Opening the Reception Room to Transwomen

If equipped with skills, it could be that society's acceptance of transwomen will improve. Whatever their life-choice preferences, they are a part of society with the same rights and opportunities as other human beings.

SONYA HELLEN SINOMBOR

Yuli (far left), Chair of the Indonesian Transgender Communication Forum (FKWI) with several elderly trans women, Sunday (24/7/2022).

The existence of transwomen meets a variety of receptions in society. Instead of acceptance, stigma and discrimination are often experienced by this group.

This prejudiced behavior cannot be separated from the underlying narrative that transgender women are a disgrace and a deviant group that can wreak havoc. This is illustrated by the results of a Kompas poll, 5-7 July 2022. Six out of 10 respondents said that transwomen are people who deviate or have mental disorders. Another negative narrative holds that they destroy morals and spread infectious diseases.

However, not all perceptions are negative. Some respondents began to see the existence of transgender women in a more rational context, for example, in regarding transgender women as disaster bearers. Even though there are still 30 percent of respondents who believe this, the poll findings show than an even larger group of respondents reject this assumption.

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This particular perception cannot be separated from the scientific reality that natural phenomena, such as disasters, are very likely to occur in Indonesia because its geographical location is sandwiched between three continental plates and is in the path of the ring of fire.

Similarly, in the perception of transwomen as people with mental disorders, a segment of the respondents (40.2 percent) disagreed. This is connected to the decision of the World Health Organization (WHO) to remove the term in May 2019. WHO then classified it as "gender incompatibility". This reclassification is intended to reduce the stigma that is often directed at transwomen.

Two-thirds of respondents even appreciate the resilience and independence of transwomen in the midst of lack of public acceptance. As many as 60 percent rate transwomen as people with a cheerful personality.

Variety of acceptance

A variety of perceptions result in a variety of responses from the public. The negative narratives that are still circulating cause the largest group of respondents (46.8 percent) to label transwomen with a bad image. Only 6.6 percent of respondents stated that their image of transwomen was positive, and the other half of respondents (45.2 percent) chose neutrality.

The response choices also indicate the variety of levels of acceptance from the community. Some are accepting, and others still refuse. A number of studies have found that rejection of transwomen emerged from within families. This is because many families are not ready to accept the “differences” inherent in transwomen.

This was also recorded in the Kompas poll. About two-thirds of the respondents admit that they do not accept that a family member became a transwoman. Referring to the Transgender Profile book compiled by the Indonesian Family Planning Association (PKBI) in 2020, families expect their members to behave according to their gender.

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

Betty (46), a trans woman from Makassar, left her boarding house in the Pulo Gadung area, East Jakarta on Friday (22/7/2022) night.

This condition often makes transwomen reluctant to live with their families. A survey conducted by Kompas through online media from 12-21 July 2022 found that six out of 10 transwomen prefer to live in rented houses or to stay at a relative's or a friend's house.

Unfortunately, their presence in more open spaces, namely in the midst of society, also gets mixed reception. There are still groups of people who are reluctant to coexist with transwomen.

However, that does not mean that everyone is closed off. Three out of 10 poll respondents said they are willing to live in the same surroundings with transwomen, with the young millennial group most willing. They are also more likely to accept transwomen as co-workers. This is a breath of fresh air, because there are opportunities for openness and the acceptance of transwomen in the future.

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Differences in education levels also determine public acceptance of transwomen. According to the poll results, respondents with higher levels of education tend to have higher acceptance rates for transwomen.

Six out of 10 respondents with a higher education level are willing to associate and work with transwomen. For low levels of education, only four out of 10 respondents are willing to make friends and have transwomen co-workers.

Reciprocal

This indicates that higher education creates broader insight. One of these qualities brings understanding and acceptance regarding gender diversity.

Moreover, now, the world is starting to be more open to the issue of gender diversity. Quoting the January 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine entitled Gender Revolution, a dating app, Tinder, expands gender identification to 40 options. Meanwhile, Facebook offers more, namely 50 options.

Whatever their life-choice preferences, transwomen are a part of society with the same rights and opportunities as other human beings.

Efforts to enable this acceptance are not only the duty of the community, but are also expected to come from transwomen. By being open ourselves, accompanied by an attitude of respect from the transwomen, it is not at all impossible to open the reception room to community acceptance.

If equipped with skills, it could be that society's acceptance of transwomen will improve. Whatever their life-choice preferences, transwomen are a part of society with the same rights and opportunities as other human beings. (KOMPAS R&D)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.