Ardanariswari
An incident experienced by a student in Makassar, who declares himself non-binary, sparked various responses in the community. Some condemned it while others showed support.
Violence and discrimination never end the overshadowing existence of a community that displays
a diversity of gender expression. It seems as if they always stand in public judgment; being interrogated, reviled and questioned: is gender identity either male or female?
Meta-gender characteristics are one of the privileges of a Bissu, along with that they are also believed to have supernatural powers to be a liaison with the spirit realm.
An incident experienced by a student in Makassar, who declares himself non-binary, sparked various responses in the community. Some condemned it while others showed support. I recall the uniqueness of gender diversity in the Bugis society along with the philosophy or traditions inherent in the five gender varieties. The figure of Bissu is seen as a chosen person who is purified by his followers. Meta-gender characteristics are one of the privileges of a Bissu, along with that they are also believed to have supernatural powers to be a liaison with the spirit realm.
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Traces of our literature, folklore and artifacts tell us a lot about the image and existence of transgender groups that fill and inspire our civilization. In traditional dance, there is Lengger Banyumas, which presupposes the elasticity of the body, swinging freely between feminine and masculine expressions.
Peserta aksi dalam rangka Hari Perempuan Sedunia 2020 membentangkan poser di Jalan MH Thamrin, Jakarta Pusat, Minggu (8/3/2020). Dalam aksi ini, massa menyuarakan antara lain tentang keberagaman, kesetaraan gender, dan penuntasan kekerasan terhadap perempuan.
In addition, in Greek mythology, there is what is called Hermaphroditos, a child of the combination of the god Hermes and the goddess Aphrodite. I was stunned to see the beauty of the statue of the Sleeping Hermaphroditus in the Louvre Museum, made of white marble, that embodies the beauty of Hermaphroditos' naked body.
The image of the unification of feminine and masculine elements is also thick in the Shivaism branch. Looking at the Ardanariswari statue, I contemplated the fusion of the power of Lord Shiva with the magic of the goddess Parvati, which has become a symbol of the origin of the formation of this cosmos.
Intersectional perspective
Based on the latest gender studies, we can critically address the view that standardizes gender issues into a closed binary gender classification, namely male and female. What is more, gender identity is an ongoing process, a person's self is not necessarily determined by the biological facts of his birth. Gender construction signifies the performative freedom of a person to practice his identity flexibly.
Hendrika Mayora admitted that the Maumere people are progressive people and can accept and even celebrate the diversity of gender expressions.
I had a discussion with Hendrika Mayora, a transwoman from Habi Village, East Nusa Tenggara. Currently he is serving in the village consultative body and he is determined to serve the community for justice and equality. Hendrika Mayora admitted that the Maumere people are progressive people and can accept and even celebrate the diversity of gender expressions.
However, his struggle to become a public official was full of hardship and suffering. He expressed the pain of all the discrimination, ridicule and persecution that he experienced while accompanying other transwomen.
During the pandemic, Hendrika Mayora sought health assistance for trans women. He faced various challenges in advocating for the processing of identity cards for trans women so that the trans women community can access health assistance or funds.
Entering the issue of injustice using an intersectional view enables us to examine things that have thus far been neglected. The fact is that as citizens, trans women experience layers of discrimination because of their gender performativity, poverty, as well as their ethnic identity or certain cultural background. Intersectional studies can reveal multiple marginalizations that are often invisible. Like the intersection, trans women are in the middle of a blow to inequality that involves the overlapping of gender, class, ethnicity or race.
Hendrika Mayora is determined to open the widest possible meeting space that respects diversity and human rights. He initiated a community that is in solidarity not only on welfare issues for transgender people. Through the Fajar Sikka community, he assists the elderly, disabled groups and female heads of families.
Queer Ecology
Sanggar Seroja is a trans woman community, which focuses their concerns on the problem of climate change. They conduct research and perform art performances aimed at strengthening public awareness about the importance of environmental balance. I met them at a studio located in Kampung Duri in West Jakarta. Passing the busy alleys with people trading, sitting, joking and children running around, the trans women greet the residents in a friendly manner.
It was written in their research that there were 80 trans women in Kampung Duri, who during the pandemic experienced an income crisis and also had difficulty getting health insurance.
Mama Pandan, a transwoman who is a member of Sanggar Seroja, is active in campaigning for a clean-living environment. Currently they are encouraging waste banks and inviting young people to reduce the use of single-use plastic. They recycle plastic waste, which is then made into cheerful and sparkling performance costumes. It was written in their research that there were 80 trans women in Kampung Duri, who during the pandemic experienced an income crisis and also had difficulty getting health insurance.
Along with the pandemic, they show intersectionally the vulnerability of the transgender community due to climate change, one of which is the flood disaster. Queer Ecology is an ethical principle of caring for the environment inspired by biodiversity, namely diversity that supports one another.
The state must be present through public policies that mainstream the participation of transgender communities in social life. Even though they are burdened by stigma, isolation and threats of violence, trans women are persistent in showing love and concern for the community and the surrounding environment.
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Saras Dewi
SARAS DEWI, Lecturer of Philosophy at the University of Indonesia
(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)
