DINAMIKA KEPEMIMPINAN PEREMPUAN AKAR RUMPUT DAN PERLAWANAN STIGMANISASI GENDER (Studi Kasus Sekolah Perempuan Gresik Jawa Timur) = THE DYNAMICS OF GRASSROOTS WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP AND RESISTANCE TO GENDER STIGMANIZATION (A Case Study at the Gresik Women's School in East Java)

IVA HASANAH. Dinamika Kepemimpinan Perempuan Akar Rumput Dan Perlawanan Stigmanisasi Gender (Studi kasus Sekolah Perempuan Gresik Jawa Timur) (dibimbing oleh Mardiana Ethrawaty Fachry dan Sitti Bulkis) Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis bentuk dan dinamika kepemimpinan perempuan akar rumput yang berkembang di Sekolah Perempuan Gresik Jawa Timur. Fokus utama penelitian adalah mengkaji proses pemberdayaan yang membentuk kepemimpinan perempuan perdesaan, serta strategi pemimpin Sekolah Perempuan menghadapi stigmatisasi gender dan mengupayakan pengakuan sosial dan politik dalam konteks kerentanan berlapis. Studi ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan desain studi kasus dan pendekatan feminis. Lokasi penelitian berada di Sekolah Perempuan Gresik sebagai ruang pemberdayaan berbasis komunitas bagi perempuan perdesaan. Subjek penelitian meliputi perempuan peserta dan pemimpin Sekolah Perempuan, fasilitator, serta aktor-aktor kunci di tingkat desa. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam, diskusi kelompok fokus (FGD), observasi partisipatif, dan studi dokumentasi. Analisis data secara tematik dengan menggunakan kerangka teori feminis global oleh N.Kabeer (collective emporwerment), Kimberly Crenshaw (intersecionality), Axel Honnet (recognition) dan Faucoult (resistance). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dinamika dan bentuk kepemimpinan perempuan akar rumput di Sekolah Perempuan adalah kolektif, kontekstual, dan berakar pada pengalaman hidup perempuan perdesaan. Proses pemberdayaan tidak hanya meningkatkan kapasitas individu, tetapi juga membangun kesadaran kritis, solidaritas kolektif, dan keberanian perempuan untuk tampil sebagai pemimpin dalam ruang publik. Kepemimpinan perempuan akar rumput berfungsi sebagai strategi perlawanan terhadap stigmatisasi gender melalui praktik negosiasi sosial, penguatan jejaring komunitas, serta keterlibatan aktif dalam proses pengambilan keputusan di tingkat desa. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa kepemimpinan perempuan akar rumput merupakan praktik sosial yang signifikan dalam melawan stigmatisasi gender dan mendorong pengakuan sosial serta politik perempuan perdesaan. Model pemberdayaan berbasis komunitas seperti Sekolah Perempuan terbukti efektif dalam membangun agensi dan kepemimpinan kolektif perempuan di perdesaan. Rekomendasi, Penelitian ini merekomendasikan penguatan dan pelembagaan Sekolah Perempuan dalam kebijakan pembangunan desa yang responsif gender, serta peningkatan dukungan pemerintah daerah dan desa melalui replikasi Sekolah Perempuan yang lebih masif. Kata kunci: kepemimpinan perempuan akar rumput, Sekolah Perempuan, stigmatisasi gender, pemberdayaan perempuan. IVA HASANAH. The dynamics of grassroots women's leadership and resistance to gender stigmatization: a case study of the Gresik women's School, East Java. (supervised by Prof Dr.Ir.Mardianah Ethrawaty, M.Si , Prof.Dr.Ir.Sitti Bulkis, M.S) Objectives. This study aims to analyze the forms and dynamics of grassroots women's leadership developing at the Gresik Women's School, East Java. The main focus of this research is to examine the empowerment processes that shape rural women's leadership, as well as the strategies of Women's School leaders in addressing gender stigmatization and seeking social and political recognition in the context of multiple vulnerabilities. Methods.This study employed qualitative methods with a case study design and a feminist approach. The research location was the Gresik Women's School, a community-based empowerment space for rural women. The research subjects included female participants and leaders of the Women's School, facilitators, and key actors at the village level. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), participant observation, and documentation studies. Meanwhile, data analysis was conducted thematically using theoretical frameworks by global feminists, namely N. Kabeer (collective empowerment), Kimberly Crenshaw (intersectionality), Axel Honnet (recognition), and Faucoult (resistance). Result. The results of the study indicate that the dynamics and forms of grassroots women's leadership in the Women's School are collective, contextual, and rooted in the lived experiences of rural women. The empowerment process not only increases individual capacity but also builds critical awareness, collective solidarity, and the courage of women to emerge as leaders in the public sphere. Grassroots women's leadership functions as a resistance strategy against gender stigmatization through social negotiation practices, strengthening community networks, and active involvement in decision-making processes at the village level. Conclusion. This study concludes that grassroots women's leadership is a significant social practice in combating gender stigmatization and encouraging social and political recognition of rural women. Community- based empowerment models such as the Women's School have proven effective in building agency and collective leadership of women in rural areas. Recommendations: This study recommends strengthening and institutionalizing Women's Schools within gender-responsive village development policies, as well as increasing support from local and village governments through more extensive replication of Women's Schools. Keywords: grassroots women's leadership, Women's Schools, gender stigmatization, women's empowerment.