A day in the life of a Taman Lawang transvestite
A day in the life of a Taman Lawang transvestite
Yeyen, 27, has been working as a prostitute in the well-known
pick up area of Taman Lawang, Central Jakarta, and in other Asian
cities, for over 10 years. Born in Palembang, South Sumatra, her
goal is to eventually open a hair salon and undergo a sex change
operation. Yeyen lives alone in Menteng Atas, South Jakarta. She
spoke to The Jakarta Post's William Furney.
"I live in a boarding house and wake up at about 12 p.m. most
days. Straightaway, I go outside and get something to eat from
the warung. After that, I go back to my room to rest for the
afternoon. It's quite humble, my room, but it's OK just for one
person. I've got a television and like to watch entertainment
programs. There are lots of people I'm friends with there and we
usually spend the afternoons sitting around chatting about this
and that.
Before I came to Jakarta, I worked in a salon in Palembang. I
liked it but I wasn't earning enough. Friends told me I could
earn a lot of money in Taman Lawang in Jakarta.
So, I began working there as a prostitute in 1990. I work
every night except for Mondays, when I take a rest. The first
time I came here I was scared, but friends told me it'd be all
right. I have between three and 10 clients a night now, some of
them are very wealthy and well-known. Among my regulars is a
government minister. Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest.
When clients come by, they either want to go to a motel, stay
in their cars or go down the street somewhere. They're either
Indonesians or foreigners, but mostly Indonesians. The youngest
client I've had was only 16.
Since I was very small, I knew I wanted to be a woman.
Physically, I'm a man, but I dress and act like a woman all the
time. In my mind, I know I'm a woman at heart.
I take a taxi to Taman Lawang at 10 p.m. and I'll work until
about 3 a.m. or 4 a.m., depending on how busy it is. I go home by
taxi too.
I've had lots of bad experiences with clients, but I don't get
any trouble from the police. Nowadays, I won't go with someone
who looks like they'll be trouble later on.
The other prostitutes here are from all over Indonesia,
including Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra. There are lots of them.
Sometimes there are some really ugly people I go with and it's
a bit difficult for me. But I do it for the money. I prefer
Indonesian men to foreigners and have a lot of clients who are
into all sorts of kinky and weird sex. Some of them like licking,
for example. But if I don't want to do it, I'll tell them and
usually it's not a problem. But sometimes they'll offer more
money and I might do what they want.
I'm not worried about AIDS or any other sex-related
conditions. I take precautions and there's a health group in
Ancol especially for ladyboys. Once a month, I go there to have
my blood checked and so far I've had no problems healthwise.
I love wearing long, sexy dresses, like the one I have on now.
I dress like this during the day and sometimes have some trouble
on the street. People say 'look at the transvestite', but I don't
get angry; I just ignore them and keep going.
I've been to Singapore and Malaysia three times. A friend of
mine works in Paris; she's got a house there. I've got other
friends who work in Germany and the Netherlands and they make a
lot of money.
Usually, I make less than Rp 200,000 a night. Foreigners pay
more than Indonesians. I charge Rp 50,000 for oral sex in a
client's car and about Rp 150,000 if the client wants to go to a
motel. If I go to a motel, it'll be for an hour or so.
I like doing this work and see no shame in it, but I get
tired.
I'm supporting my sister, who's studying at a university in
Palembang. I send my family Rp 500,000 a month. My father died a
few years ago and it's just my mother, two sisters and two
brothers there now. They all know what I do for a living and they
don't mind at all. They understand, and I think they're proud
because I can send them money.
If I had a choice, I'd like to work in a salon. I want to have
my own someday, and when I have enough money I'll open one.
That's my dream. But I'll go to Paris before that, when I've got
US$2,000; maybe in three months.
It's becoming harder to make money though. There are many bad
ladyboys here now. They've come from outside of Jakarta and we
have to compete with them. But at Taman Lawang, we have a leader
who looks after us and keeps our areas.
I don't have a boyfriend now. Before, I lived with a
businessman. We were together for four years and lived just like
a husband and wife. But I guess he didn't want that any more and
we split.
When I get home in the morning, at about three or four, I
clean myself up and take my hormone pills. Now I'm a ladyboy, but
I want to be a woman. I take five pills, which I get from my
doctor. He understands my situation and is helping me. I've been
taking hormones for six years, but my body hasn't changed that
much. I don't really have breasts; it'll take a lot longer and
eventually I'll have to have them surgically implanted. I want to
have it done in Thailand, not because it's cheaper -- it costs
about Rp 10 million both here and in Thailand -- but because it's
better there. I have some friends who have had it done here and
the results are not good. If I want to have a sex change
operation, it'll cost about Rp 40 million, but that includes the
breasts.
It's what I want. However, if I never have enough money for
it, it wouldn't be the end of the world. It's not as though I
feel trapped in a man's body. I'm happy the way I am, but would
be happier if I was a whole woman.
I'm Muslim and I believe in Allah. I don't think He thinks I'm
a bad person and it's wrong to be doing what I do. I'm sure He
loves me for what I am.
It's a while before I'm ready for bed. I'll just potter around
and maybe watch some television for a while. It's usually about 5
a.m. when I get to bed. I think about my life and what tomorrow
will bring. I don't have that many problems, but I do think a lot
about how to get a husband, someone who'll be my lover and will
understand me."