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Indonesia

Fun Fast Facts:

Updated: 21 Oct 2013 (Tradition dictates modern lesbian life)

  • In 2002, the Indonesian Government gave Aceh Province the right to introduce Sharia Law, albeit only to Muslim residents. For example, the city of Palembang introduced jail and fines for homosexual sex.
  • In Jakarta, lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered, and transsexuals are legally labelled as “cacat” or mentally handicapped and are therefore not protected under the law.
  • The Constitution does not explicitly address sexual orientation or gender identity. It does guarantee all citizens various legal rights, including equality before the law.
  • As of 2007, no law exists to protect Indonesian citizens from discrimination or harassment on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

LGBTIQ-friendly organisation: Arus Pelangi

  • Arus Pelangi (“Rainbow Flow”) was formed in January 2006 to provide formal legal representation of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Communities.
  • Arus Pelangi campaigns for LGBT issues, including issues affecting the basic rights and violations thereof of LGBT.
  • Currently involved in two main streams of advocacy for LGBT: those related to legal representation and those related to public policy.
  • Education Program is focused on raising the public awareness of LGBT issues with the hopes of increasing the acceptance and opportunities for LGBT in the formal sector and everyday life.
  • For the local LGBT communities Arus Pelangi provides private counseling through a hotline service.

Broadcast: 14 Jul 2015

Family and religious pressures trump the law

W3JOY interviewed: Tirto, an Indonesian born national now living in Melbourne

Listen to the podcast to discover the:

  • role of family in Indonesian society and the challenges of ‘coming out’ to family
  • pressure to get married
  • role of religion in daily life and politics
  • acceptance of trans* celebrities on television
  • visibility of LGBTIQ people in the media and daily life
  • changing views of the younger generation

Listen to the podcast



Broadcast: 21 Oct 2013

Tradition dictates modern lesbian life

W3JOY interviewed: Kate Walton, lesbian activist

“Both the state and society’s ideal image of a woman is that she should be a wife and a mother. To be anything else is quite strange.”
 
“A lot of young lesbians end up in arranged marriages…some chose to do so out of filial duty.”
 
“I was quite surprised at the way some of the lesbians conducted relationships…very traditional.”
 
“A lot of them had been…thrown out by their families for being so masculine.”
 
“Transgendered people are more accepted because of their more traditional role in society. They often fulfilled a spiritual role.”

Listen to the podcast



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