Perempuan di Ruang Virtual yang Maskulin: Mobile Legends sebagai Arena Eksplorasi Konsep Diri dan Negosiasi Gender Gamer Perempuan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35870/jtik.v10i4.7125Keywords:
Female Gamers, Mobile Legends, Self-Concept, Gender Negotiation, Virtual IdentityAbstract
This study aims to analyze how female gamers construct their self-concept and negotiate gender in the virtual space of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), which is dominated by masculine values. Using a descriptive qualitative approach with in-depth interviews, the study involved seven female informants who are active Mobile Legends players in Surabaya. Findings indicate that female gamers' communication patterns are selective and contextual, shaped by social relationships and perceived safety. Gender-based violence—including stereotypes, skill delegitimization, verbal harassment, and sexual harassment—constitutes a major barrier to female participation. In response, female gamers employ various gender negotiation strategies: concealing identity through neutral usernames, avoiding voice chat, selecting non-feminine heroes, and adapting to toxic environments. Self-concept is formed through two components: cognitive (reflexive awareness of alternative virtual identity) and affective (emotional evaluation of social recognition and self-esteem). The study is grounded in the Proteus Effect theory, Ting-Toomey's Identity Negotiation Theory, and Butler's Gender Performativity Theory
Downloads
References
APJII. (2024). Jumlah pengguna internet Indonesia tembus 221 juta orang. Asosiasi Penyelenggaraan Jasa Internet Indonesia.
Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. Routledge.
Devianti, T. A., & Nurchayati. (2023). Eksplorasi masalah yang dihadapi oleh gamer perempuan dan strategi coping yang diterapkan. Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 10(01), 168–186.
Dwi Kurniawan, F., Kamajaya, G., & Budi Nugroho, W. (2021). Diskriminasi dan ujaran kebencian pada perempuan dalam game online Mobile Legends Bang-Bang. Jurnal Sosiologi Dialektika, 16(2), 91–100.
Habibi, A., & Sanjaya, A. (2025). Konsep diri dan perilaku pemain game online mahasiswa ilmu komunikasi. Jurnal Komunikasi, 17(1), 45–58.
Irwanto, B., & Wuryandari, N. (2023). Transformasi tokoh dalam game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) dan dampaknya. Jurnal Komunikasi Digital, 5(2), 1–28.
Pratnyawan, A. (2021). Sebaran pemain Mobile Legends Indonesia, terbanyak di pulau ini. Suara.com.
Rahmawati, A., & Kusuma, A. S. (2022). Perempuan dalam industri kreatif Indonesia. Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa Timur.
Ranggawari, D. (2023). Pelecehan seksual berbasis gender dalam komunitas game online. Jurnal Studi Gender, 8(2), 45–60.
Rizki, A. (2020). Konsep diri pemain game online smartphone di kalangan komunitas gamers Kota Palembang. Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 8(1), 33–44.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (2015). Dasar-dasar penelitian kualitatif. Pustaka Pelajar.
Sugiyono. (2020). Metode penelitian kualitatif. Alfabeta.
Taylor, T. L. (2006). Play between worlds: Exploring online game culture. MIT Press.
Tirtiana, I. (2023). Perjuangan perempuan dalam dunia e-sport Indonesia: Studi etnografi virtual. Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 13(1), 104–116.
Wahid, U., & Fauzan, A. (2021). Teori komunikasi kontemporer. Prenada Media.
Walther, J. B. (2011). Theories of computer-mediated communication and interpersonal relations. Dalam M. L. Knapp & J. A. Daly (Eds.), Handbook of interpersonal communication (Ed. ke-4, hlm. 443–479). SAGE Publications.
Widiarti, P. W. (2017). Makna diri (self concept) dan komunikasi interpersonal dalam pendampingan pada siswa SMP. Informasi: Kajian Ilmu Komunikasi, 47(1), 105–118. https://doi.org/10.21831/informasi.v47i1.15035
Yee, N., & Bailenson, J. (2007). The Proteus Effect: The effect of transformed self-representation on behavior. Human Communication Research, 33(3), 271–290. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2007.00299.x
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Reza Febrianto, Aulia Rahmawati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1. Copyright Retention and Open Access License
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal non-exclusive right of first publication under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
This license allows unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
2. Rights Granted Under CC BY 4.0
Under this license, readers are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use
- No additional restrictions — the licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as license terms are followed
3. Attribution Requirements
All uses must include:
- Proper citation of the original work
- Link to the Creative Commons license
- Indication if changes were made to the original work
- No suggestion that the licensor endorses the user or their use
4. Additional Distribution Rights
Authors may:
- Deposit the published version in institutional repositories
- Share through academic social networks
- Include in books, monographs, or other publications
- Post on personal or institutional websites
Requirement: All additional distributions must maintain the CC BY 4.0 license and proper attribution.
5. Self-Archiving and Pre-Print Sharing
Authors are encouraged to:
- Share pre-prints and post-prints online
- Deposit in subject-specific repositories (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv)
- Engage in scholarly communication throughout the publication process
6. Open Access Commitment
This journal provides immediate open access to all content, supporting the global exchange of knowledge without financial, legal, or technical barriers.
