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Transgender in Indonesia

39 images Created 27 Feb 2016

In Indonesia, most populous muslim country, transgenders get discriminated in many levels. Transgenders can not find jobs and their existence in the society regarded as outsiders. Only few can survive with entrepreneurship, else ended up into prostitution.

The laws in Indonesia does not protect the transgender people but it does not criminalised them too. Indonesia is predominately Moslem and Christian country, which are mostly conservative, influence the national laws making. The Laws only accommodate male and female genders. In case of sexual orientation and gender identity, most discrimination is aimed at transgender women. As reported by UNDP in collaboration with US-AID in 2014, no laws in Indonesia mentioning transgender since they are recognised as male.

In recent months, the LGBT community faces a backlash against them. It is unclear why the issue risen up to the surface. Responses by the government officials and religion leaders firing up the tinder. A Quran School in the ancient city Yogyakarta has been closed down after received a threat from a radicals Islamic group Islam Jihad Front. In the following days, a rally by LGBT supporters was blockaded by Police. At the same day, the opposite group held a rally and propose a punishment for LGBT people by burning, stoned to death or thrown from height, just like what ISIS did.

In the islands of spirit Bali, Fiona, a transexual, converted into Islam as she felt comfortable, safe and calm since wearing hijab. The local moslem community witnessed her convert and accept her but with a condition the cleric recognised her as a man.

Indonesia’s technology, research and higher education minister Muhammad Nasir said that LGBT groups are not allowed to have activity in universities, responding to a group in Universitas Indonesia for providing counselling for LGBT people. Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu labelled the LGBT propaganda more dangerous than nuclear bomb. He accused the issue was brought up as a brainwash and the enemy of the state remain obscure. Even a mayor in Indonesia said that instant noodles and formula milk caused babies born gay.

The anti-LGBT also reacted to messenger apps because the homosexuality emoticon. The anti-LGBt group accused the messenger apps are promoting homosexuality. Indonesia’s VP Jusuf Kalla urged UNDP not to continuing its campaign relating to LGBT issue after a report mentioned UNDP allocated US$8 million for LGBT campaign in some South East Asia countries including Indonesia. The campaign is aimed to advocate the right of the marginalised people and their right should be protected.

Transgender in Indonesia has its traditional cultural root. In East Java, transgenders have a role in traditional folklore theatre. Since 1960s, the folklore group used actors to play role as women since women are forbidden to perform against men who was not her partner. By the infiltration of pop culture in 1980s, the role of women was played by transgenders until today.

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  • A transgender waitress stand in front of the gay bar to attract tourists to come visit. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140208_289.jpg
  • Transgenders perform fashion show during folkfore perfomance in Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia. The group has improvised dealing with the modernity to survive. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140607_596.jpg
  • A dragqueen poses for a portrait while waiting to perform in a gay bar in busy touristic street of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140208_102.jpg
  • Transgenders prepare for a traditional folkfore show in the backstage in Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140609_337.jpg
  • Dragqueens apply make up and dress for a perfomance in a gay bar in a busy touristic street of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140207_090.jpg
  • Alena gets a kiss from a guest of the restaurant during a dragqueen perfomance in Bali, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140622_307.jpg
  • Crowds enjoys the music in a gay bar. Before midnight the bar was visited by hetero visitors, but after midnight it was filled by the LGBT community. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140207_311.jpg
  • A dragqueen and friends enjoy the show in the gay bar. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140208_259.jpg
  • Tourist joins the go go dance in a gay bar in a busy street of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. The gay bars have became a touristic attraction for people who curious about it. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140208_364.jpg
  • A dragqueen waits to perform in the gay bar. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140208_165.jpg
  • Yeyen watches her friends perform on the stage through a curtain during a show in Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140606_154.jpg
  • A dragqueen prepares for a perfomance in a gay bar in busy touristic street of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. The bar had the dragqueen show everynight. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140208_027.jpg
  • Fiona prepares for a perfomance in a gay bar in a busy touristic street of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140207_148.jpg
  • Muslim transgenders and volunteers perform a prayer in a Koran School for transgender in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Koran School has to be shut down after a group of Muslim hardliner demand the closure of the activity of the Koran school because according to them in Islam transgender is not exist. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_122.jpg
  • A transgender woman learns to read Koran during a weekly gathering at the Koran School in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Koran School has to be shut down after a group of Muslim hardliner demand the closure of the activity of the Koran school because according to them in Islam transgender is not exist. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_035.jpg
  • Shinta Ratri, leader of Quran School for Transgender, performs a prayer inher home which as used for the school acitivity before been raid and closed down by the radical Islamist group Front of Islam Jihad in Kotagede, ancient city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140302_013.jpg
  • Fiona says confession of faith to Islam and mark her convertion to Islam officially witnessed by the local muslim community in Bali, Indonesia. It took some time for the cleric and the board to decide wheter they will let Fiona to convert. They decided to accept her as a male in order to confess in faith to Islam. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140617_165.jpg
  • Fiona and her relatives after an early mornign prayer of Ied Al Fitr in Bali, Indonesia. A month prior, She just converted into Islam in a local community Mosque in Bali where they more open toward transgender. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140717_045.jpg
  • Fiona and her partner have a chat at the double six beach, Bali, Indonesia. The beach has become her favourite place to spend the spare time. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140423_179.jpg
  • Shinta ratri (L) and Yuni Shara (C) get ready to go for a meeting with human right and pro-democracy groups discussing about the intimidation that recently aimed to LGBT people and supporters in Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140302_053.jpg
  • Bu Shinta A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140207_242.jpg
  • Maya A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_072.jpg
  • Shinta A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140207_232.jpg
  • Ririn A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_151.jpg
  • Yuni Shara A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_186.jpg
  • Susi A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_163.jpg
  • Nunik A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_171.jpg
  • Nur Ayu A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140207_261.jpg
  • Muslim hardliner group protest against the LGBT community and its supporters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They argue that LGBT is a disease and need to cure. Legalising LGBT will repeat the history of Sodom and Gomorrah. They propose to punish LGBT by burning and throw from height, like what ISIS did. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140223_378.jpg
  • Muslim hardliner group protest against the LGBT community and its supporters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They argue that LGBT is a disease and need to cure. Legalising LGBT will repeat the history of Sodom and Gomorrah. They propose to punish LGBT by burning and throw from height, like what ISIS did. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140223_465.jpg
  • Muslim hardliner group protest against the LGBT community and its supporters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They argue that LGBT is a disease and need to cure. Legalising LGBT will repeat the history of Sodom and Gomorrah. They propose to punish LGBT by burning and throw from height, like what ISIS did. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140223_446.jpg
  • Muslim hardliner group protest against the LGBT community and its supporters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They argue that LGBT is a disease and need to cure. Legalising LGBT will repeat the history of Sodom and Gomorrah. They propose to punish LGBT by burning and throw from height, like what ISIS did. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140223_460.jpg
  • Supporters of human right and democracy rally protesting the discrimination and abuse to LGBT people in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140223_230.jpg
  • Supporters of human right and democracy rally protesting the discrimination and abuse to LGBT people in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140223_205.jpg
  • Supporters of human right and democracy rally protesting the discrimination and abuse to LGBT people in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140223_047.jpg
  • Muslim transgenders, ustads and volunteers discuss religious lessaon and social issue during weekly gathering at the Koran School in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2016D0140214_131.jpg
  • Transgender performers leave out of stage after perfoming traditional folkfore perfomance in Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140609_618.jpg
  • Fiona performs a lip-sync singing in a gay bar in a busy touristic street of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. Fiona  has been in the entertaintment industry for 18 consecutive years. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140208_083.jpg
  • Alena and friends prepare for a perfomance in a restaurant in a busy touricts street of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. They earn $5-8 per show which held once in a week. A documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    GNJ2015D0140622_207.jpg
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