Gender Relation in Family in Post-COVID-19 Era: Study Among Working Couple in Semarang, Indonesia

: The COVID-19 pandemic which has been running for two years has resulted in changes in work patterns for employees, both private and public. Due to consideration of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, government agencies and private offices are imposing WFH (work from home). As a result, for working couples, the household arena becomes a joint work arena, in which formal and domestic work is carried out. This study aims to discuss the division of labor between husband and wife in the household before the pandemic; the division of labor during the pandemic, and the impact of the division of labor during WFH on the division of labor after the pandemic. The study used qualitative methods and field studies were analyzed using gender theory. Data collection is done by way of interviews, observation and documentation. This research found that there were three trends in relationship changes that were prior to the COVID pandemic, the division of labor was carried out based on the habits that had been built by the couple since they were married, namely families who had a commitment to work together since the beginning of the marriage, so with the pandemic this commitment made it stronger, but for families who do not have a commitment to gender relations, the work arena formed by the pandemic does not really affect gender relations. This finding reinforces the perspective that gender relations are socio-cultural formations so they are not easy to change.


Introduction
Gender relation is the the relation between men and women which is socially and culturally design. 1 Gender relations are the ways in which a culture or society defines rights, responsibilities, and the identities of men and women in relation to one another. 2 Social and cultural enculturation resulted in the gender relation in the family become a strong construct. 3 Some examples of gender relations are girls and women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite, accommodating, and nurturing. Men are generally expected Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth, et.al. DOI: 10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.17007 http://jurnal.arraniry.ac.id/index.php/samarah to be strong, aggressive, and bold. 4 Every society, ethnic group, and culture has gender role expectations, so they can be very different from group to group. 5 Some examples girls and women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite, accommodating, and nurturing. Men are generally expected to be strong, aggressive, and bold. On the basis of these basic assumptions, society conceptualizes gender roles for men and women. Because men are assumed to be strong and able to lead, men should do public work. Meanwhile, because women are seen as weak, women are oriented socially and culturally to do domestic work. Various world tribes, as well as ethnic groups in Indonesia also conceptualize the same thing.
Studies on gender relations in the family in the context of COVID-19 have been carried out by many researchers. There seem to be two trends from researchers in examining the phenomenon of gender in the family in the context of COVID-19. The first is that which observes pure gender relations in the family, as is done by Alon et al. 6 who found that man must take part in domestic work; Blaskó, Papadimitriou, and Manca 7 who found that pandemic forced men to be more increasingly involved in housework and caring duty in their family; Chung et al. 8 Craig 9 showed that mostly mothers were mainly responsible for housework and child care tasks both before and during the lockdown period, although this proportion has slightly declined during the pandemic. In households where fathers worked from home during the pandemic fathers were more likely to say that they were doing more housework and child care during the lockdown period than they were before.; and Fisher and Ryan, 10 Hupkau, 11 who found that gender inequality was getting stronger during the pandemic. Women, especially those with children, experience higher levels of stress due to health conditions and family life, the violence they experience, poverty, and leadership. 4 Raewyn Connell,Gender…,p. 14. 5 Anne Phillips, Gender and Culture (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2010), p. 21-22. 6 Titan Alon, et al., "The Impact of COVID-19 on Gender Equality" (Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of economic research, 2020). 7 Zsuzsa Blaskó, et.al Sociology 56, no. 4 (2020), p. 684-92. 10 Alexandra N. Fisher and Michelle K. Ryan, "Gender Inequalities During COVID-19," Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 24, no. 2 (2021), p. 237-45. 11 Claudia Hupkau and Barbara Petrongolo, "Work, Care and Gender During the COVID-19 Crisis," Fiscal Studies 41, no. 3 (2020), p. 623-51. Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth, et.al. DOI: 10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.17007 http://jurnal.arraniry.ac.id/index.php/samarah The second trend of the research on gender relation in the context of COVID-19 are the researches in work places, as done by Reichelt,Makovi,and Sargsyan 12 who found that men are more adabtive in accepting the changing in working system of the pandemic time. Farré et al., 13 found that gender inequality was getting stronger during the pandemic among working partners. Work from home still makes women have more workload because they have to do household task while they still have to complete work in the office. Feng and Savani 14 have a similar research result to the research of Farre et. al. They showed that when couples are working from home the whole day and when schools are closed, women are expected to devote more time to housework and childcare; and Milliken, Kneeland, and Flynn, 15 Carli 16 also underlined that women got more house works so they are more burdened because the office works also a duty to do.
The third trends in the study of gender relation pertaining to the context of family and works in COVID-19 era. The study done by Yavorsky,Qian,and Sargent 17 showed that apart from taking many victims, the pandemic has changed the structure of human behavior in interacting and working. Restrictions that led to the implementation of work from home resulted in the changes of entire structure of life. Unemployment rates are increasing, children are not going to school and it is the parents' responsibility to continue their education processes, and everyone is centered at home. The unequal gender relations that were previously experienced by women are increasingly felt by women. Clark,et al.,18 found that the condition of COVID-19 with a work system that combines domestic and formal work has made women very burdened, whereas men get Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth, et.al. DOI: 10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.17007 http://jurnal.arraniry.ac.id/index.php/samarah lighter work formulations. İlkkaracan,and Memiş 19 showed that men's participation in unpaid work increased, particularly for men who switched to working from home, the relative increase for women further widened the gender gap in unpaid work. The gender gap in paid work narrowed due to relatively less employment disruption for women and a relatively higher decrease in men's paid work. The total workload of employed women reached levels that make it hard to sustain a decent work-life balance. Disparities in unpaid work among women by education and employment status decreased, reflecting how purchasing power became somewhat irrelevant under the pandemic measures. These findings unveil simultaneously the fragility of the work-life balance conditions faced by employed women and a window of opportunity created by men's increased participation in unpaid work.
Craig, and Churchill found that working mothers have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 in relation to their psychological well-being, experiences of negative emotions, and the redefinition of family dynamics, in which working mothers have adopted additional and disproportionate care burden. 20 These findings are consistent with the current research arguing that COVID-19 has highlighted an increase in the gender gap in domestic labor as well as the undermining of career advancement for working mothers.
From the studies on gender relations and family pertaining to the context of COVID-19, it is found that mostly the studies are in the context of the time when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. Studies on gender relations in the family during the post-COVID 19 era are still very limited. This study is focused on gender relations in the family in the post-Covd-19 period. The focus of study on gender relations during the post-pandemic COVID-19 period is a novelty in the study of gender relations within the family in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the basic context of the time before and during the COVID-19 pandemic became important points to consider. The purpose of this study is to reveal the job divisions in the family before COVID-19; the job division in the COVID-19 era; the job division in Post-COVID-19 era. This research questions are based on the assumption that it is possible for the gender-based division of labor in the family to change with time and experiences shared by the couple. Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth, et.al. DOI: 10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.17007 http://jurnal.arraniry.ac.id/index.php/samarah However, because gender roles are culturally instilled roles it is sometimes difficult to change.
The method applied in this study is a qualitative method with a type of field research, analyzed using gender theory. Qualitative method is a research method that does not use statistical analysis. 21 Field research is a type of research carried out in the context of a particular locus with certain specifications. 22 The locus of this research is in a housing complex in the Ngaliyan area, Semarang. The specifications in this study are young couples, each of whom has a job, either as a civil servant or in the private sector. All of them are residents of Semarang. All families are also specified as having children, either one or two children. The gender of the child does note become consideration. The reason for establishing a family as an analysis unit has the argument that in a family the workload will be well represented, both formal work and domestic work.
Data collection was carried out by doing interviews and observations. Interviews and observations were conducted on informants. There are five couple informants used as data sources in this study with the pattern of job and the number of children as follows: The reason of determining the five informants was because the young couple in the housing complex, which became the focus of the research, could represent the entire family of working couple in the housing complex. Data analysis was carried out by collecting data according to the flow of questions posed in the research, then sorting it into the appropriate frame, and mapping and interpreting the mapping. 23 In this flow, data of the three questions are combined, 21  sorted out based on the themes researched, mapped into more systematic ways, analysed and interpreted. Substantively, the data were analyzed using a gender perspective.

Gender Relations in the Family During the COVID-19 Period 1. Job Division in Family Before COVID-19
Informants gave various answers to questions about the division of labor in the family before COVID-19. The couple of Ari-Rita stated that since they planned their marrage they had built an agreement that they would do all the housework together because the both met when they already became employees. Ari explained that: "My wife and I met on the time we had been civil servants, so we can imagine each other's busy lives. Therefore, when committed to living together in a marriage bond, we agreed to work together and support each other for the progress of all of us. So, from the start we did all domestic work together, and helped each other." 24 The couple Andi and Yuli conveyed different things. Because Yuli is a private employee who works on a shift basis, Yuli tries to do as much household works as she can, so Andi is less involved in domestic work. This is stated by Andi: "I just help with homework, for example my wife is in a hurry to go to work, the children are not ready to go to school, so I help prepare the children. Lukman and Sania have a different working relationship. Lukman has never helped his wife with household works or raising children. All household works are done by Sania, even with the help of a maid. Sania says: "I'm used to doing everything. Even though the husband is not busy with work, he rarely goes to work or helps with household works. Once, for example, helped bathe my child, but that is very rarely. Because I never expected my husband's help in doing household works, I didn't feel burdened. That is something ordinary for me to do them all." 27 Based on the above data, it can be mapped that there are some patterns in job division in a family that involve husband and wife as the expression of gender relation. The map is as shown in the Table 2. Ari- Source: Primary data Based on table 2 above, it appears that in general, domestic work in working families is dominated by women. This data illustrates gender relations Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth, et.al. DOI: 10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.17007 http://jurnal.arraniry.ac.id/index.php/samarah in families that are not equal. 28 Women do all domestic work, and when women enter the public world, women also carry out their duties in the public sphere. 29 Such a kind of gender relations are seen as normal because socially and culturally stated that domestic work is women's work. 30 Referring to the concept of gender justice, what women experience is a form of women's injustice in the form of an excessive or over burden. 31 The couple Ari and Rita represent a family that has equal gender relations because they have an initial commitment that does not differentiate between domestic work and formal work. Changing the concept of gender relations with formal justice is not an easy matter because it involves changes in social and cultural constructs. 32 Ari and Rita have dismantled gender relations socially and culturally.
Refers to views of Golombok, and Fivush 33 and Blakemore, Berenbaum, and Liben. 34 gender relations that are expressed in the form of gender roles have been instilled in the process of growing community members within their communities, making the concept of gender relations a concept that is firmly attached to individuals. In a patriarchal society as in Javanese society, the phenomenon of the couple of Ari and Rita is a phenomenon of transformation in gender relation. The process of transforming the concept of gender occurs from the formation of a knowledge system which then shapes behavior of the individual. 35

Job Division in the COVID-19 Era
At a time when the pandemic is increasing, government policy emphasizes Work from Home (WFH). It is in this context that studies on gender relations are carried out. The reason for the focus of the study at this point is because in this WFH condition all family members carry out tasks together both formal and domestic throughout the day. The measure of gender relations is in carrying out 28 Source: Primary data. Based on the data and then mapped in the table above it appears that the gender relations depicted in the division of labor in household work during the COVID-19 period, and especially when restrictions on social activities were imposed and for workers the work from home work system was implemented, it appears that in the conditions certain division of labor between husband and wife in the household can be mutually cooperated. This cooperation can be shown as a gender relation that can complement and exchange each other. Several points can be mapped here. The first is related to work from home. This work system is a work system that accommodates pandemic conditions. Based on efforts to prevent transmission through restrictions, working conditions are also regulated so as not to open opportunities for the spread of the COVID-19 Virus. 44 Therefore, around the globe workers were being asked to telecommute or perform work from home. 45 On the time the formal works is done in the domestic sphere, this is where an anomaly occurs in behavior. The anomaly here is related to gender roles. Women who are dominant in carrying out domestic tasks, still Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth, et.al. DOI: 10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.17007 http://jurnal.arraniry.ac.id/index.php/samarah showing dominance during the COVID-19 period. 46 However, even though the arena of household life has changed, the domestic role of women has not changed. Indeed, men adapt to this anonymous condition and do domestic work that they have never done before, that men showed more egalitarian attitudes. 47

Job Division in Post-COVID-19 era
The pandemic period which lasted for two years and made relations between family members very intensive has been assumed to change the pattern of gender relations in doing household works. However, due to certain reasons, changes in the pattern of gender relations in the family have not changed significantly, as shown in the data obtained in this study. Ari-Rita, who from the beginning of their marriage had a commitment to help each other, the pandemic has made them strengthen their commitment. Ari's statement regarding this matter is as follows: "For my wife and me, because from the beginning of our marriage we have committed to helping each other and working together in carrying out any task, then the two years of pandemic experience, which I spent working at home together, made me even stronger in holding this commitment to help each other. and love each other. Moreover, my wife during the pandemic also coordinated assistance for neighbors affected by COVID-19, so I am fully aware of how cooperation and mutual support, mutual assistance between husband and wife is inevitable and must be carried out not only during a pandemic, but forever." 48 Rita added regarding how the collaboration was getting stronger: "I remember how busy we were during the pandemic and we had to do WFH. Domestic work is in sight, office work must be completed, but social work must also be carried out. I do it all. My husband knows how busy I am. Because my husband also encourages me to be able to do social work, my husband helps me fully in all my activities." 49 Andi as a husband is always ready to help when his wife needs help. However, Andi had an extraordinary experience during the pandemic because Andi was infected and had to undergo independent isolation and Yuli had to 46  The couple Donny-Bella and Barry-Lydia feel that the pandemic process is a process that they really have to go through. Therefore, they do not get a deep reflection process from working at the shared house. With that process the condition of the relationship with their partner is as before.
Source: Primary data Based on the data above, it appears that during the post-COVID-19 era, gender relations in the family showed little change related to gender roles. Work that was previously done by women, with a close relationship process brought about a change. Even though table 4 shows that there is a joint role of husband and wife in domestic work, there are differences in each of the informants. Table 5 below shows how the gradation of the work he does as an expression of gender relations. and respect for the partner. 56 This is a basic concept in gender equality, each of which has no negative stereotyping, giving burden, and violence 57 The second tendency is for working couples who from the beginning of their marriage refer to traditional gender values which divide the domestic role as the role of women, and the public role as the role of men. With such concept of gender relations, men will depend on their wives in domestic roles. Men who hold this concept of gender relations do not care about the excessive burden their wife feels when she also plays a role in the public world.
The group with this tendency during a pandemic, and had to work at home, had just experienced a new knowledge process in their knowledge system. He witnessed how his wife did all the work, both domestic and formal work, so through personal reflection the husband began to be moved to help with domestic work. 58 When the pandemic ended, the husband changed slightly by showing concern for the domestic work his wife was doing. So, the husband's attitude change is based on personal reflection because of the experience of witnessing his wife's troubles firsthand. In this context, the change of gender concept because of the knowledge system. Knowledge only is not enough to make a change. It must be balanced by awareness on the gender equality. Knowledge system includes the full knowledge and its meaning as well as the to implement the knowledge 59 The third trend is couples who refer to the concept of traditional gender relations. The concept of traditional gender relations strictly emphasizes the roles of men and women. Therefore, this couple defines domestic work as a wife's job. 60 With this concept, the husband does not care at all about his wife's domestic work. Based on their gender concept domestic works are obligatory works for women. 61 Misbah Zulfa Elizabeth, et.al. DOI: 10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.17007 http://jurnal.arraniry.ac.id/index.php/samarah In a pandemic situation, when the husband and wife's workspaces are in the same arena, the husband knows firsthand the wife's workload. 62 As a result of his knowledge, the husband tries to change by helping his wife in doing domestic work. 63 There is a dialectic process between husband and wife during the pandemic era. The habit of helping his wife in doing domestic work slightly affects post-covid-19 gender relations. Husbands show relative concern for wives. Although not completely changed, but there is little concern for the wife's domestic work. Psychologically husband proceeded to hink about the way of his wife did her house works as well as official works. 64 This kind of awareness is important as the outset of gender awareness that effected in equality gender relation. 65

Conclusion
Gender relations are not simple relationships. The value base becomes the basis for the formation of gender relations. Therefore, gender relations are not easily changed by a short process. In the context of a pandemic, families of working partners already have a gender relationship pattern that was formed at the beginning of their marriage, with work from home which allows couples to interact more intensively, it turns out that post-pandemic has not changed their gender relations. During the pandemic, the couple worked to adjust to each other because they witnessed each other's activities firsthand, but after the pandemic, they applied the gender relations they had from the beginning. If there is a change, it is not because of the changing values, but an individual reflection because of seeing firsthand the busyness of the partner, thus giving rise to an intention to help. This research provides new results because the assumption of a pandemic that allows people to change based on values has not been found. This is because the experiences in the working from home time did not change the knowledge system of the couple so there is only little bit changes in their gender relation. One level that they genrally get is the affection on the couple burden. So, the help just because of the un-nice feeling of the couple burden. This study has limitations because it was carried out in a small group of young working couples. Of course, other community groups have different concepts of gender relation that are important to be researched.