Hello curvaceous girls!
Today I want to share and discuss about a "hard" and "not sexy" topic, which is discrimination and bullying against Indonesian curvy women. I know that this topic is quite boring and not interesting at all but I can't stop to voice my thoughts about it especially after living in Australia for almost seven year doing my PhD and post doc research in University of Newcastle - Australia where I never been discriminated and bullied by Australian people and institutions. But since I have been coming back to Indonesia, I am really concern about this topic because I can see everyday full-figure women are very easy to be discriminated and bullied by Indonesian people, institutions, and media.
Being a woman who has body size beyond average is an issue for most women around the world. Each country and its society has its own viewpoint on full figure women. In last two decade, some countries such as USA, UK, Australia, and most of European countries have been giving positive attentions to this group by preventing discrimination and bullying against large women. At the last ten years in those countries, large women are more acceptable and welcome in society. Although acts of discrimination and bullying against large women are still happening, nowadays many large women has gotten better opportunities and conditions as same as normal size women in getting job, finding their size in fashion, and obtaining promotion in workplace.
What about in Indonesia? Like in many countries, living as a full-figure woman in Indonesia is very hard. Most of Indonesian people regard full-figure women negatively. In Indonesian society full-figure women are often equated as a big and fat animal such as elephant, rhino, hippopotamus, whale, and pig, as well as a huge heavy vehicle, big truck's tire, and event worst as a BOMB!. They are often becoming an object of mockery and humiliation. Also, they are often called in Bahasa Indonesia "Ndut", "Gendut", or "Gembrot", which means FAT! in very bad expression, by their family, friends, and strangers. Unfortunately, this unpleasant situation has been justified by Indonesian social culture and media in which full-figure women as well as not-good looking guys and girls men, transgenders, and big size men are deserved to be insulted!
The most worrying thing is the number of public figures such as the comedian, actors, and singers in the entertainment industry in Indonesia are willing to or forced become an object of ridicule and bullying in running his/her profession. Just mention it those curvy female entertainers who have often bullied on Indonesian TV programs and white screen such as Nunung Srimulat, Pretty Asmara, Tika Panggabean, Okky Lukman, Tike Priatnakusumah, and Atik D'Academy Indosiar. Some of them argued that they are fine to be insulted and bullied because it's just an action not the real one. And some of them contended that if they refuse to be bullied or insulted or teased in scene because they are afraid of losing their job contract and future offers in the entertainment industry. They stated that it's only a mere scene!
Why this is happened? This happens because teasing and insulting full-figure person are something normal and acceptable in social culture of Indonesian community. Teasing and insulting full-figure person are regarded by Indonesian community as one of forms of the joke that can make people laugh and happy or a sign of someone's annoyance toward the figure of large person. Furthermore, some group of Indonesian people regard that plus size person is a perfect target object of mockery. They think that full-figure women are FUNNY THINGS!
In term of discrimination, Indonesian full-figure women have been discriminated in many aspects of life. For example: the group of curvy women are discriminated by Indonesian fashion industry. It's very frustrating to find fashionable and comfortable plus size fashion in Indonesia. There are very small number of international fashion brands available in plus size such as Marks and Spencer, Next, Dorothy Perkins, Red Herring, Forever21, and at Debenhams but the price is very expensive and located only in Jakarta and some big capital cities in Indonesia. The size range is not good enough either. Most of them have size up to 20 (UK size) only few have size up to 24 (UK size but they are very RARE!). Indonesia has My Size , X to X, Ella Es Bonita, and Big Boutique by Dewi Hughes (if it is still available) for local fashion plus size brands. My size is very popular one among the others as they have some stores in many cities around Indonesia. The looks are not too bad, comfortable and they have good range of size from 14 (UK) to 30 (UK). The best thing is they are very-very affordable!
For full-figure women who have shoes size 10 (41 Europe), they will be in trouble! It is very-very difficult to find shoes in bigger size. Generally, the biggest shoes size in Indonesia is 9 (40 Europe). Again, women with longer and wider foot must look and buy at international brands in which you have to dig your pocket deeper. The trouble is not stop at this point, Indonesian full-figure women are very struggling to find fit, comfortable, and good quality under wear, lingerie, shape wear, hosiery, and swimsuit. The biggest size for bra is only on size 95 cup E (42 cup E UK) with no cup DD. I have no knowledge about the rest items....
If some international fashion designers in US, UK, Australia, Brazil, and Europe have been started to consider plus size in the fashion line, only very few Indonesian fashion designer include plus size clothing in their fashion line. They prefer do custom made exclusively rather than make plus size line. The classy reason is that slim is beautiful.
What can I do??? Yes, I admit that I ever faced the bad situations in my young age. But, it wasn't bother me! I am so lucky having mama and papa who really love me sincerely. They taught me about self-confident and not be afraid being a full-figure woman because everybody is created uniquely with good side and bad side. Nobody perfect! And that's made me strong. My mama said, "The world is full of haters but don't let them make you down. Only you who can stand for yourself. Love your body, respect your self, and open your mind. Don't get waste your time by hearing and paying attention to other people who are insulting you. Explore your talents, expand your knowledge, and find good friends. Life is too short to think that you are not beautiful."
So.... tell me and share about your thoughts and story about discrimination and bullying that you might face in your life as well as how you can handle them out. Remember....YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL no matter how big you are.
Cheers, Xoxo
Today I want to share and discuss about a "hard" and "not sexy" topic, which is discrimination and bullying against Indonesian curvy women. I know that this topic is quite boring and not interesting at all but I can't stop to voice my thoughts about it especially after living in Australia for almost seven year doing my PhD and post doc research in University of Newcastle - Australia where I never been discriminated and bullied by Australian people and institutions. But since I have been coming back to Indonesia, I am really concern about this topic because I can see everyday full-figure women are very easy to be discriminated and bullied by Indonesian people, institutions, and media.
 |
| Courtesy of The Militant Baker |
Being a woman who has body size beyond average is an issue for most women around the world. Each country and its society has its own viewpoint on full figure women. In last two decade, some countries such as USA, UK, Australia, and most of European countries have been giving positive attentions to this group by preventing discrimination and bullying against large women. At the last ten years in those countries, large women are more acceptable and welcome in society. Although acts of discrimination and bullying against large women are still happening, nowadays many large women has gotten better opportunities and conditions as same as normal size women in getting job, finding their size in fashion, and obtaining promotion in workplace.
What about in Indonesia? Like in many countries, living as a full-figure woman in Indonesia is very hard. Most of Indonesian people regard full-figure women negatively. In Indonesian society full-figure women are often equated as a big and fat animal such as elephant, rhino, hippopotamus, whale, and pig, as well as a huge heavy vehicle, big truck's tire, and event worst as a BOMB!. They are often becoming an object of mockery and humiliation. Also, they are often called in Bahasa Indonesia "Ndut", "Gendut", or "Gembrot", which means FAT! in very bad expression, by their family, friends, and strangers. Unfortunately, this unpleasant situation has been justified by Indonesian social culture and media in which full-figure women as well as not-good looking guys and girls men, transgenders, and big size men are deserved to be insulted!
The most worrying thing is the number of public figures such as the comedian, actors, and singers in the entertainment industry in Indonesia are willing to or forced become an object of ridicule and bullying in running his/her profession. Just mention it those curvy female entertainers who have often bullied on Indonesian TV programs and white screen such as Nunung Srimulat, Pretty Asmara, Tika Panggabean, Okky Lukman, Tike Priatnakusumah, and Atik D'Academy Indosiar. Some of them argued that they are fine to be insulted and bullied because it's just an action not the real one. And some of them contended that if they refuse to be bullied or insulted or teased in scene because they are afraid of losing their job contract and future offers in the entertainment industry. They stated that it's only a mere scene!
Why this is happened? This happens because teasing and insulting full-figure person are something normal and acceptable in social culture of Indonesian community. Teasing and insulting full-figure person are regarded by Indonesian community as one of forms of the joke that can make people laugh and happy or a sign of someone's annoyance toward the figure of large person. Furthermore, some group of Indonesian people regard that plus size person is a perfect target object of mockery. They think that full-figure women are FUNNY THINGS!
 |
| Left: Nunung Srimulat; Right: Pretty Asmara. Photo courtesy by Kapanlagi.com |
 |
| Left: Tika Panggabean; Right: Okky Lukman. Photo courtesy by Kapanlagi.com |
 | |
| Left: Atik dangdut D'Academy Indosiar - Photo courtesy by Tabloid Bintang; Right: Tike Priatnakusumah - Photo courtesy by Kapanlagi.com |
In term of discrimination, Indonesian full-figure women have been discriminated in many aspects of life. For example: the group of curvy women are discriminated by Indonesian fashion industry. It's very frustrating to find fashionable and comfortable plus size fashion in Indonesia. There are very small number of international fashion brands available in plus size such as Marks and Spencer, Next, Dorothy Perkins, Red Herring, Forever21, and at Debenhams but the price is very expensive and located only in Jakarta and some big capital cities in Indonesia. The size range is not good enough either. Most of them have size up to 20 (UK size) only few have size up to 24 (UK size but they are very RARE!). Indonesia has My Size , X to X, Ella Es Bonita, and Big Boutique by Dewi Hughes (if it is still available) for local fashion plus size brands. My size is very popular one among the others as they have some stores in many cities around Indonesia. The looks are not too bad, comfortable and they have good range of size from 14 (UK) to 30 (UK). The best thing is they are very-very affordable!
For full-figure women who have shoes size 10 (41 Europe), they will be in trouble! It is very-very difficult to find shoes in bigger size. Generally, the biggest shoes size in Indonesia is 9 (40 Europe). Again, women with longer and wider foot must look and buy at international brands in which you have to dig your pocket deeper. The trouble is not stop at this point, Indonesian full-figure women are very struggling to find fit, comfortable, and good quality under wear, lingerie, shape wear, hosiery, and swimsuit. The biggest size for bra is only on size 95 cup E (42 cup E UK) with no cup DD. I have no knowledge about the rest items....
If some international fashion designers in US, UK, Australia, Brazil, and Europe have been started to consider plus size in the fashion line, only very few Indonesian fashion designer include plus size clothing in their fashion line. They prefer do custom made exclusively rather than make plus size line. The classy reason is that slim is beautiful.
What can I do??? Yes, I admit that I ever faced the bad situations in my young age. But, it wasn't bother me! I am so lucky having mama and papa who really love me sincerely. They taught me about self-confident and not be afraid being a full-figure woman because everybody is created uniquely with good side and bad side. Nobody perfect! And that's made me strong. My mama said, "The world is full of haters but don't let them make you down. Only you who can stand for yourself. Love your body, respect your self, and open your mind. Don't get waste your time by hearing and paying attention to other people who are insulting you. Explore your talents, expand your knowledge, and find good friends. Life is too short to think that you are not beautiful."
So.... tell me and share about your thoughts and story about discrimination and bullying that you might face in your life as well as how you can handle them out. Remember....YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL no matter how big you are.
Cheers, Xoxo
