Queen-bee phenomenon: Barriers to women’s participation in politics

Abstract

This research has the objectives to uncover the perspectives, judgments, and reactions of women toward other women who enter politics; the underlying assumption that motivates such thinking and actions, and; the practical implications of such thinking and actions in the political sphere. These questions are based on the fact that patriarchy is also affecting women. The strong patriarchal culture in Indonesian society results not only in the perceived superiority of men over women but also in the perceived superiority of women over other women. The latter is often referred to as the “queen-bee phenomenon.” Affirmation actions of women’s participation in politics do not necessarily increase the number of women representatives in the legislative. In Indonesia, regulations have been issued to support women being involved in the political sphere, but women still find it hard to get a seat at the table. Using a qualitative approach with a gender perspective, this study aims to provide an overview of the queen-bee phenomenon. The results show that: 1) Some women think that women are not supposed to enter politics; 2) They ground this view in religious and cultural values; 3) They express their views verbally, in their attitudes, and actions. Overall, the findings show that patriarchy is not only perpetuated by men but also by women against other women.