The Fact Is That Indonesia Is Not The Right Place For Transgender People

Photo illustration (Tim Mossholder / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Today the world commemorates the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR). TDoR is commemorated in memory of the figure of Rita Hester, a world transgender figure. In Indonesia, we do not find this celebration. The number case is still dark. However, what seems most obvious is the fact that transgender people just don't seem to fit into Indonesian society. Not reducing the existence of transgender people. But, that's the people of this country.

TDoR started in 1999. Graphic designer, columnist and transgender activist, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, started it. This movement was carried out by Gwendolyn to commemorate the death of Rita Hester who was killed in Allston, Massachusetts, United States (US) on November 28, 1998. The transgender African-American woman was stabbed to death in her apartment.

Rita was murdered weeks after the murder of Matthew Shepard, who was said to be gay. Matthew died in Wyoming. The deaths of the two at that time aroused anxiety about crime and hatred against gay people.

One year after Rita's death, a memorial was held in San Francisco. A number of people lit candles in memory of Rita and Matthew. Since then, TDoR has been celebrated by lighting candles. As of 2010, TDoR has been conducted in more than 185 cities in about 20 countries in North America. The celebration continues to expand to a number of countries.

TDoR commemoration in Washington DC, United States 2015 (Commons Wikimedia)

Transgender in health

Transgender people are usually based on gender dysphoria, previously known as gender identity disorder. Gender dysphoria is a condition when a person experiences discomfort in their biological sex.

People with gender dysphoria consider their gender identity to be incompatible with the biological sex that was given to them. Gender dysphoria is recognized medically by the American Psychiatric Association.

It should be noted, this disorder is not a mental illness. In some cases, gender dysphoria requires medical treatment. Reporting from News Medical, a number of studies indicate that this condition is not only triggered by brain inconsistencies, but can also be triggered by biological causes related to the development of gender identity before birth.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a person cannot simply be said to have gender dysphoria disorder, unless he has shown a real difference between the gender he believes in and the gender that other people perceive. This condition of belief must last at least six months. The belief in question is when someone feels they should not belong to a certain gender group.

This health condition was actually mentioned by the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2018, WHO released ICD-11, the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases. In IDC-11, WHO states that transgender is no longer a mental disorder. Before removing transgender, the WHO had previously removed homosexuality from the classification since 1990.

Opportunity to live peacefully in Indonesia

In Indonesia, transgender people are still taboo. The number cannot be estimated. Their existence is also a screen. What is clear is that Indonesia is not a place for transgender people. Not isolating the existence of transgender people. However, the fact is, Indonesian people are not yet able to accept the existence of transgender people.

A research released by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) in 2018 shows the great resistance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Indonesian society. Based on the survey, 87.6 percent of Indonesians still perceive LGBT as a threat. Meanwhile, 10.8 percent have the opposite view. The rest, did not answer.

The survey also captured this resistance as a reaction to religious teachings in Indonesia. The number reaches 81.5 percent of Indonesia's population. Meanwhile, another 8.6 percent thought otherwise. "And this applies to all religions," said SMRC Communication Director Ade Armando, written by Tempo 2018 ago.

Photo illustration (Angela Compagnone / Unsplash)

Based on these data, let's try to find out how big the chance that transgender people can live in peace in Indonesia. To do this, we will look at some of the religious teachings in Indonesia. We start from Islam as the religion with the most adherents in Indonesia. Data compiled by the data collection site indonesia.go.id show that the Muslim community still dominates Indonesia's religious demographics.

The number reached 207 million or 87.2 percent. Meanwhile, Protestants are far below Indonesia at 6.9 percent. After Protestants, there are Catholics with 2.9 percent. Furthermore, Hindus (1.7%), Buddhists (0.7%), and Confucians with the number of followers of religion of 0.7 percent.

Islamic law regulates a number of cases related to transgender, homosexual or other unusual sexual behavior. In Islam, the term transgender in the study of sharia law can be associated with al-mukhannits - men who behave like women - and wal mutarajjilat --women who behave like men.

The Hadith History of Ahmad tells how the Prophet Muhammad once exiled and expelled transgender people from the city of Medina. Another story narrated by Ibn Abbas RA emphasizes how the Prophet Muhammad cursed transgender people. The hadith reads: Indeed, the Prophet (s) cursed men who were mukhannits and women who were mutarajjilat.

Meanwhile, the Bible also regulates a number of cases concerning LGBT. We didn't find anything specific about transgender people. However, several verses in the Bible explain how God condemns LGBT people, especially homosexuals.

"From here on sin came in many forms, from the murder of Abel by his own brother Cain, and other crimes which continued to increase. And, sexual sins, namely homosexuality, occurred in Sodom and Gomorrah. God's statutes were very clear, the pre-Torah era where the commandments were written. not yet, only verbal, God burned down the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, "it is written in Genesis 19: 28-29.

Meanwhile, a book summarizing the beliefs of Catholics, Catechism of the Catholic Church (KGK) 2333 writes: Every human being, whether he is male or female, must acknowledge and accept his sexuality. Physical, moral, and spiritual differences and conformities are aimed at marriage and the development of family life.

Broadly speaking, Catholicism rejects LGBT. The practice of homosexuality is a deviation that must be avoided because it is classified as a grave sin. However, Catholics also emphasize respecting fellow human beings, including LGBT people.