This mini-dossier shows three contributions from Southeast Asia that have originally been published as part of the project “Masculinities in Asia: What About the Boys?”. The contributions from Cambodia, Indonesia and Singapore, share the intimate works that explore masculinities through personal journeys. Kong Sreynou examines how rigid gender norms reinforce harmful stereotypes and calls for redefining masculinity to advance equality. Bonnibel Rambatan’s sequencial art and Marylyn Tan’s poem invite us into stories of pain, growth, and transformation – where gender becomes a canvas for reflection and resistance.
Oppression, Expression, Liberation by Bonnibel Rambatan
Sequential Art: Explored through the eyes of Bonnibel Rambatan, masculinity in Southeast Asia reveals a deeply personal dimension. As a transfeminine nonbinary person, Bonni’s youth was shaped by silence, resistance, and self-discovery. These sequential art unfold a story from hiding to healing, revealing how gender norms shape not only society but also the tender, complex lives within it. Through memory and art, Bonni invites us to see masculinity as something to question, reshape, and reimagine.
"till flesh do us part" By Marylyn Tan
Poem: What happens, when cultural anxieties around sexual and gendered norms meet the ghost of Pontianak, the vengeful spectre of victims of sexual assault? The poet Marylyn Tan has them meet in a haunted ballroom – and gives us a glimpse of this in a fiery spoken word piece.
“Getting Rid of Gendered Stereotypes in Cambodia” by Kong Sreynou
Analysis: Rigid gender norms in Cambodia continue to reinforce a version of masculinity that tends to stifle progress toward gender equality. These outdated norms harm both women and men, fueling gender-based violence, limiting emotional expression, and stigmatizing nonconformity. Real change begins with redefining masculinity, challenging tradition, and fostering equality at every level of society.
Explore the full dossier: Masculinities in Asia: What About the Boys? for further contributions from China, India, Myanmar and South Korea.