UI Clarifies BEM Psychology Study on LGBT Does Not Represent Official Campus Stance

The University of Indonesia (UI) has addressed the controversy surrounding a post by the Faculty of Psychology’s Student Executive Body (BEM) which discussed findings on homosexuality. The campus stressed that the material does not constitute an official statement from the University of Indonesia. “We emphasise that the study material from the student organisation does not reflect the official position of the University of Indonesia,” said Erwin Agustian Panigoro, UI’s Director of Public Relations, Media, Government and International Affairs, on Sunday, 5 July 2026. The statement was issued after the BEM Faculty of Psychology UI’s post regarding the 2008 American Psychological Association (APA) study circulated widely on social media. The post mentioned that no research supports the view that homosexuality is a mental disorder or a deviation. The post was subsequently removed from the BEM Psychology UI Instagram account, but screenshots had already spread and sparked debate across various social media platforms. Erwin stated that as a public university, the institution is committed to Pancasila, national values, and all applicable laws and regulations. According to him, the references used in the post originate from academic literature within the realm of psychology. The campus clarified that academic studies are distinct from campaigns or the promotion of a lifestyle. “Academic references to scientific literature are fundamentally different from campaigns or the dissemination of a lifestyle. The University of Indonesia does not organise, facilitate, or support any lifestyle dissemination campaigns,” Erwin said. UI also asserted that the core of the study compiled by the student organisation was a rejection of violence and persecution against fellow campus members. In its statement, UI guaranteed that all campus members have the right to protection from various forms of violence, intimidation, threats of persecution, and the unauthorised sharing of personal data or doxing, regardless of their background or differing views. Furthermore, the campus stated it will strengthen coordination mechanisms for communication materials using institutional identities to prevent misunderstandings in the public sphere. UI also urged the public to process information completely, proportionally, and based on facts to maintain a safe academic climate.