indonesia

Preliminary Study of the Third Gender

Dwi Prasetyo

and Myrtati D. Artaria

Social Sciences Study Program (Doctoral Degree), Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia

Department of Anthropology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia

Keywords: social construction, identity, Priawan, sexuality, gender

Abstract: Gender identity in Indonesia remains problematic, as there are persistent cases of transgender shaming. The

development of Indonesian gender identity is based on binary assumptions that women and men are the only

two genders in the context of social construction, and that there is no third or fourth gender. However, it is

socially accepted that there have been other genders beyond the existing binary genders, from the beginning

of the 18th century in the classic La Galigo texts of the ancient Bugis in South Sulawesi. These texts have

recognised five types of gender. A transwoman is someone who is male yet is female in appearance.

However, there are also cases of priawan; females who prefer to look like males. Priawan are biological

females. They have not been well recognised in public discourse. This research was conducted in Jakarta

and Surabaya, which represent the two biggest cities in Indonesia. Five respondents were interviewed using

the snowball sampling technique, and the interview contained semi-structured questions. In this study, we

found that it is not possible to automatically determine gender identity according to biological sex. By using

Butler’s theoretical performance approach, priawan form their subjective identity through the construction

of self-identity. On the path to the creation of self-identity, the priawan often suffer from harassment from

society, in the workplace and even from their family. We conclude that priawan belong to the third gender,

in which their body remains female but they feel and represent themselves as males.

1 INTRODUCTION

A variety of gender identities has culturally existed

in Indonesia since the 18th century, as well as being

found in the ancient records of the Bugis tribe in

South Sulawesi, in a document called the La Galigo

record. It recognises the existence of genders other

than male and female, divided into five in the

context of the Bugis culture. These are: Uroane

(male), Makunrai (female), Calabai (male-looking

woman), Calalai (female-looking male) and Bissu

(neither male nor female). This narrative shows that

diversity in the terms or titles referring to identity

has existed in Indonesia for a long time, including

the identity and existence of the third gender itself.

The understanding of identity is significant in

cultural studies. In brief, identity is the concept of

the self. Based on thinking development, the issue of

identity is a complicated matter. It is not just about

answering about the question of ‘who am I?’. It

involves a deeper understanding of what or who an

individual is, which becomes a complex and

problematic issue.

When it relates to the modern era, Priawan is a

term used to describe women who live as men.

There are also Calalai. The creation of this term is

the opposite of transwoman (male-looking woman)

or Calabai. There is still the question or whether or

not Priawan can be considered an identity or not.

Stuart Hall argued that identity is a flexible

construction, a process, and that it is not only ‘a

being’ but also ‘becoming’. This becomes the basic

difference between ‘who we are’ and who we

become’. This ‘becoming’ process happens

continuously, depending on the social, culture,

space, place and other situations (Rutherford, 1990).

There are various aspects involved in the

searching and identity forming processes. Identity

could also refer to how a human positions

themselves and how they are positioned by other

people. Identity is a position matter, not an essential

matter, where position is influenced by self-

awareness and socio-cultural interaction with others.

Prasetyo, D. and Artaria, M.

“Priawan” Identity Construction in Indonesia.

DOI: 10.5220/0008818401630166

In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Contemporary Social and Political Affairs (ICoCSPA 2018), pages 163-166

ISBN: 978-989-758-393-3

163

Therefore, a person’s identity has a liquid

characteristic.

2 METHODS

This research was conducted using a qualitative

approach that was able to describe and collect the

research data in a more profound way, which could

lead to new research findings in the field. The most

important aspect of this method is the desire to

understand a meaning within the informant’s data

(Neumann, 2003). This research used a semi-

structured interview and the snowball method to

gain more in-depth and meaningful data. It enabled

the researcher to have an interaction with the

Priawan along with acquiring historical details and

knowledge of the Priawan’s personal life

experience.

Creswell (2014) said that when conducting

research with the qualitative method, the researcher

should determine the location as the research object,

which is the place where the informants do the

interaction. The informants in this research were

people who identified themselves as male

transgender individuals who self-identified as

Priawan. We interviewed five Priawan, consisting

of three Priawan in Jakarta and two in Surabaya.

The steps conducted in the data collection were

as follows: 1) the researcher contacted the

informants and stated the research purpose, as it is

necessary to receive a research permit and the

informants’ recommendations to help them to

further conduct the research. This also helped them

to obtain interviews with organisations that engage

in LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)

advocacy in Jakarta and Surabaya. 2) The researcher

distributed the questionnaire and provided

information on how to fill it in to the informants. 3)

The informants were given a couple of minutes to

ensure that they understood and to allow them to fill

the questionnaire. 4) After the researcher received

the questionnaire back from the informants, the

researcher then conducted more in-depth interviews

to obtain the fullest meaning from their answers as

well as the historical aspects.

3 RESULTS

Indonesia has experienced rapid growth regarding

economics and the population in South East Asia. It

is generating development and growth in its

provincial cities, which has classified them as New

World Class Metropolitan Cities. Jakarta is the

capital city of Indonesia and Surabaya is the second

biggest city in Indonesia; both have a diverse

population along with a variety of gender identities.

The increase of transgender issues nowadays is

influencing people to get to know more about gender

identity. Priawan in Jakarta and Surabaya refers to

transgender individuals where their biological sex is

not the same as their gender cognition.

Table 1. Priawan Respondent

Table 1 above shows, in the self-awareness column,

whether or not the Priawan is interested in being

with men or not. There were different answers from

the different participants. For instance, BJ (age 36)

from Jakarta and AS (age 27) from Surabaya both

stated that they were interested in men, while the

other three Priawan were interested in women. All

of the Priawan experience disturbances in their

menstruation cycle. In the social interaction column,

for all points, all of the Priawan have similar

performances and behaviour. Butler (1990)

described how the gender and sexuality production

is displayed through desire, gestures and acts, which

generates the necessary implications on their gender

identity.

4 DISCUSSION

The American post-structuralist philosopher, Judith

P. Butler, wrote a famous queer theory book called

‘Gender Trouble’ (1990). This work received

widespread attention because it introduced the

theory of performance to gender and sexuality. For

Butler, there is no genuine gender identity; it is all

formed through repeated expressions and

performance until it is better established. Part of

Butler’s theory is performativity, as written in his

Gender Trouble book. He rejects the principle of an

identity that has a beginning and an end. From this

ICoCSPA 2018 - International Conference on Contemporary Social and Political Affairs

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standpoint, it can be understood that according to

Butler's view, someone could have masculine and

feminine identities at the same time or at different

times, similar to feminine men or masculine women.

This situation has an impact on the issue of sexual

orientation. If a person's sexual identity is not final

and is unstable, therefore there should be no finality

to a man liking a man and vice versa. However,

society certainly does not want and approve of such

situations. As mentioned above, personal identity is

shaped through culture and its discourse, where

there are rules that are propagated through

repetition.

According to Butler, the performance concept

could be developed further, which relates to gender

identity. He argues that the formation of individual

identity happens in a performative way through

discourse. Gender identity is an effect that is

produced by a person because they show various

practices and behaviour, which is called a gender

act. This gender act is socially agreed on and

understandable, and serves as an identity sign as to

whether they are male or female.

Waria (female-looking men) have been studied

by Butler. In his study, they should perform a series

of specific procedures and practices in order to

obtain the idealised form of appearance and gestures

that are considered feminine. According to Butler,

this practice is so then transwoman not only imitate

the femininity of women, but also show that

femininity is an imitation practice, whether it is

conducted by transwomen or by ciswomen

themselves. In short, the determinant of the realness

effect is the ability to produce a naturalised impact

(Butler, 1993)

Therefore, it can be underlined that transwomen

are not imitating real women. Instead, they provide

an understanding and inspiration. There is no

originality, only layers of performance which is

considered to be a natural form. These practices also

parody the traditional assumptions about so-called

masculinity and femininity. If the person has a penis,

then they do not need to act or be masculine.

Similarly, people who have a vagina do not need to

act feminine. “…the notion of original or primary

gender identity is … parodied within the cultural

practices of drag, cross-dressing, and the sexual

stylisation of butch/femme identities …” (Butler,

1990).

5 CONCLUSION

The conclusion is that the gender identity of

Priawan is where the individual has a female

biological condition but their cognition of

themselves is male. They have realised this since

they were children; they feel uncomfortable having a

female biological state and find it more comfortable

to socialise and do activities with boys. However,

they still often interested in women as their sexual

orientation. The Priawan in Jakarta and Surabaya

enjoy their body being female and their cognition

being male.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We want to thank Priawan in Jakarta and Surabaya

who are willing to support and provide useful

information for this research.

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