A Netnography of Gender Stigma in Contraceptive Use in Indonesia and United States of America

Abstract

This study investigates how women in Indonesia and the United States negotiate contraceptive burdens and gendered power relations through digital narratives. Using a netnographic design, 630 public comments from YouTube and Twitter/X were analyzed to identify recurring patterns of embodied suffering, unequal reproductive responsibility, and systemic critique of medical and pharmaceutical institutions. Findings demonstrate that contraceptive burden is not biologically inevitable but socially constructed through patriarchal norms that normalize women’s pain while prioritizing men’s comfort, a phenomenon we identify as threshold asymmetry. The study further develops the Islamic Feminist Reproductive Framework by integrating feminist theory, maqāṣid al-syarī‘ah, and digital testimonies as forms of epistemic resistance. This framework positions reproductive justice as the intersection of gender equity and hifz al-nafs (protection of life). Practical implications emphasize the need for male-inclusive family planning, elimination of medical gaslighting, and partnership-based reproductive education. Recommendations for future research include expanding to other platforms, examining male narratives, and testing the framework across diverse Muslim contexts.