Transsexuals enhance AIDS awareness

Transsexuals enhance AIDS awareness

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.