February 15, 2023

Granting trans Indonesian women the right to worship

topic:	Women's rights
located:	Indonesia
editor:	Leo Galuh

In Indonesia, it is extremely difficult to live peacefully as an LGBTQ+ individual since many Indonesians continue to refuse them the right to coexist in society. An outstanding majority of Indonesians - roughly 87.6 percent - believe that LGBTQ+ people are a threat to society, according to a 2018 study conducted by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting.

Indonesians maintain that LGBTQ+ rights are at odds with religious teachings, believing that queer identities are forbidden by their Islamic religion. As a result, many Indonesians actively discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community and prevent them from practising their right of prayer in places of worship.

In response to this discrimination, Shinta Ratri, a trans woman who lived in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, established an Islamic school called Pondok Pesantren Waria al-Fatah with two other trans women in 2008. Together, they crafted the first Islamic school in the world for trans women as a space where LGBTQ+ people can be accepted and worship in peace. 

Of course, Ratri faced harassment and assault from religious groups that regarded LGBTQ+ people as sinners and deviants, and even had to close down the Al Fatah Islamic School in 2016 due to threats from Islamic hardliners. Nonetheless, in 2019 she obtained the Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defender at Risk in honour of her efforts to provide a safe space for trans women in Indonesia. 

“Here we can believe we are not sinners for being trans. I want as many people as possible to know about us. I hope the day will come when anyone can pray together at the same place without feeling uncomfortable,” she once shared at her school.

While Ratri passed away on 1 February at the age of 60, she will be remembered for her important work of advocating for religious inclusion on behalf of others who may have felt abandoned and alone. Her legacy will be carried on by several LGBTQ+ activists. For example, Nurdiyansah Dalidjo, an activist inspired by Shinta’s work and ideas, will continue the effort to protect trans women from discrimination in religious spaces.

“Through the figure of Mrs. Shinta, I feel I have a new understanding [...] about the meaning of a safe space and the rights to religion and worship,” Nurdiyansah wrote. 

Despite the fact that the future for queer Indonesians may still be difficult, there is still optimism that Indonesians will open their hearts and minds to the LGBTQ+ community. Religious leaders will play an important role in catalysing this shift in society.

Image by Julianto Saputra

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