Transsexuals see both sides of life

Transsexuals see both sides of life

Adrian Smith and Dewi Kurniawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

You see them at the side of the road, shadowy, statuesque
figures lit up by car headlights: They are one of the haunting
spectacles of Jakarta's nightscape.

For many, this is as good as it gets; the only ephemeral,
detached encounter one has with transgenders and as a
consequence, their identity is all too readily associated with
being marginalized.

In Indonesian, the blanket term for transgenders is waria,
part wanita (woman), part pria (man). It refers
to varying degrees of gender disorientation, from those who dress
up for performance only, occasionally dress up (transvestites),
to those who live and feel like the opposite gender
(transsexuals).

Considered neither fully male or female, they are often
referred to in Indonesia as the "third sex".

Today, some waria are coming into the mainstream.

In July this year, 29-year-old Jenny Stavia, alias Avi, won an
MTV award for best model in a music video. Her presence in
Possesif, performed by local pop group Naif, was unusual,
alluring and challenging.

The video captures the rituals that assist her daily
transformation to face the outside world; showering, shaving,
dressing and becoming someone else.

Born Joko Suwito, Avi counts her blessings.

"I am lucky with my glamorous looks. Adjie Notonegoro, the
famous designer, took me on as a model in the early 1990s and
since then I've performed regularly at shows, contests and on TV.
With fame, people now acknowledge me more as a model rather than
as a waria".

Her accomplishments do not stem simply from her physique
though. "I have to thank my understanding family and close
relationship with God for my well-being and positive attitude to
life."

Entertainment and performance often call to waria, and it is
still one of the few areas of professional life where waria are
tolerated in the country.

"I guess it is all part of my identity as a waria. If I had
been born a woman, I would be working in an office. I wouldn't be
in entertainment," Avi said.

She appears regularly with The Silver Boys, a popular group of
performing waria, whose shows are a glamorous mix of dance,
comedy and impersonation.

"During the past several years we have been able to perform
on TV and at an increasing number of venues, not just in Jakarta
but all over Indonesia," troupe leader Tata Dado said.

It hasn't all been plain pandering though.

"Yes, we do encounter difficulties and stigma from time to
time, but we have become more experienced at avoiding
confrontation. I have also realized that if you just carry on
with what you are doing, after a while people just give up having
a go at you," Tata added.

Other professions, such as beauticians, the fashion and film
industry, are more accepting of waria.

There are, of course, rare exceptions to the rule. "I know
someone who works at a bank -- he is the one and only. At first,
the bank wouldn't let him dress up as a woman, but now he does.
He is the only man there with makeup on!" Avi said.

However, with many jobs closed to them, many waria become sex
workers, exposed to the danger of diseases and harassment by the
authorities.

Dr. Mamoto Gultom, a specialist in male sexual health, gets to
see firsthand how the other half live. "Most of my patients are
young sex workers who are confused, vulnerable and under a great
deal of stress".

According to Dede Oetomo, professor of linguistics at
Airlangga University in Surabaya and a gay activist, many waria
are beaten and treated harshly, though they are generally
tolerated in Indonesian households as long as they can earn money
on a regular basis.

It is this combination of economic and cultural factors that
more often than not conspire to complicate the waria identity.

"I realize I can't be like this forever. That is why 10 years
from now I intend to lead a 'normal' life, be a 'normal' guy, get
married to a woman and have babies," said one member of The
Silver Boys, Zaenab, 25.

In the face of such odds, Avi expressed a blunt opinion. "I
wouldn't like the idea of my own child being a waria because the
world is cruel to them."