Queer Indonesians can’t celebrate Pride in public. But they’re still doing it behind closed doors

When hundreds of people marched together under the collective banner of Women’s March Jakarta last month, issues beyond gender equality in Indonesia were brought to the surface. With banners and placards, Indonesians at the vibrant event called out discrimination against minority groups, urged for better political representation for women and marginalized communities, and celebrated diverse identities. 

The solidarity was so strong that the presence of colorful Pride flags fit right in. 

Related:

How LGBTQ+ people can protect their mental health during a traumatizing Pride season

June is usually a celebration for the LGBTQ+ community, but this year many have found it challenging.

But as snapshots from the rally made their way to social media, the millions of views they garnered sparked hateful sentiment against LGBTQ+ people – perhaps a bitter illustration of what the community will be up against should public celebrations for Pride Month take place in the capital. 

Never Miss a Beat

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.

Daily

Weekly

Good News

Gimana pendapat kalian gaes? pic.twitter.com/2sHsSTuxRt

— sosmed keras (@sosmedkeras) May 23, 2023

While celebrations of Pride Month are held around the world throughout June, including in many Asian countries like Thailand and Taiwan, such festivities are much more subdued – if they exist at all – in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, where rising religious conservatism has given way to increased persecution of queer citizens in recent years. 

“I think freedom of speech is still very limited here, more so freedom of expression. So pride marches and parades are almost non-existent,” MB, a 35-year-old queer man based in Jakarta, told LGBTQ Nation. MB requested anonymity out of concern for his safety. 

MB was also aware about the controversy sparked by the presence of Pride flags at this year’s Women’s March and said the “‘netizens’ vehement reactions should tell you about the state of the nation as a whole.” 

“It’s obviously very sad that one can’t express themselves freely as a human being because I think if we can forget the “sexual identity” label first and regard Pride as a form of one’s freedom of expression, it could change narratives and take the negative context out of the event. It may even educate and help closeted queers across the country to feel that it’s okay to be themselves and we actually have a whole month dedicated to celebrating our queer uniqueness.”

Though he has never partaken in Pride celebrations, MB said he appreciated the meaning and history behind Pride, adding that it reminds him to live authentically. 

“We have lived an oppressed life and tried so hard to fit in the society norms since we were young – living a double life so to speak,” he said. “Imagine if we could have such a colorful celebration as Pride month here, how educational and helpful it could be for many – it literally could save lives! They can learn to accept their queerness as something positive rather than labeling it as ‘sickness or a sin’ and can live life however they want to.”

The state of LGBTQ+ rights in Indonesia 

Many facets of Indonesian society are still struggling to accept gender and sexual diversity, and basic rights for LGBTQ+ Indonesians have been increasingly under threat. Though homosexuality is not illegal under national law, regional governments have had the authority to enact bylaws criminalizing LGBTQ+ communities and behavior.

Last December, Indonesia passed the new and controversial Revised Criminal Code (RKUHP) that is set to be enforced by 2026. Activists fear that the legislation could be used to further prosecute LGBTQ+ people in the country. Articles that prohibit sex and cohabitation outside marriage between men and women may be applied to homosexual relations, since same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in the country. 

In addition, ahead of the 2024 elections, Indonesian politicians have been accused of weaponizing discrimination, as many use LGBTQ+ issues as a scapegoat to score electoral points. 

“I guess we all are wanting to organize a pride parade in June as everyone else, however with the current context, too risky for folks to do it,” Lini Zurlia, advocacy officer for ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, told LGBTQ Nation. 

“There is no rainbow celebration I guess merely because of the safety and security issues.”

Zurlia said Pride celebrations are “important for the queer community wherever we are, including in Indonesia,” pointing to the never-ending hatred, stigmatization and discrimination towards the community. 

Pride underground

Just because Pride can’t take place out in the open, though, it doesn’t mean it isn’t being recognized.

“We do have our own ways in commemorating it,” Zurlia said. “We organize small closed events with different kinds of activities, such as talk or discussion, social media campaign, watch party followed by discussion, and other forms of art and cultural activities.” 

Even for those who say Pride celebrations are not for them, the importance of what it represents is not lost on them. 

“Personally, I am not really a big fan of Pride Month, but I do think that Pride Month is important for the LGBTQ+ community,”  R, a 29-year-old gay man from West Kalimantan, told LGBTQ Nation. R also requested anonymity to protect his privacy. “It allows us to be able to express our gender and have the confidence to just be ourselves.”

R, who has yet to come out to his family in Indonesia, said that he can see a stark difference in how LGBTQ+ people are celebrated in Thailand, where he lives now, compared to his home country. 

Last June, Thai lawmakers passed a bill to create a same-sex civil partnership law, edging closer towards becoming the first Southeast Asian country – and second territory in Asia – to legalize same-sex marriages. 

“In my hometown, at home, I don’t even think they know what being gay means,” R said. “I don’t think Indonesia is ready yet to accept the LGBTQ+ community; it will take time, but at least now people are aware that the LGBTQ+ community exists. This is the first step and a long way to go. I still have faith with the next generations.”

Dede Oetomo, founder and trustee of the country’s oldest LGBTQ+ rights group GAYa NUSANTARA, said many tiny celebrations have taken place throughout the years across Indonesia, including a quiet Pride celebration in Bali last year. 

“There is strong homophobia so the situation is not conducive [for Pride celebrations],” Oetomo told LGBTQ Nation. 

“What we expect from the police, they should protect us – we are citizens, tax-paying citizens, and we would like to be on the street; protect us from the bigots. But here it’s not like that, when there are bigots they let them be, and sometimes the police officers are bigots themselves.”

“Our situation [in Indonesia] is in the middle. We don’t really have actual systematic persecution, but we are also not protected [by the state],” Oetomo added. “We still hold events… we have clandestine movements that are underground.” 

Oetomo said there was another pride-related event held in Bali earlier this month, which he considers another “breakthrough.” But even so, queer communities in Indonesia can never be certain if they will be able to hold similar events the next time around. 

“I personally wish it would be freer, but I suppose to get there we have to work extra hard,” he said. 

But Oetomo, who started his activism four decades ago, believes that things will and do get better. 

“Every aspect of life has sad stories, but look at the positives,” Oetomo said. “Just press on, it does get better. And you hear it from somebody who is almost 70 years old, and it is a good life.”