PERAN KOMPLEKS PEREMPUAN LAJANG DI KOTA MEDAN DALAM MENGHADAPI TUNTUTAN SOSIAL DAN PEKERJAAN

Abstract

This study aims to explore the complex roles undertaken by single career women in Medan City as they navigate social expectations and professional responsibilities, particularly in the context of choosing to delay marriage. The core problem addressed is how societal pressures, cultural stigmas, and rigid gender norms shape the life choices of women prioritizing career advancement over early marriage. Employing a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with five informants and analyzed using phenomenological methods to interpret their lived experiences. The findings reveal that the decision to postpone marriage serves as both an adaptive strategy and a form of resistance against patriarchal and capitalist structures that impose a dual burden on women demanding both unpaid domestic labor and high economic productivity. These women play multiple roles as professionals, family providers, social contributors, and agents of transformation challenging conventional gender norms. Framed through the lens of socialist feminism, the research highlights that single career women are not passive recipients of societal norms but active subjects redefining womanhood, autonomy, and equality in a modern urban setting. Ultimately, their decision to delay marriage reflects a broader struggle for self-determination, career stability, and gender justice.