10.47313 Media Framing of Women with Tattoos on Indonesian Online News Portals

Media Framing of Women with Tattoos on Indonesian Online News Portals

Abstract

Tattooing in Indonesia has been practiced since prehistoric times, and it is
a part of local culture that has been widely practiced by rural tribes in various
parts of the country. For local people, such as the Mentawai, Kalimantan, and
Papuans, tattoos are related to their traditional beliefs. Tattoos then became a
contemporary cultural art where tattoos are now seen as part of a modern lifestyle.
In its development, the meaning of tattoos has changed, including the assumption
that modern tattoo users are dominated by men and groups of “thugs.” This
assumption raises various perceptions and prejudices, especially among women
who use tattoos as part of their body art. These various perceptions certainly
cannot be separated from various media reports related to the issue of tattoos on
women’s bodies. The purpose of this study was to find out how the media actually
framed the issue of tattooed women on online news portals in Indonesia.
The tribes in Indonesia that are known to carry out the body tattoo tradition
include the Dayak tribe in Kalimantan, the Mentawai tribe in West Sumatra, the
Moi tribe in Papua, the tribe in Bali, and several other areas. This rajah tradition
is closely related to the beliefs and symbols of the identity of each tribe which has
a specific meaning for those who practice it. Olong (2006) stated that tattoos are
a ‘biological children’ of Indonesian culture. This is reinforced by Rosa (1994)
who stated that traditional tattoos should be included in the traditional ritual art
family because of the relationship between tattoos and the beliefs of the people of
each tribe. Furthermore, Rosa (1994) also emphasized that traditional Indonesian
people have been tattooing since prehistoric (neolithic) times, which were then
passed down from generation to generation.
After entering the realm of popular culture, tattoos are no longer just male
domination. Apart from the controversial views on tattoos, tattoo enthusiasts are
also now in demand by women in Indonesia. For example, female celebrities in
Indonesia who openly display photos of their tattoo motifs on social media, such
as Sheila Marcia, Adhisty Zara, Alexandra Gottardo, and others. Tattoos are now
a form of body modification that is aesthetic and a part of lifestyle.
Women are known to be associated with beauty and life style. The desire to
beautify themselves and have an ideal body is the dream of most women. Many
things are done to be able to have an ideal face and body, from dieting, exercising,
even having plastic surgery. Likewise with tattoos. Tattoo technology has even
now been used for beauty purposes, such as tattooing eyebrows, where it is no
longer necessary to make eyebrows manually using cosmetic tools. Eyebrows are
tattooed permanently and formed according to consumer taste.
Mass media, including online news media, is a means of building public
opinion in people’s lives. Therefore, the study of media framing becomes
significant to be studied more deeply. Theoretically and practically, the
relationship between culture, media, and behavior, as well as social change in a
society, cannot be separated. Including when the media frame an event massively
with a discriminatory approach, it is not impossible that this will affect the reading
community. This study uses Entman’s framing analysis technique on the top 5
coverages from news portals in Indonesia in early August and late/mid July 2022
(Liputan6.com, Yahoo Berita, Intisari Online, Suara.com, and Intipseleb.com).
Robert Entman’s framing analysis looks at how the media frame and construct
reality through news and emphasizes how the media describes the selection
process and highlights certain aspects of reality.
The study results show that some media generally take a different point
of view. Two media outlets, Liputan6.com trying to write about tattoos as part of
art, and Suara.com, taking news from abroad. In comparison, the other three
media emphasized more that Tattoos are something that is not good for women.
Two media outlets, Yahoo News and Intipseleb.com, highlighted that women who
are kind and innocent do not like to open clothes and are not worthy of using
tattoos. Alternatively, the tattoo is something that “needs” to be hidden from the
female body. Such prejudices are strengthened in the writing of both news stories.
Meanwhile, in the case of Intisari Online, it is depicted why the women of the
Apatani hinterland should be tattooed and clamped on their noses so that they look
ugly and not be kidnapped by other tribes. Again the tattoo represents something
that is considered flawed. The difference in media framing is clearly visible,
especially closely related to the policies and vision, and mission of the media.
In the end, we can see below that the news framing that describes the
relationship between tattoos and women is still very biased. Women are reported
as mere objects. Of the five news stories, only one news story quoted a source from his female side (even
if it was a quote from a foreign media from the UK, Mirror Daily). Meanwhile, the other four news stories
did not conduct direct or indirect interviews with the women reported.