Transwomen Show Potential and Creativity

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

A number of people attend a mujahadah or prayer together at the Al Fatah Waria Islamic Boarding School, Jagalan Village, Banguntapan District, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, Friday (22/7/2022) night.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Having a gender identity or expression incongruent with sex assigned at birth does not prevent transwomen -- as some of them have proven -- from living a normal life of work, achievement and contribution to society.

Alegra Wolter, a transwomen’s medical doctor at Angsamerah clinic, South Jakarta, said the key to her success in becoming a doctor, in addition to personal factors, was social acceptance and family support.

"Now, I have proven it that, after graduating, [I] can work and contribute to society," she said on Saturday (23/7/2022).

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To realize her aspiration, she recalled, she had gone through tough and traumatizing times, especially as she was transitioning socially as a transwoman. During her education, she found some teachers and colleagues were not as open as she had expected.

However, her conviction about her potential enabled her to hold on to her hope for a better life in the future. Many friends and teachers turned out to strengthen her conviction and provide support for her.

Alegra was resolved that, as a minority with gender nonconformity, she had to carve out an achievement in order to be considered valuable in society.

"The irony is that a person’s efforts in toiling for achievement are discouraged by bullying at school, discrimination at work, pressure by family or harassment in society," she said.

She said that social construction should not impede people in aspiring for their true potential as gifted human beings.

Her students once represented the school to take part in a dance competition up to the provincial level.

Edna Franata Danum (35) also appears to be as lucky to have received parental support as Alegra. She teaches art and culture at a junior high school in Sampit, Central Kalimantan. She said she had been confident about becoming a teacher. Her students once represented the school to take part in a dance competition up to the provincial level.

Like many other transwomen, Edna, a graduate of the Yogyakarta-based Indonesian Institute of Arts, was once looked-down upon by fellow teachers. "How come an art teacher is like that. What will happen to the students," she recalled.

She was imitating her colleague's derisive words, which she said had actually motivated her to perform well at teaching.

SANGGAR SEROJA UNTUK KOMPAS

Seroja Club volunteers and the Queer Language Club distributed basic necessities to waria in Kampung Duri and Kali Anyar, West Jakarta.

In East Nusa Tenggara, Hendrika Mayora (34) sent out a message that transwomen could have an equal share in building the nation. She has demonstrated this by trying to be committed in her role as deputy head of community representative unit at Hebi village, Kangae district, Sikka regency.

"I want to change the stigma of transwomen, such as [being considered] a distortion from nature, and others," said Hendrika in Maumere, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, on Friday (22/7).

Shelter house

Amid concerns about transwomen’s high risk of being exposed to sexually transmitted diseases in their engagement as workers, Vinolia Wakidjo (66) and several colleagues have established the Kebaya Shelter House. Kebaya stands for Keluarga Besar Waria Yogyakarta, or Yogyakarta transwomen association. It was founded on 18 Dec., 2006. She expected the shelter house to provide transwomen with hope for a more meaningful life.

She visits train and bus stations, markets and thoroughfare roads.

Vinolia had been a sex worker for 13 years, before she set aside time to help educate fellow sex workers about the high risk of HIV transmission. She visits train and bus stations, markets and thoroughfare roads.

She said she was ridiculed at times by fellow transwomen for her activity as a sex worker having no commercial value any more. She said she accepted the ridicule and tried to stay focused on her educational outreach.

In Depok, West Java, concerns about the fate of fellow transwomen has moved Mami Yuli to gather elderly transwomen in a shelter house, called Rumah Singgah Waria Lansia (shelter house for elderly transwomen) “Anak Raja”. Those transwomen generally do not have a job, a family or a place to live in. They are also sickly. They are trained to make cakes and other food recipes. They sell the food either on foot, or in stalls. Churches are among their customers.

They receive spiritual guidance and motivation as well as health counseling. Assistance is also provided for them in applying for ID cards (KTP), family cards and BPJS Kesehatan (government-administered health-security program) membership.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

The atmosphere of the Kebaya Shelter House (Yogyakarta Transgender Family), DI Yogyakarta, Thursday (21/7/2022).

Alegra says people tend to view transwomen narrow-mindedly, only as people with gender transgression, while gender identity is only part of our wholeness as human beings.

"We can live a healthy life; have a career; work; be educated; and cherish a happy life with family, partners and friends around us," she said. (ADH/SKA/TAM/SON/TAN/KOR)

(This article was translated by Musthofid)