The recent social phenomena still often depicting inequality in many aspects of life. Discrimination and violence are still experienced by marginalized groups, one of which is women. National Commission on Violence against Women (KOMNAS Perempuan)’s annual record shows that the number of violence against women is still increasing from time to time. The existing various currents of feminism are implemented to understand various realities related to the interests of women. How can these various currents of feminism be implemented to explain the recent phenomena related to women’s interests in interacting with the world of digital media?

In the Guest Lecture agenda with the theme The Relevance of Various Feminism Currents to Facing the Digital World which was organized by the Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Diponegoro University; Prof. Aquarini Priyatna, Ph.D. shared her perspective on feminism. Prof. Aquarini, a lecturer who is also serving as dean at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Padjadjaran University, explained that the emergence of the ideology of feminism was motivated by the idea of gender equality.

In her presentation, Prof. Aquarini explained that Indonesian society still often misunderstood what feminism is. Feminism, which has been closely related to women, does not only have to be practiced by women, but can be embraced by men who support equality and equity among society in treating women and men. One of the most common features encountered in conservative society is discrimination faced by a woman who chooses to become a working mother. The traditional notion that married women are fully responsible for domestic household tasks and caring for children is contrary to the wave of radical feminism, which argues that women have equal rights with men, in this depiction is the right to work.

In addition, Prof. Aquarini also explained that in media studies, many platforms have been found in supporting and voicing the feminist movement. Various online campaigns that are echoed through social media influence society’s views on the feminist movement, resulting on the society to become increasingly aware of the existence of gender inequality that should be addressed. The formation of feminist knowledge spread massively through various online communities is one of the proofs that the feminist movement is expanding and developing in Indonesian society.