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23 Jun 2010

Gay and transgender struggle for acceptance in Indonesia

The BBC highlights the challenges faced by gays, bisexuals and transgenders in Indonesia as a growing number of radical Muslim groups are actively campaigning against them.

The BBC reported on June 19, 2010:

Top: Alter Hofan; bottom pic: Hartoyo

In the corner, instead of a urinal, there is a female toilet, hidden by a modest wall designed to discourage peeping toms.

But among the women is a man - or certainly a person who looks like a man, judging by the way he is dressed and from his demeanour.

Alter Hofan says he is a man, but doctors say he was born a woman.

Alter is charged with falsifying his identity papers.

He was reported to police by his mother-in-law, who says he changed his gender on his birth certificate in order to marry her daughter.

[Skip]

A few miles away from Alter's Jakarta cell, Hartoyo is also fighting for his right to be accepted.

A devout Muslim and a gay activist, he has suffered for his sexual orientation.

Three years ago he was living with his boyfriend in Aceh, one of Indonesia's most devoutly Islamic provinces, when a dozen people raided his house and turned the couple over to the police.

Hartoyo thought the police would protect them. Instead, the police assaulted them.

He cannot contain his emotion as he recalls what happened that night.

"I get so angry when I remember what happened," he says. "The police urinated on my head and beat the two of us up. I am still traumatised by that experience."

Read full article here.


Click here to watch video.

Indonesia

讀者回應

1. 2010-06-23 23:02  
I'm also an Indonesian, and I know how hard it is to let people accept us as who we are... Hope that those two cases of Alter Hofan and also Hartoyo could open the eyes of our people that we are still HUMAN!
2. 2010-06-24 10:06  
Even for the coming 200 years, Indonesia would never accept gay & lesbians. That's what happens if state & church are not separated.
3. 2010-06-24 11:29  
leaving religion out of it for now there seems to be many ignorant people in indonesia with no tolerance for their fellowman regardless of their sexual orientation.
is a great pity we have to share our planet with these kind of people who seem to have a very negative attitude in life!
4. 2010-06-24 20:05  
even there have many raids in malaysia expecially at massage centre. malaysian gay is still can practice what they want in private or in public such as in kl.
we dont have radical islamic like in indonesia. by the way we malaysian feel sad with that situation in our neighbour country
5. 2010-06-24 21:43  
we live in a world of wonderful possibilities, most secular and forward thinking countries that are now relatively benign for Homosexuals to live and prosper in some years back were quite hostile, it took tenacious lobbying and steely determination and unfortunately in some cases horrific violence to turn things around but they did, which is why I do not disrespect or dishonour our 'war dead' by legitimising slur terms like 'queer' where homosexual men were brutalised or murdered while having it spat at them with a foot or a boot or Knife and elevating it as if a badge of honour to be worn, we Pagans respect the memories of those who came befor us more than most I guess
6. 2010-06-25 23:16  
So unfortunate till this day, there still exist coward people who hides behind their religion, but in truth they are spreading hate & ignorant !!!
till this day, Im still ashamed & wonder when will Indonesia move forward, when even the goverment & officials fail to stay neutral.
*SIGH*
7. 2010-06-26 00:26  
Bali's situation is not bad at all. Can't believe religions could go out of their way to harm human beings. Faith is meant to be good for the humankind... I won't stay in this country forever.
8. 2010-06-26 00:30  
i felt sorry for humans that treat us humans like animal
i just hope that one day, they are let free and live life normally

i hope there are equal rights for everyone
irregardless of their sexuality

why they see homosexuality as a form of disease or crime?

Please be nice to us at least
9. 2010-06-26 11:59  
It is the situation caused by the religions.
and worse the disintegration within the economic status made it worse.

i am one out of few openly gay living in Indonesia.
Within my community and society, it is widely normal and acceptable. i have never had a really bad experience for acceptance apart from weird gaze from strangers.

however, i have to say more are coming against the radical movement of islam within those with middle and above income standard. they have much more independent and liberal thinking even if they are a great muslim devotee.

it's not just in regards to the case of homosexuality. Recently, there's a celebrity porn videos leaked. and the radical islamic movement have made it such a huge deal that it is now "this" closed for the forum to be closed by the government.

let's face it, we are heading towards changes.
but how big the change is?
i have no freaking idea.
instead, i will insist on having my wedding party celebrated here in Jakarta or Bali no matter what.
10. 2010-06-26 12:43  
Another low for those zealots to police a persons life
11. 2010-06-26 15:04  
Indonesians can always leave their country, am i right? Why live in one when you are so discriminated against.
12. 2010-06-26 18:51  
@Desperato: it is not really that easy.. those who are lucky enough to afford living abroad or studying abroad could do so.
but most of them who are judge and discriminated came from the lower economy situation, thus not being able to afford even to just live away from their parents.
Lucky for me, i am blessed with all the ability to do so, but refuse to leave the country as i have all my life here.

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