Through her writings, Kartini stood against three forms of oppression which are Javanese feudalism, Dutch colonialism and Religious patriarchy.
Her writings formed a foundational feminist framework for early Indonesian women's movements, most prominently Gerakan Wanita Indonesia (Gerwani), one of the largest women's organizations, which actively claimed Kartini's legacy in their struggle for women's labor rights, anti-polygamy marriage law and anti-imperialist politics before the organizations forceful disbandment in 1965.
Between 1965 and 1998, Kartini's image underwent systematic changes. Her radical critiques were reduced to celebrations of feminine domesticity and national motherhood (Ibuisme), institutionalized through Hari Kartini's use of kebaya fashions and domestic virtue commemorations.
Despite this, Kartini remains a deeply ingrained and celebrated symbol of localized femininity and an iconic figure for generations of Indonesian women.