MITOS BEAUTIFIKASI BAGI MAHASISWI (STUDI MENGENAI MAKNA DAN DAMPAK MITOS KECANTIKAN BAGI MAHASISWI TIDAK MAMPU DI UNIVERSITAS GADJAH MADA)

Ayu Mela Kurniasari, Dr. Hempri Suyatna, S.Sos., M.Si.

2025 | Skripsi | ILMU SOSIATRI

Penelitian yang berjudul “Mitos Beautifikasi Bagi Mahasiswi : Studi Mengenai Makna dan Dampak Mitos Kecantikan Bagi Mahasiswi Tidak Mampu di Universitas Gadjah Mada”. Penelitian ini memiliki tujuan dalam memahami bagaimana mahasiswi KIP-K memaknai mitos kecantikan serta dampak mengenai gaya hidup mahasiswi tidak mampu. Latar belakang tersebut didaM oleh berbagai macam tekanan sosial serta konsumerisme akibat dari adanya standar kecantikan ideal yang homogen dan tidak realistis. 

Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan secara kualitatif deskriptif dengan pengumpulan data melalui wawancara mendalam, observasi non-partisipan serta studi dokumentasi. Subjek penelitian ini terdiri atas 12 mahasiswi penerima KIP-K sebagai informan utama, 6 teman sebaya, 3 orang tua, serta 1 staf Ditmawa UGM. Data analisis menggunakan model interaktif dari Miles dan Huberman, yaitu pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data, serta verifikasi. Validasi data juga dilakukan dengan cara triangulasi sumber dan teknik. 

Landasan teori dalam penelitian ini berpatokan dalam konsep The Beauty Myth karya Naomi Wolf (1991) yang menjelaskan bahwa kecantikan bagian dari suatu konstruksi sosial yang digunakan sebagai suatu alat kontrol patriarki dan kapitalisme. Konsep tersebut diperkokoh dengan teori interseksionalitas gender dan kelas dalam memahami dinamika tekanan kompleks mahasiswi KIP-K. 

Hasil penelitian juga menunjukan bahwa mahasiswi KIP-K menyadari bawa standar kecantikan bagian konstruksi sosial yang eksklusif serta tidak dapat dicapai. Mahasiswi KIP-K meredefinisi makna kecantikan secara inklusif, baik berupa kesederhanaan, rasa percaya diri, dan pencapaian akademik. Meskipun demikian, tekanan mengenai media sosial serta lingkungan pergaulan membangun hirarki visual yang membentuk eksklusi sosial dan dilema finansial. Sebagai bagian respons, mahasiswi KIP-K mengembangkan dengan strategi adaptif sebagai bagian konsumsi alternatif, part time, dan pengaturan prioritas keuangan. Penelitian ini juga mengungkapkan adanya interseksi antar gender dan kelas yang memperkokoh tekanan psikososial. Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi dalam memperkaya wacana akademik mengenai isu kecantikan dari berbagai perspektif interdisipliner serta menjadi dasar rekomendasi kebijakan yang inklusif, khususnya mendukung kesejahteraan mahasiswi tidak mampu. 

The thesis titled “Beautification Myth of Students (The Study of The Definition and Impact of The Beauty Myth for Economically-Handicapped Students of Universitas Gadjah Mada)” aims to research the definition and the social, ecological, and economic impacts of the beauty myth towards the Kartu Indonesia Pintar kuliah (KIP-K) scholarship awardees in Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) . The study employs a qualitative and descriptive approach to understand subjective experiences, definition construction as well as various strategies implemented by UGM Students.

The data collection methods include in-depth interviews, participative observation and the documentation study of ten main informants, those being UGM students who are current KIP-K scholarship awardees, and supporting informants, including UGM students, parents, and staff from UGM’s Student Directorate. Data analysis uses the interactive model from Miles and Huberman (2014) that involve four phases: data gathering, data reduction, data presentation, and data verification and conclusion formulation. This approach allows the author to identify important factors that are related to how KIP-K awardees understand and respond to beauty standards that have developed in Indonesian society.

Results show that the Beauty Myth is not only a product of pop culture, but also an integral part of capitalistic hegemonies where its algorithms penetrate through various social media, influencers, and advertisements. KIP-K student awardees experience structural and symbolic pressure that affect their self-image, identity, and priorities in life. The peer pressure is mainly formed through dominant social norms and internalized capitalistic values that position beauty standards as symbolic capital, in addition to social interactions.

In addition, this study delves into the adaptive strategies employed by KIP-K student awardees to combat beauty standards imposed by society. Several informants manage their financial priorities through part-time jobs and use cheaper alternative beauty products to enhance their physical appearances without going over their respective budget thresholds. The awardees were also successful in reconstructing the definition of the beauty myth by placing academic performance, as well as physical and mental health as a new part of ‘beauty’ that is more relevant and productive, suiting their needs better.

The study also found the presence of stigma and social hierarchy between students, where the informants have an agency to negotiate, adapt, and challenge the dominant narrative on beauty standards. This illustrates the resolve of KIP-K awardees to build their personal identity and dignity despite their economic limitations. As a university, UGM should aid KIP-K awardees by training their digital literacy, provide psychological support, and educate them on calculated consumption to set them up to withstand the various pressures in the digital era. In addition, community development based on solidarity must be built among KIP-K awardees and must be supported through inclusive policies and build sensitivity training towards the pressure of beauty standards.

Kata Kunci : mitos beautifikasi, agensi, standar kecantikan, tekanan sosial, strategi adaptif