GOSSIP

Many of us consider internet access as a utility we consume rather than a human right. Yet, only a fraction understand that our human rights should extend into digital spaces, intercepting into the design and application of digital technology. As our lives, both online and offline intertwine, it becomes crucial to recognise our digital rights as inseparable from our broader human rights framework.

However, when having discussions on digital rights, we often overlook the rights of persons with disabilities. How do we ensure their access to information when it's not tailored to their needs? Who advocates for their rights when their personal struggles are documented in the digital sphere without their consent? 

In this episode of GOSSIP, we invited Beatrice Leong, an Autistic Rights Activist and Filmmaker, and Mediha Mahmood, Chief Executive Officer at Content Forum Malaysia to understand into their works to champion the rights of persons with disabilities in digital spaces and explore what governments and other stakeholders can do to support this. 

*NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Misogyny is often used as a weapon against women and those who are gender non-conforming, leading to detrimental effects including instances of gender-based violence, both in the real world and in digital spaces. There are often no consequences for such actions, as misogyny is not criminalised in Malaysia and is not recognised as hate speech. In our podcast, we delve into the roots of misogyny, primarily stemming from sexism, to better understand this pervasive issue. In the Malaysian context, there have been several incidents where public figures use misogyny to dehumanise women. This is especially evident in the political arena, where representatives across parties don’t hesitate to employ misogyny, even within the parliament and state legislative assemblies, to undermine women.

In this episode, we invited Nalini Elumalai from Article 19 and Barathi Selvam, Senior Researcher at Women’s Aids Organisation, to unpack the ways in which sexism and misogyny contribute to violence against women with a number of global examples highlighting the prevalence of sexism worldwide.

*NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organisations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Late last year, Malaysia had its 15th General Elections after a series of government changes since the pandemic. The stakes were high and the battle for voters was intense. This led to the use of propaganda by various parties to pursue voters, including the propagation of gendered disinformation.

There is growing research that shows that women in politics are disproportionately targeted by gendered disinformation. It is aimed at delegitimising, depersonalising and ultimately dissuading them from being politically active. Gendered disinformation aggravates harmful stereotyping of women as “weak” and “domestic” and harmful sexualisation of women as “available” or “slutty”. Gendered disinformation is also a form of online gender-based violence that has the effect of silencing their voices.

In this episode, we unpack the concept of gendered disinformation within the Malaysian context, its impact on women's public and political participation during the 15th General election, and the recommendations for addressing the issues.

Featuring guest speakers: YB Amira Aisya, the State Assemblyperson for Puteri Wangsa, Johor & Cynthia Sylvia, the Media and Communications Officer at the Centre for Independent Journalism.

*NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

More than just access to government services, every citizens ought to have the right to vote, right to freedom of opinion and expression, right to hold public office, to own land, to public education and to be free from violence and hate. All citizen are equal but is that true for everyone?

The LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia continues to face significant challenges, enduring targeted persecution and discrimination. The situation was exemplified by a distressing incident last year when a Halloween party, meant to be a safe place for the community, was unexpectedly raided by the police. These discriminatory actions and laws not only violate the human rights of LGBTQ+ individuals but also deprive them of their right to feel safe and secure in their own country.

In this episode, we explore the meaning of citizenship beyond just having a nationality and the constitutional guarantee of equality before the law. We also discuss how we can move forward to create a Malaysia where equal right to citizenry is a reality.

(Featuring guest speakers: Numan Afifi, Founder of JEJAKA and Larissa Ann Louis, Partner and Head of Pro Bono Unit of Messrs Azri, Lee Swee Seng & Co, Advocates and Solicitors)

*NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Earlier this year, Malaysia's Cabinet took a significant step by agreeing to amend the Federal Constitution, aiming to grant automatic citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers married to foreigners. However, this announcement does not mark the finalisation of the process. There are still multiple stages that must be completed before Malaysian mothers can confer citizenship to their overseas-born children. 

The proposed constitutional amendment is scheduled to be tabled in September, leaving impacted mothers anxiously hoping for recognition as equal citizens and for their children to bear the Malaysian nationality, just like them. 

In this episode, we explore the broader context of citizenship rights in Malaysia, shed light on the struggles faced by the mothers, and examine the significance of achieving equality in conferring citizenship to all Malaysians, regardless of their place of birth.

(Featuring guest speakers: Shamila Unnikrishnan, a Malaysian mother who has had to fight for her equal right to confer citizenship to her children born abroad and Sarah Czarina Mashanis, Programme Coordinator from Family Frontiers) 

*NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

“Cancel culture” is notably one of the most contentious phenomena, and more people are trying to define and understand it. The act of publicly denouncing misconduct or problematic opinions, especially from those who wield power or authority, has long been practiced by society. However, social media has changed how people are able to network and mobilise others to act in solidarity.

Many construed the #MeToo movement as cancel culture and compared it to mob rule or a short-lived sense of justice that punishes and shames the accused summarily without a fair trial. The lack of nuanced conversations on social media further adds to polarising the discourse, and often does not address the structural problems of sexual harassment.

The criticism towards the #MeToo movement assumes that everyone has equal access to freedom of opinion and expression. For a long time, the public and political spaces were insulated by the norms of acceptable sexual behaviours from perpetrators. The #MeToo movement gave people the collective power and strength to tear down the wall of silence and demand for accountability as their last attempt for justice. To describe cancel culture as either good or bad is not helpful and may risk obscuring the power dynamics in which it operates.

In this episode, "Fighting Sexual Harassment - Call Out or Cancel Culture", we interrogate cancel culture against the history, context and power relations in which it is defined, and its effectiveness to bring about the necessary discourse and social change beyond call-outs towards community-supported but survivor-centric solutions 

(Featuring guest speakers: Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, a lawyer by training and currently doing her PhD in Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and Daniella Zulkifli, Vice President of the Association of Women Lawyers and is part of the team that drafted the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill.) ⠀   

*NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.  

This episode contains content that might be distressing to some listeners as we delve into the topic of sexual harassment. GOSSIP has always been about having difficult conversations and exploring the nuances of the issues with a gender lens. Questions are deliberately designed to provoke in order to help deepen reflections from guest speakers. It is in no way an attempt to diminish or discredit the struggles of survivors of sexual harassment but an attempt to initiate a conversation on how we should move forward in a way that addresses the issue and provides survivor-centric redress with the full support of the surrounding/affected community.

As a virtual public space, social media has been harnessed by activists to call out patriarchal norms, share rights-based gender content, and build movements for change. It has been regarded as an empowering space for feminist activism.

But we see how our online world mirrors the physical world. Women’s visibility and expression on social media are often burdened by the risks of hate and harassment. From the dominance of misogynistic content to the experiences of shadowbanning or abuse towards women online, we have seen how online spaces are fertile ground for harmful political ideologies and activity.

In this episode, we unpick if the design of social media is really neutral, if the infrastructure of social media shapes gender norms and plays a part in the online gender-based violence women faced.

Are social media algorithms tools of marketing or a mirror of patriarchy? Do algorithms interfere with our freedom of expression, especially when we post content that is 'objectionable' in the general public eyes (ex. human rights issues)? Do they reinforce existing disparities and discriminatory practices in our day-to-day lives? How do we then navigate them? These are just some of the questions we unpack in this latest episode.

(Featuring guest speakers: Ratna, Fat Liberationist and Syar S. Alia, activist and writer)

*NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

The national budget, every year, is a contentious topic for some citizens, primarily the discriminatory allocation of funds in certain departments. But beyond that, it is alarming that many might not know the importance of the national budget as well as its purpose. After all, the budget defines how public funds are raised, how they are utilized, and who benefits from them by tracking where it comes and goes.

Just last year, the Malaysian Parliament approved the country's largest budget with a total of RM332.1 billion. However, the lack of gender-focused policies and insufficient gender analysis across various sectors and ministries is concerning as it once again shows that gender equality is not at the forefront of Malaysia's fiscal policy.

In this episode, we talk about the need for gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) in fighting for gender and fiscal justice, what GRB really means, and how can we analyze the national budget from a gender lens.

(Featuring guest speakers:  Omna Sreeni-Ong, Founder & Principal Consultant from ENGENDER Consultancy, and Sri Murniati Yusuf, Deputy Research Director from IDEAS Malaysia)

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Year by year, we have seen an increased need to jump onto the digital economy bandwagon in order for businesses to survive and for people to continue their bread and butter lives. This is shown beyond doubt during the pandemic where many businesses were forced to shut down or significantly curtail their operations. The majority of businesses that transitioned to online platforms such as food vendors that provide online delivery services were able to survive by the skin of their teeth. But is the digital economy all good? 

Have online giants such as Grab and Facebook irrevocably made changes to our economy and job market in ways that benefit the richest 10%? Do crowd workers get to reap the same benefits they sow? What about the communities that do not have access to the same information and opportunities? What impacts would the digital economy have on labour, the constant widening of our country’s wealth inequality and how can the State do better in ensuring the livelihoods of everyone will be protected?

In the second part of our conversation on ‘Future of Work’, we dive deeper into the world of the digital economy and question the lasting impacts it would have on the people's livelihoods, the country’s economic structures, the welfare of labour, and so on.

(Featuring guest speakers: Rachel Gong and Siti Aiysyah Tumin, researchers with Khazanah Research Institute)

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Digitalization and globalization have resulted in significant changes in our way of life and work. For some, this has meant significant improvements in productivity and efficiency. For others, it has meant increased vulnerability and costs. The situation is now made worse because the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the pre-existing negative impacts of capitalist-driven markets on labour. The immediate and frequently observed severe effect is how millions of people were furloughed or lost their jobs, and others had to quickly adapt to working from home despite maybe not having access to affordable equipment and internet connectivity when workplaces were closed. These developments pose important questions regarding job security, job creation, and the types of support available if we are unable to work or retire, the types and levels of skills we require for present and future occupations, the quality and safety of those work opportunities, and our ability to influence these outcomes.

In our fifth episode, the first part of our conversation on the 'Future of Work', we discuss how the pandemic has affected employment, what is the current state and future for young people who are seeking employment, and the lopsided "sharing" economy.

(Featuring guest speakers: Mastura M. Rashid, Strategist from Impact Malaysia, and Joseph Boo, Treasurer from Persatuan Kebajikan Pekerja Industri Ehailing Malaysia (PKEH))

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Despite the many forms of successes in advancing women's rights and gender equality that has been achieved by the women's rights movement, bodily autonomy still remains elusive for millions of women and girls around the world. According to the UNFPA's 'My Body is My Own' report, nearly half of all women in 57 countries are denied bodily autonomy. In our society, bodily autonomy is regarded as a 'western concept' rather than a fundamental right. Not to mention, when the subject of bodily autonomy is brought up, it is frequently linked to reproductive and sexual rights. However, little has been realized that the denial of women and girls' bodily autonomy has increasingly infringed on their daily lives where they are shamed for merely being confident in their own skin or for carrying out mundane activities such as exercising.  

In the fourth episode of GOSSIP, we talked about the patriarchal society's long-held perspective of women and girls' bodies, the shame surrounding femininity, and the measures forward to empower women and girls' bodily autonomy. Join us in recognizing the importance of bodily autonomy as a human right that will benefit not just women and girls but all people.  

(Featuring: Student and TikTok content creator, Mei and GoodKids Malaysia's Communication and Media Officer as well as emerging Spoken Word Artist, Kasthury Paramiswaran)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organisations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Often wrongly argued as part and parcel of "freedom of expression", online gender-based violence is the systemic tool used in denying the lived realities, identities, and opinions of women and marginalized communities who challenge the dominant status quo. It is an extension of gender-based violence that takes place online, and it is often deliberately weaponized against women's freedom of expression. Although social media has somewhat reduced the barriers for women to express their opinions and thoughts, the increased use and access to social media does not necessarily translate to freedom of expression that is equally enjoyed by women, given the historical and structural inequalities that are also reproduced on technological platforms.  

In the third episode of GOSSIP, we unpack the intricacies of online gender-based violence. Does gender really play a role when it comes to online attacks? Has the rise of social media amplified the harms of these abuses and what are some of the challenges in addressing these issues? Join us in examining the inherent inequalities in women's access to freedom of expression.  

(Featuring guest speakers: Jamaliah Jamaluddin, State Assemblyperson for Bandar Utama and Selangor Vice Chief for DAP Youth Socialist (DAPSY), and Alia Affendy, activist, feminist, legal practitioner)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organisations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Most people see that women in Malaysia are able to go out to work, and so reject the data on the gender wage gap, and do not understand why women would dare demand for "equal pay" or more specifically, "equal pay for work of equal value". The undervaluing of women as workers worsens when the work is associated with household work and household-type of work -- the cooking, the cleaning, and the caregiving. Not only is the work undervalued but women's work experience in these types of work is similarly undervalued.  

For the second episode of GOSSIP, we raise questions on common assumptions and misperceptions about women workers and the value of their work, the challenges on the ground, and how do we move forward. Find out what the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed about the sustainability and resilience of our economy, and the essential driver that advances the development of any country.  

(Featuring guest speakers: Nur Thuraya Sazali and Siti Aiysyah Tumin, researchers with Khazanah Research Institute, and; Chong Yee Shan, a member of the central committee of Parti Sosialis and works with the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS) for better labour rights)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are of their own personal opinion and does not necessarily represent the view of the organization or institution.

Malaysia's media has a lengthy history of being silenced, most notably through the employment of repressive laws, printing license control, and media ownership restrictions. While digitalization has allowed for the creation and proliferation of alternative media, the online space still mirrors the offline patriarchal culture either in the gender stereotypical portrayal of women and gender diversity, including women’s sexuality or in the portrayal and commodification of the “ideal” woman. Consequently, the integration of social media and journalistic practice has exacerbated harassment, violence, and hate directed at women, particularly when the issues reported are deemed controversial (e.g., child marriage, LGBTQ people's human rights, female genital mutilation, polygamy, dehijabbing).   

In our first episode, we discuss Malaysian media's coverage of gender inequality issues, the lack of a gender analysis of these issues, the challenges in pushing for and advancing positive representation of gender perspectives in media as well as the next steps to better cultivate a gender diverse media.  

(Featuring guest speakers: Wathshlah Naidu, Executive Director of Centre for Independent Journalism, and @zurairi, Assistant News Editor for The Malay Mail)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.