Raising the awareness of gays and transvestites

Raising the awareness of gays and transvestites

More than 100 gay men and transvestites across the country
attended "The National Meeting: Sexuality and Men's Sexual
Health" at Novus Hotel, Puncak, West Java, between Sept. 7 and
Sept 10.

Sponsors of the meeting included the Ford Foundation, Dutch
non-governmental organization HIVOS, and UN bodies UNAIDS and
UNFPA.

Various topics were discussed, such as the relation between
homosexuality and culture, politics and religion as well as
sexual health, especially for men who have sex with men (MSM). A.
Junaidi from The Jakarta Post, and journalists from Indopos daily
and Gatra magazine talked with the meeting's steering committee
chairman, Dede Oetomo, about the gathering.

Question (Q): What is the purpose of the meeting?

Answer: The meeting is about men's sexual health, especially
to do with MSM, and its connection with the prevention of
HIV/AIDS. The term MSM covers not only gays and transvestites but
also bisexuals. Many men conceal their sexual orientation due to
social cultural and religious reasons. Many of them are not aware
of the danger of HIV/AIDS and the need to practice safe sex.

The meeting has also discussed topics such as religion,
politics and human rights. What do you expect achieve from doing
this?

Yes, we discussed important topics such as how culture,
religion and politics view homosexuality. The meeting is not just
a reunion of gays and transvestites from across the country --
from Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar and Papua. We want to
improve their knowledge about culture, religion, politics and
human rights.

After observing the meeting into the second day, what do you
see?

There are more gays and transvestites daring to speak out,
although many journalists, including TV cameramen, have also
attended the meetings. I'm glad that they have come here. Before
this, some gays and transvestites would refuse to come or cancel
after knowing that there the mass media would attend because they
did not want their identities revealed.

The gay and transvestite movement here is growing slowly. Is
this say it's because the movement is nonpolitical

The education and economic backgrounds of the gays and
transvestites are varied. Only some of them have good educations.
I have been in the movement for about 20 years. Asking them to
come here is difficult; so, their attendance this time is good
comparatively.

This time we have also invited representatives of political
parties to speak about politics and legislation. Eva K. Sundari
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and Nursjahbani
Katjasungkana of the National Awakening Party have come and
presented papers.

What do you expect after the meeting?

Internally, we hope that more gays and transvestites will dare
to come out. We have to formulate plans for the movement for the
future. Externally, we hope people can accept us. At least, if
members of their families are gay, they could accept them.

How long do you think it will be before the movement reaches
its goal; recognition from the state as well as society?

Maybe it will still take a long time. Internally, we should
deal with ourselves. Actually, there is not much rejection of gay
or transvestites in society. In East Java, we can easily meet and
discuss with the chapter of the country's largest Nahdlatul Ulama
Islamic organization or meet with local government officials.