Transsexuals deliver AIDS awareness to their own
By Sulistyo Budi N
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Every city has its hangouts for transsexuals, where they can be seen sauntering along the street or waiting in dark parks late at night, often dressed up in garish, in-your- face attire.
Marginalized and often the object of public ridicule, many transsexuals (although most have not had a sex change operation, they identify themselves as transsexuals) are forced to earn a living through prostitution, with a large number either ignorant of the danger of HIV/AIDS or choosing to overlook it.
In order to reverse this trend, a group of transsexuals in Yogyakarta have taken action by establishing Pawama, a group intended to educate others about the dangers of unprotected sex.
Established in 1994, the group is led by Vinolia, also a transsexual. She has also joined the Lentera Sahaja AIDS education program run by the Yogyakarta chapter of the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (PKBI).
Vinolia and her colleagues use the peer counseling approach, visiting the haunts of transsexuals to explain safe sex practices and the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.
Vinolia, 40, who prefers not to use her real name, first realized the dangers of HIV in this country in 1993. Students in the School of Medicine at Gadjah Mada University had already reported that it was marginalized groups, including prostitutes, who were at high risk of contracting HIV, which leads to AIDS.
Lentera Sahaja convinced Vinolia of the risks.
"The targets include groups such as transvestites, gays and sex workers," Vinolia said.
"People working in the field at that time met with me and -- as I don't want the public to have a negative image of the world of transsexuals -- I made up my mind, at my own initiative, to join them as a volunteer. I have been warmly welcomed."
The director of the family planning association chapter, Kusminari, is delighted by the efforts of transsexuals to make others aware of the consequences of promiscuous sex, particularly in Yogyakarta, which is the country's second-largest tourist destination after Bali.
"I can convey the most basic information to the clients," Vinolia said of the group, which now includes 250 transsexuals.
"They have now changed their habits; before they never used 'caps' (condoms) during sexual intercourse, but now they have started telling their customers to use one."
She added that many transsexuals were now no longer reluctant to have regular medical checkups.
However, it is not an easy job. Members of Pawama have been subjected to verbal and physical abuse by homophobes, or those who see their efforts as "meddling" in the lives of others. Several years ago they were harassed and chased along Jl. Kapas, near the district court office, by a group of people dressed in "ninja" clothing.
PKBI's coordinator of transsexual advocacy Wuwun Widiawati said that in recent months there have been more reports of social and psychological abuse of transsexuals.
Wuwun also mentioned several incidents involving armed personnel that have occurred around Bank Indonesia on Jl. P Mangkubumi, the North Square on Jl. Abu Bakar and near the Madukismo sugar factory. Some transsexuals have been beaten up and the target of hit and run attacks by people on motorbikes, Wuwun added.