The Existence of Transgender in Indonesia

Have you ever listened about “Transgender”? Transgender means someone who decides to change their gender from man becomes a woman, and vice versa. Today, the number of transgender increases, in the western country that does the transgender mostly. Indonesia has also a considerable number of transgender, though not as much as in other countries, but it raises a lot of pros and cons. The main cause is, Indonesia is a majority of Muslim, but also has a human right commission. Related to this case, there are many supportive and also refused, therefore it will an interesting topic of discussion. This paper discusses the reasons why people change their gender, and the supports and also rejections of the transgender.

Some people think that change their gender is the best choice when they feel trapped in a bodies that is different to how they feel inside or in other word they feel they were born in wrong gender, means they psychology does not accept their physical growth. The people who are transsexual will frustrate, they will be experiencing spiritual and emotional struggle that really heavy; as a result they do transgender.  This is supported by arguments of J.P. Chaplin in the Dictionary of Psychology (1981) “a person who is transsexual have a desire to get rid her/his genitals and living with the opposite sex, the existence ofphysical appearanceintersexorgeneticabnormal; tothe discovery ofmental disorderssuch asschizophrenia”.Further to doctor Maya Tri Siswati as a clinic manager of PKBI (Perkumpulan Keluarga Berencana Indonesia), she argued that the reason why people decided to change their gender because they are uncomfortable with their genitals and hate their current genders, as a result they try to hide their breast or something which is show their real gender.

As the same time, Ghazal Gi argued that “some people do the transgender for just a change, they are bore from they are current gender”. In western culture probably it is reasonable, but seen from view of the eastern especially in Indonesia which is a muslim majority country it will be unacceptable reason. Although many reasons that cause people decide to change their gender is reasonable, but there are many people who reject them. Furthermore, there are some factors from the outside such as playmate who has an abnormal sex, family members whose are women, or because of trauma sex from her/his partner.

Indonesia is not a country that adheres to Islamic law, but Indonesia is the majority of Islamic countries that really holds the religion. It makes the most of Indonesian rejected the transgender, because it is extremely deviate from religion, and violate the rule of God.Gender is already determined by the nature of Allah, men and women. As indicated, Prophet Muhammad SAW hadith "Allah curses those men who make themselves resemble women or those women who make themselves resemble men." (Narrated by Imam Ali). It is clearly in HR. Imam Ali that Allah would really curse people who violate and deny the ordinance of Allah.

In the same way, Indonesia also has customs, and norms order that is already at society since before. Indonesian norms are also refer to religion order, and if it breached it will wreck the nation morals. Consequently, transgender is not in accordance with the customs, and norms in Indonesia. The chairman of Pengurus Pusat HAM Islam Indonesia (PUSHAMI), M Hariadi ‘Ombat’ Nasution claims that there is no right for a person to behave deviate, and they will be protesting to everyone who supports the transgender, including the Human Right Commission if it is really accommodate LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender).

On the other hand, Indonesia has a state institution, one of it is human rights commission.“Human rights or human rights are fundamental rights or fundamental carried by humans from birth as a gift of God and creation God”. (Kansil & Kansil 2003: 11). The denial of human rights is to deny human dignity. All the obligation to recognize and protect every human being. For this reason, transgender asking to be recognize and security guaranteed; given the opportunity for expression, and other right as other citizen. It is because of the equal rights for transgender issues are still not addressed, and has resulted in the increasing level of violence on transgender. Evidence of this can be seen in the work by a first research report on the living conditions of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) in Indonesia, reported that the LGBTI community is a group of highly vulnerable to violence and discriminatory measure, either of civil society from the security forces and law enforcement.

An addition, The National Coordinator for Indonesia LGBTI forum, Yuli Rustinawati said all violence is in getting by transgendered provide negative impact, such as physical, psychological, sexual, economic, and social. This indicates that there are still a lack of acceptance, appreciation, recognition, and protection against transgender. It should be noted that one of the factors to be transgender person is the environment, we are also categorize as their environment. Thus, we could not excommunicate them and it support by Ira Paramastri as a psychologist suggested that we should accept it wholeheartedly if a child or family member be LGBT. Because they will be very depressed when they have to adapt to their identity but do not have the support of family, even their family.

There are several factors which underlie a person doing transgender, such as from her/himself or from the social or environment. Transgender raises a lot of pros and cons, there are also supports and rejections. Nevertheless, the number of transgender increases day by day, it is because of in Indonesia there are human rights commission that is protect the right of every human.Although transgender in Indonesia is not as much as in other country, such as in western country, but Indonesia is majority of muslim and has norms and customs that related with the religion which is really opposite with transgender.

REFERENCES

J.P Chaplin. Dictionary of psychology. 1981

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