Islamic Identity and Sexuality in Indonesia Islamic Identity and Sexuality in Indonesia (original) (raw)
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The post-Suharto period was expected to establish Indonesia as a democracy, committed to equality between citizens and human rights, but respect for women's equal rights, for example the freedom to terminate a pregnancy, freedom of expression, freedom from polygamy, has not occurred. Indonesia has enjoyed some expanded political liberties, but the civil liberties of the Indonesian people are not protected. Why has democracy failed to deliver civil liberties in Indonesia despite its success in opening up political liberties? Why has democracy strengthened the ties between the government and dominant religious institutions? These are the questions I address. In the case of Indonesia, the transition to democracy has not necessarily led to the liberalization concerning laws on gender and freedom of the individual. In fact it has led to the opposite. This is true in the case of women's sexual liberation, which is condemned and restricted both by the democratic elected government ...
Between Religion and Sexuality: Being Muslim and Lesbian in Indonesia
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In the past few years, as the increases of people identifying as a homosexual, the homophobic statements are also increasing. Moreover, The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has issued a fatwa proposing punishments ranging from caning to the death penalty for individuals accused of homosexual acts. They are forced to confront religious dogma, which advocates the punishment of non-heterosexuals leading them to repress and deny their sexuality. This article examines how lesbian Muslim understands the relationship between religion and sexuality; how these women manage conflicting areas between their sexuality and religious selves, then reconfigure their religious identity. In this article, I am guided by the queer-feelings and phenomenological framework—for exploring a deeper understanding of how lesbian women, brought up in Indonesian Islamic families and with strong faith, developed their lesbian identity. Queer-feelings also provides space to criticize the hegemony of existing sexuality (read: heteronormativity) labels; identifying and then deconstructing the binaries or dualisms of ontology to achieve apparent coherence. I explore how they use Islam to affirm their sexuality but at the same time contest the homophobic rhetoric attached to homosexuality within Islam. The obstacles imposed upon these women by moral and social boundaries initially compelled them to separate their religious and sexual selves. However, by reinterpreting the prohibition of homosexuality in Islam by adopting a more progressive understanding of social justice and respect for diversity and equality, the women vigorously challenge the idea that they as lesbians do not have a right to identify as Muslims. Keywords: Women’s sexuality, Indonesia, Lesbian-Muslims, Female Same-Sex Sexuality, Queer Feelings.
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Gender, Sexuality and Islam in Contemporary Indonesia: Queer Muslims and their Allies
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Gender, Sexuality and Islam in Contemporary Indonesia explores gender, sexuality and religion in contemporary Indonesia. It is the first book-length analysis of the experiences of queer Muslims in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country and the world’s fourth most populous nation, as well as the first monograph exploring the voices of their allies vis-à-vis the role of Indonesian progressive Islam and Islam Nusantara. An ethnographic study based on semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observation and media analysis, the book analyses how queer Indonesian Muslims come to, and navigate, their gender, sexual and religious subjectivities and subject positions, beliefs and practices. This is done by paying attention to their interactions with family, education, media, and peers. It also investigates the emergence of queer religious geographies through the case of an annual camp leading to alternative discussions on gender, sexuality, and religion impacting processes of subjectivity formation among participants. The author draws on recent scholarship that attends to ‘agency’ not merely as a synonym for resistance but also as a modality of action to examine the rise of queer religious agentic systems through the everyday practices of queer Muslims. Finally, the book explores the background of the allies of queer Muslims who have come to develop queer-inclusive strategies from within Islam by considering the processes that shaped their advocacy and the role of Islam Nusantara. The book reflects on the critical role of Islam for gender and sexual minorities in Indonesia. Presenting the voices, practices and activism of present-day Indonesians to explore the position of Islam as a source of emotional strength, guidance, and social support, this book will be of interest to researchers in the fields of Gender and Sexuality Studies, Religious Studies, Asian Studies and Southeast Asian Studies, Islamic Studies and Queer Anthropology.
Homosexual is still considered taboo to be discussed in Indonesia. People prefer to keep it in the closet and close it in the dark room. Unfortunately, ignoring the issue doesn't solve the problem all the time. This paper aims to create the awareness among the society upon the issue, since the number of indonesian Muslim gay, keep increasing over the years.