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.