Social and cultural attitudes in Indonesia tend to be more tolerant than many other Muslim countries of GLBT people. Male-to-female transgenders (known as waria) have historically been visible in rituals, performing arts and social life, but transgender identity was rarely seen as a self-contained identity until the late 1960s. Similiarly, until the advent of Western homosexual identities, homosexuality was not a separate sexual identity in Indonesia.
Homosexuality is not criminalized in the Indonesian legal code, and the Constitution, the Human Rights Act (1999) and other human rights legislations contain a vague guarantee against discriminatory practices on any ground. However, the reality is that GLBT people face a lack of legal protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The heteronormativity of societal values and laws poses a big challenge to gays and lesbians to live fully and openly as homosexuals. Many gays and lesbians live discretely and in fear of being ‘outed.’ Waria, typically have a hard time growing up, but unlike many gays and lesbians, once they can accept themselves and find safe space, usually away from their birth families, they can usually lead a relatively open life.
Recently, the introduction and proliferation of the internet has provided much-needed safe spaces for gays, lesbians and waria to meet and build communities. In fact, internet cafés or kiosks have become by definition social spaces for GLBT people.
Generally speaking, Indonesian society is safe for gays, lesbians and waria, although there have been isolated attacks by fanatical Muslim groups on gay men. Gay and waria organisations exist in many Indonesian towns and cities, and currently, the priority of these organisations is HIV and STI prevention and care, support and treatment. Lesbian organisations are fewer in number, but in the past ten years have been more visible as they carry out feminist and social emancipation campaigns and activities.
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Megan Smith and Dr Dédé Oetomo. Dr Dédé Oetomo is the Founder & Trustee of GAYa NUSANTARA Foundation (www.gayanusantara.org), one of Indonesia’s largest GLBT rights groups.
