Deconstructing and Reinforcing Gender Norms and Cultural Taboos in Myanmar’s Spring Revolution

Abstract:On 1 February 2021, claiming that the results of the prior November's election were fraudulent, the military staged a coup d'etat. They planned to hold power until a new election was held. This ended a pseudo-democracy under the quasi-civilian government. The coup provoked a nationwide protest also demanding for a modern state which values the information technology knowledge of Generation Z, sees them as active social agents, with new revolutionary ideas, and fosters greater freedom of thought. Traditional groups as well as human rights defenders contested gender norms and stereotypes. In this study of the 2021 revolution, numerous changes in gender attitudes are documented. These include attitudes regarding cultural taboos about women's bodies; dominant masculine ideas about marginalized gender groups; and finally, women's political participation. Many urban youth protesters have been fighting against misogynist ideas and actively acknowledge women's roles in the political and social movements. Yet, in the power struggle between oppressors and oppressed, human dignity and moral principles have been caught in a bind, as women from both groups have been strategically targeted for personal attacks. Although this trend was not as apparent in previous anti-coup protests, this article argues that, despite some flaws, the revolution could be a driving force in changing gender perceptions in general. As such, this study observes how the 2021 revolution both deconstructed and reinforced traditional gender stereotypes and beliefs. With the aim of examining the driving forces and drawbacks of gender attitudes changes, this investigation attempts to understand the gender equality movements, arising with the coup in 2021 and their impact on the landscape of women's participation in politics.