Indonesia, Asia

The Republic of Indonesia is comprised of 17,508 islands. It is the world's largest archipelago state. With an estimated population of around 237 million people it is the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority nation; however, no reference is made to Islam in the Indonesian constitution. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president. Most Indonesian Hindus are Balinese, and most Buddhists in modern-day Indonesia are ethnic Chinese. Bali has a population of about 3,151,000 and is home to most of Indonesia's Hindu minority. Tourism is the largest single industry and as a result Bali is one of Indonesia’s wealthiest regions.

Unlike other Muslim countries, Indonesia is relatively tolerant of homosexuality. As in many countries in South East Asia, it is a part of everyday life. Even in the media several gay or transsexual prominent people exist. Nevertheless this subject is low key and not openly talked about. Fanatical Muslim groups have been known to attack gay men. Homosexuality is a not a crime when it occurs in private and between consenting adults. Also see: Islam and Homosexuality. 

 

 

New Regional Community Youth Leader And Policy Briefing Paper Announced

(Bangkok)   The Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) has been a leader in mobilising attention and action to promote the health and human rights of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people since 2007. Today, APCOM reaffirms its commitment to working with young MSM and transgender people by supporting… Read more »

The Universal Periodic Review and LGBTI rights : Indonesia

Indonesia – Yuli Rustinawati, but most of her friends call her Ye, is one of the founders and chairpersons of Arus Pelangi, a national LGBT organization in Indonesia, and one of the national leaders of Forum LGBTIQ Indonesia. She holds a degree in economics and has been a member of the Indonesian Legal Aid and… Read more »

Thousands scream for hate at anti-LGBT rally in Malaysia

Thousands of protestors, including students, gathered for an anti-LGBT rally outside Kuala Lumpur on Saturday Thousands, including hundreds of students, gathered at an anti-LGBT rally outside Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, witnessing speeches clamouring for intolerance of sexual minorities in Malaysia. Several NGOs met to express their dissatisfaction with tentative calls for LGBT rights in the… Read more »

LGBT film released in Indonesia

Sanubari Jakarta features ten tales of LGBT life in Indonesia Sanubari Jakarta (‘Jakarta Deep Down’), a collection of stories about LGBT lives in the capital of Indonesia, was released in cinemas yesterday. The film was made by a collective of ten directors with support from the Kresna Duta Foundation (an independent film funders), LGBT center… Read more »

Gay, transgender activists still in contention for Komnas HAM role

Indonesian gay activist Dede Oetomo and transgender Yulianus “Mami Yuli” Rettoblaut are both still in the running for National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) leader position. Both names are among the 120 selected applicants that the selection committee announced in a press conference on Wednesday. “The selection team considers both of them to be… Read more »

Sex workers educated through training

Everybody dreams of having a secure and respectable job. Especially for women who need to support their families, but the hardships they face may drive them into prostitution. Being a prostitute, however, does not mean they have no right to proper healthcare and welfare. With this in mind, Kusiyah, a peer educator with Kenanga Indah… Read more »

Indonesia bans international gay advocacy website

Several Internet service providers and mobile phone operators in Indonesia have banned the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) website for containing “pornography.” Are any LGBT websites banned in your country? Anyone trying to access the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) website in Indonesia is likely to encounter the following… Read more »

Anwar under fire for suggesting review of gay laws

Kuala Lumpur – Days after being acquitted of a sodomy charge, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim continued to come under fire from his detractors, this time for appearing to support gay rights. Pro-government newspapers slammed Mr Anwar on Sunday for suggesting that Malaysia’s strict laws on sodomy and oral sex be reviewed, saying this could lead… Read more »

Can you be gay and Muslim?

Insisting that same-sex relations are actually compatible with religious beliefs would almost certainly challenge mainstream perspectives. Within the context of Indonesia, as the country with the largest Islamic population, you cannot be a gay or lesbian, for example, and a good Muslim at the same time because most Islamic teaching bans same-sex practices. I do… Read more »

Gay Indonesia News & Reports 2011

Also see: More information about Islam & Homosexuality Other articles of interest Queer Muslim magazine Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men     LGBT muslim Queer Jihad           Bi-muslims Trans-muslims       Lesbian muslims Gay Bali Rainbow Travel Agency 1 Transgendered group wants no violence 2/11 2 Jakarta’s Working Ladyboys 3/11 3 Anti-Gay Stigma Hampering HIV Treatment 3/11 4… Read more »

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

Gay Indonesia News & Reports 2010

Also see: More information about Islam & Homosexuality al-fatiha-news Queer Muslim magazines: Huriyah, Barra Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men     LGBT muslim Queer Jihad           Bi-muslims Trans-muslims       Lesbian muslims Gay Bali Rainbow Travel Agency 1 Transsexuals Take to the Stage in Aceh in Rare Beauty Contest 2/10 2 Indonesian police ban regional gay conference 3/10… Read more »

Being gay is a state of limbo

In 2002 the Indonesian Government granted legal autonomy to Aceh, allowing the province to institute Islamic Sharia law, a framework that explicitly punishes homosexual acts. It was subsequently reported that 52 regions across the islands of Sumatra and Java adopted laws prohibiting homosexuality, including the city of Palembang in South Sumatra where punishment includes jail… Read more »

Gay Indonesia News & Reports 2009

Also see: More information about Islam & Homosexuality al-fatiha-news Queer Muslim magazines: Huriyah, Barra Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men     LGBT muslim Queer Jihad           Bi-muslims Trans-muslims       Lesbian muslims Gay Bali Rainbow Travel Agency 1 In pictures: Indonesia’s waria 1/09 2 Fear of Discrimination Preventing High-Risk Groups Testing for HIV 3/09 3 Hartoyo : Coming… Read more »

Gay Indonesia News & Reports 2004-08

Also see: Islam and Homosexuality More information about Islam & Homosexuality can be found at: www.al-fatiha.org Other articles of interest can be found at: groups.yahoo.com/group/al-fatiha-news Queer Muslim magazine: Huriyah Gay Islam discussion groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/muslimgaymen     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lgbtmuslim http://groups.yahoo.com/group/queerjihad          http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bimuslims http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transmuslims       http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lesbianmuslims Gay Bali Rainbow Travel Agency 1 Indonesian movie breaks sexual taboos 1/04 2 Gay Screen Kiss… Read more »