FEATURE
Members of the Alliance of Youth and Students assemble in the West Java capital of Bandung to manifest their rejection of LGBT people and LGBT human rights (which they claim to be “unhealthy and immoral”), citing Islamic law. Credit: TEMPO/STR/Aditya Herlambang Putra.
The winds of change are heading this way More people are “out” in a sense, and not actively trying to hide their identities Within these past few years, I have observed a larger portion of the population becoming more open to the concept of LGBT identities, especially in the younger generations. This expression ranges from more people being comfortable in their own skin to more openly gay and lesbian people being present in alternative media, such as social media profiles and web series. One of a few brave LGBT communities in Indonesia is CONQ [a name inspired by the Indonesian slang term for gay men –Ed.]. They are best known for their web series, which allows viewers to peek into the lives and daily struggles of the greater LGBT community. Their web series has covered a variety of topics, including the difficulties of finding a meaningful relationship, managing HIV, finding companionship and building relationships, and dealing with family pressures to marry straight and live a ‘normal’ life. It was a series that struck at the heart of its viewers, accurately describing the daily struggles of LGBT life. Unfortunately, due to the recent increased publicity surrounding LGBT rights movements, the creators of CONQ have taken all of their videos offline and closed off all content from their website to ensure the safety and to protect the identities of its founders. It is truly a sad loss for the LGBT acceptance movement. ...but there is violent rhetoric and strong backlash from many Last year, regional newspapers started publishing surveys that attempted to highlight how many LGBT people there are, which I initially thought was a positive thing, inasmuch as they were trying to show that LGBT people are just like anyone else. Instead, the newspapers focused on how LGBT identity is a disease that has been 76 | Boston Pride 2016
spreading unnoticed and will swallow the nation whole if left unchecked. This kind of ignorance is rearing its ugly head in Indonesia. To make matters worse, a popular Indonesian religious celebrity has been charged with raping someone of the same gender. The media easily conflated this case of rape with the supposed dangers posed by the LGBT community. Cases like these, and ongoing fights on campuses to keep LGBT students from being able to seek a safe space or openly express their identities, serve only to worsen the general public’s already ignorant opinions on LGBT people. Recently, a university in Indonesia banned the formation of a counseling and support group for sexuality studies (including LGBT) after public outcry, most of which was hateful and violent in its rhetoric. The hate was fueled even more by popular media voices launching sensationalist and incredibly hateful hashtags such as #TolakLGBT (Reject LGBT) and #BoikotLGBT (Boycott LGBT). Many statements were also published in the media from numerous high-ranking campus officials, local governors, ministers, and religious groups, ranging from outright rejection of the idea of LGBT acceptance to barring their rights to form communities. A political party secretary claimed, “LGBT people must be banned just like we banned communism and drug trafficking.” One university rector stated that she “rejects the growth of LGBT in campuses, as it is a sin. LGBT people are lower than animals because they cannot even differentiate [the opposite] gender.” Another provincial education council official insists that we should ban LGBT communities in campuses for fear they might grow in numbers. Even one high-ranking public official made the truly ridiculous statement that “LGBT is even more dangerous compared to terrorists, because LGBT silently spreads throughout the country and if unchecked will lead to extinction of the human race.”
