1320 | Jurnal Obsesi : Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, 7(1), 2023 Volume 7 Issue 2 (2023) Pages 1320-1332 Jurnal Obsesi : Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini ISSN: 2549-8959 (Online) 2356-1327 (Print) Persepsi Calon Guru dan Guru Laki-Laki sebagai Minoritas Gender di Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini Novita Pancaningrum 1  , Pasiningsih 1 Pendidikan Islam Anak Usia Dini, Institut Agama Islam Negeri Kudus, Indonesia (1) DOI: 10.31004/obsesi.v7i2.3769 Abstrak Fenomena rendahnya partisipasi laki-laki sebagai pendidik Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini (PAUD) bukan hanya terjadi di lembaga PAUD melainkan juga di perguruan tinggi penyelenggara Program Studi PAUD. Hal ini menyebabkan lembaga PAUD kekurangan figur guru laki-laki bagi anak usia dini. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif untuk mengekplorasi persepsi calon guru dan guru laki-laki sebagai minoritas gender PAUD. Ada enam subyek penelitian yang terdiri dari 2 calon guru laki-laki, dan 4 guru PAUD laki-laki di area Kudus. Peneliti menggunakan in-depth interview didukung dengan Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Partisipan memilih bidang PAUD karena motivasi intrinsik dan ekstrinsik. Persepsi partisipan terkait keterlibatan laki-laki di PAUD positif meskipun ada berbagai tantangan. Stereotipe gender membuat pihak eksternal masih memandang negatif laki-laki yang memilih program studi PAUD atau bekerja di lembaga PAUD namun ada juga dukungan. Semua partisipan yakin berkarir di PAUD namun tindak lanjut dari program studi dan lembaga PAUD diperlukan untuk mengikis stereotipe yang ada termasuk pemenuhan kesejahteraan guru. Kata Kunci: guru laki-laki; gender; minoritas; paud; persepsi guru Abstract The phenomenon of low male participation as early childhood education (ECE) educators does not only occur in ECE institutions but occurs in tertiary institutions that administer the ECE Study Program. It makes Early Childhood Institutions lack of male teacher’s figure. This research was qualitative research to explore the perceptions of prospective teachers and male teachers as gender minorities in ECE. There were six research subjects consisted of 2 prospective male teachers and 4 male teachers who worked at ECE institutions in the Kudus area. Researchers used in-depth interviews supported by Focus Group Discussions (FGD). Participants chose ECE field because of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Participants' perceptions regarding the involvement of men in PAUD were positive despite various challenges. Gender stereotypes make external parties still negatively view men who choose ECE study programs or work there, but there is also support. All participants believed in choosing ECE as a career choice, but action need to be taken from the study program and ECE institutions to erode existing stereotypes, including fulfilling teacher welfare. Keyword: male teachers; gender; minority; ece; perception Copyright (c) 2023 Novita Pancaningrum & Pasiningsih.  Corresponding author : Novita Pancaningrum Email Address : novitapanca@iainkudus.ac.id (Kudus, Indonesia) Received 12 November 2022, Accepted 23 January 2023, Published 3 March 2023