Indonesian 'waria' prostitute fulfills dreams in Gay Paree

I. Christianto, Contributor, Paris

With her nice and neat looks, she does have the appearance of a fashionable, cosmopolitan woman. At 172 cm (5'8") and 60 kg (132 pounds) with a great "boob-job", she is quite attractive; and she fits well into the whole Paris scene, one of the world's cities of lights.

She has heavy dark black hair, swinging down to her shoulders. Her gestures and manners are feminine and elegant, though one can still see the masculine lines in her face.

"Just call me 'La Fayette' (Fay). There is no need to mention where I am from or other things related to my origins. I don't want to make any troubles in my life just because of my experiences as an Indonesian transvestite in Paris," she says, politely but firmly.

La Fayette is the name of one of the leading department stores in Paris, which is regarded as a must visit for most foreign tourists in the city. The store was so busy on this day, a weekend in the middle of July.

Fay was willing to do an interview in the department store's food court where at that hour many people were having lunch. Many eyes were directed at her as she walked in, took a seat and waived her left hand to a waiter asking for a drink list.

"No thanks, I am not eating anything, I have to keep my shape and lose a bit of weight. I used to be 55 kilograms," she says, adding that she had spent 4,000 euros to get her breasts done in June for a better look.

She then took out her brand-name wallet from another famous brand-name purse to take out some cash, but "Andy", her partner who was in tow as well, said that he would pay.

Fay also owns the latest cellular phone, which she occasionally used for text messaging or a quick chat. She wears a bit of makeup on her face, to go along with some classy perfume. Meanwhile, several of her fingers in both hands are decorated with luxurious, fancy rings. She indeed has all the material trappings of an established, beautiful mature woman living happily with her family.

But life was not so friendly to her in the first six months after her initial arrival in Paris in early 2002.

"Well, I've never denied that I am a waria (wanita-pria, the Indonesian term for transvestite) and that I came here for a better life by prostituting. I was prepared to take any risks for that (to make more money and get brand-name trinkets). When I first found out I could go to Paris, I certainly looked for further information and took the opportunity. I did understand that I had to be a prostitute even though I'd never done that before. I didn't mind at that time."

She says she is the youngest of 12 siblings and that her family already knew about her alternative lifestyle back in 1985 after the young boy that he was decided to dress like a girl. But once Fay became a prostitute in Paris she could not tell them.

Fay reiterated that her primary reason for coming to Paris was to improve her life financially and find what she believed would be a better life, and, if possible, live together with the right non-Indonesian guy she loves. "I had bad experiences in my past two relationships with Indonesian guys, so I am not interested in getting emotionally involved with any Indonesian ever again"

So she went to Paris to achieve her dreams, by prostituting.

"Together with a friend who was ready to do the same, I arrived in Paris in one morning in mid-February 2002 and went directly to "work" later that night. It was winter and my first time in Europe. It was really hard, but I could tolerate it and got used to it after a few days," she says with her great smile.

The two of them, she continues, were, at that time, the fourth batch sent by a pimp/agent in Jakarta and they were told to work in the area of Boulevard Ney, a location popular for prostitutes of any races in Paris.

"Upon my arrival, there had been several Indonesian transvestites in Paris working as prostitutes on the boulevard. There are several 'areas' reserved for Indonesians, otherwise we have to fight with other prostitutes for the strategic spots to attract customers."

"It was even harder as I we had to compete with real women on the boulevard. But, I think I got lucky, because I could always get customers and earn money to pay my daily loan installments to someone in Paris who would later send the money to Jakarta, to the pimp who prepared everything for my trip to Paris."

Fay says that she got her ticket, passport and Schengen visa arranged by another transvestite residing in the Tanjung Duren area in West Jakarta. Fay also stayed for a while at her place in Tanjung Duren for various training sessions, which included such things as how to work, behave and attract customers; living and surviving in Paris, as well as a briefing on where to stay and eat during the first six months in the city.

"As I'd never been prostituting, I had to 'practice' several times in the Taman Lawang area of Jakarta. It was also hard because by early 2002, I'd just been living in Jakarta for three years, working at a beauty salon," she says, stressing that deep down in her heart, she would never think of becoming a prostitute.

For the Paris arrangement, Fay had to repay US$8,700 to the pimp in Jakarta. But luckily, she says, there was not a signed contract between them. Additionally, Fay also paid another $1,000 to someone in Paris who claimed to be an assistant of the Jakarta pimp during the working period.

"In total I had to pay $9,700 during my stay in Paris, with a visa valid for 180 days. There was no break defined, meaning I had to work every night from 7 or 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. Meanwhile, each night I was required to pay a 160-euro (about $200) installment to the assistant," she adds.

Such an amount, somehow, was not that difficult to earn for Fay, who would do certain sexual acts for different prices, ranging from 25 euro to 50 euros for each. She normally serviced several customers a night, in order to make some profit after paying the 160 euros.

Fay managed to pay off the loan in less than 50 days. She could have, afterwards, saved all of her income in her remaining 130 working days if she wanted to continue working the street every night.

"Yes. Basically, the calculation was like that. In terms of the total earnings, it was really tempting, you know", she admits.

But the scenario did not work out that way.

"One night, after three months working in Paris, there was a serious argument between the assistant and I over a misunderstanding. The assistant was not friendly to anybody. She slapped me and treated me inhumanely. So I decided that night to leave the hotel where we (the Indonesian transvestites) always stayed. At the time, I'd already met Andy several times," Fay recalls.

She says she had had the idea to quit prostituting much earlier after experiencing harassment and petty crimes during her time on Boulevard Ney.

"Once I was taken by a black guy into an isolated area. I was tied down and forced to watch him taking drugs while he masturbated. It was really a traumatic experience. Another nightmare was when I was taken by a guy, a Middle Easterner. I was forced to get out of his car somewhere in the suburbs in the dark after servicing him."

"There was another occasion when my Indonesian friend and I were fighting with two men in a hotel room as they wanted to rob us. We tried to defend ourselves and screamed as loud as we could. The men ran away because they were afraid of other hotel guests hearing the fight and calling the police."

Fay says after the fierce argument with the assistant in Paris, she went to see Andy and told him about her decision to quit working.

"At that time Andy had approached me. I consulted with him and said I was ready to quit my career as a prostitute if he really loved me and was ready to take good care of me. He accepted and we were soon living together."

Fay and Andy are now living together legally under the PaCT, an act in France which offers legal status to all unmarried, heterosexual or homosexual couples. After they signed the PaCT in November 2002 and Fay got a permanent job as a baby sitter in September 2004 life seemed much easier for them, particularly for Fay. They hope their life together will last long while they are also ready to face any challenges in the future.

"Sure some challenges are always there. Among other things is the possible threat from the people I still owe money to. My physical sexuality may also be a challenge. I originally never intended to get rid of my male genitalia. But I am now ready to undertake a sex-change surgery only for Andy. It's just a matter of time," says Fay who was born in 1969.

Andy eventually sees his life and the future in a more relaxed way.

"I know I am 'married' to a transvestite. Most people in the world regard transvestitism as taboo because in 'natural' life there are only men and women. So did I. But my way of thinking has changed. Step by step, I understand more about love and life, regardless of gender. I think people may have different ways of thinking and a clearer picture of certain issues when they get older. Now I am thinking more about love, heart and affection, which I find with Fay, rather than sex."

He also explains that he does not consider himself a homosexual.

"I was married to a woman, when I was 19, and I have two kids, and two grandchildren. My ex-wife, children and friends know about Fay and they say it's my business for my own happiness. They are absolutely right."

He says he fell in love with an Indonesian transvestite before he met Fay. "I met her and thought she was a real woman. At that time I started to change my way of thinking that sex or gender is not the most important thing but heart and love. We had a relationship and I went with her to Jakarta several years ago. But the relationship didn't last long. I returned to Paris and later met Fay."

Andy, who is in his mid-forties, says that he wants to spend the rest of his life with Fay in Indonesia after retiring from his job in France; just like Fay's dream.

The writer can be contacted at: innocent@uninet.net.id