Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1993 12:46:47 -0400 (EDT)
From: YATIMDA@HUGSE1.HARVARD.EDU
Subject: gay movement in indonesia

Thanks for all of you who responded to my posting on gaynet! Since
there were so many gaynetters who asked about the gay movement in
Indonesia, I've decided to post it here through the network.

The first gay organization in Indonesia was founded in Solo in 1982,
and it has been known to be the first one in Asia (read Barry Adam's
"The Rise of a Gay and Lesbian Movement". Boston: Twayne Publishers,
1991). The name of the organization was Lambda Indonesia, which
published a magazine called "G" (the letter "G" in the Indonesian
language is pronounced "gay").  The organization did not last
long enough, nor was it large enough, but it has certainly raised
an awareness of existing gays and lesbians in Indonesia.

Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, and has traditionally
been part of the culture. However, even though it is not illegal,
it is not socially-desirable in western-oriented modern, urban
Indonesia.  Another interesting cultural aspect is the existence
of "waria" (man-woman) which one would find in popular culture
all over the country. Warias are mostly cross-dressers/transgenders
working as entertainers, hairdressers, models, etc. and are
very much accepted in Indonesian society without being frowned
at. (In 1967 the governor of Jakarta even organized a "Miss
Drag Queen Indonesia"......2 years before Stonewall!!  :)

Indonesians do not face discrimination in jobs such as their counter
parts in other countries; therefore gays in Indonesia are less
political. Nor do they have to hang out in exclusive gay bars,
since physical intimacy between members of the same sex are not
frowned at. BUT the biggest issue gays have to face is "coming
out to your family", since there is a big pressure to get
married.  The gay movement in Indonesia, therefore focuses
more on counseling, empowerment, and developing a positive
gay identity within the Indonesian social environment.

There are now 11 "official" gay organizations scattered around
the country. KKLGN, roughly translated as the Nusantara Gay
and Lesbian Committee, is the national network based in Surabaya.
They will be the one organizing the Asian conference next year.
("Nusantara" means archipelago, and is the Indonesian term
for the country. Indonesia is a multicultural country of 13,000
islands; whenever Indonesians talk about the pluralism of the
country they use the word "Nusantara"; when they want to
emphasize the national unity, then they use the term "Indonesia").

Thanks for all those who inquired about Indonesia. I'm glad to
find out that there are many gaynetters who are internationally-
oriented, and not parochial as I remember some people from
countries outside the U.S. have complained about.

For those who have asked about the conference, if you could
send email me your mailing addresses, I will refer your names
to the organizing committee in Indonesia (I will be there 2
weeks from now).

Danny Yatim