Defining Ourselves, Reporting Our situations: Prempreeda

Defining Ourselves,
Reporting Our situations:
Operational Research on Transgender
Definition and Situation
in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and
Timor Leste
Prempreeda Pramoj Na Ayutthaya
Pre ICAAP11, 17 Nov., 2013
Background and
Overview of presentation
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Terms
Legal context
Social-Religious
Workplace/ Education
Preferred terminologies,
and meaning.
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Indonesia:
“Wadam” mean women of Adam.
later as “Waria” means female of male.
Terms are varies depend on provinces: Java = Wandu, South Sulawesi =
“Calabai”
• There is no term refer to TG relates to HIV and SW, but usually call TG who
does SW by location. E.g. By river = “Bateli”, By railroad = “Bareta”
• For PLHIV, called as “Na-Ni-Nu” or “N3”, now “Blackberry.”
• In Surabaya call TG PLHIV as “Similikitty” but only in support group and in
TG communities.
• However among friends, calling “Bencong” or “Banci” is ok. But if called by
outsider would consider as offending
Terms: Malay
• Mak Nyah, Nyah (come from Nyonya means
lady)
• Pondan, Bapok (harsh)
• Kelembai (means big feet)
• Obor-obor (means jelly fish)
• Suntong (means squid)
• Jual obor-obor, kondai (refer to TG sex worker)
Terms: the Philippines
• There is a stigma in the word “bakla.” In the
Philippines, the people and TGs themselves
still use “bakla” to refer to themselves,
especially in rural areas and provinces outside
Metro Manila.
• Transpinay is a new term, but it has not been
mainstreamed yet.
Terms: Timor
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Definition and terms
Most preferable “Waria”
Panlero = TG and MSM (harsh)
Amor Mor = love, refer to TG (Portuguese)
Bui Feto = male to female transgender (more polite and preferred)
Ber Manek = female to male transgender.
Panlero is used by local community to identify TG and MSM (harsh, came from Portuguese)
Gays are those who act as woman in male shirt. Waria are using more feminine.
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Slang
Banci 24 jam = those who went out at night, called as TG 24 hours
Mau Huan = receiver, one who wants sperm.
Pansula = TG who do oral sex for other male
Susu debe = TG who do oral sex without paying to that guy
Panda = from pandalero
Satu lagi dari mayora = TG who passes away (always use out of Dili)
Pajero = TG who looks like robots.
(No slang for health related.)
Legal Context
• Indonesia
• First priority transgender women in Indonesia would want to see the
improvement of gender recognition.
• In 1980, Ministry of Social Affairs considering transgender situation in the
same portion as disability people, then transgender activists asked for
separate support.
• Later, the consultation about gender recognition was conducted by
transgender community, legal bodies, Ministry of Social Affairs and Jakarta
City Council.
• The consultation was discussed about changing of gender status in ID card.
The problem is about the complicated process, transgender people need
to do officially change their location in case of migration, reference letter
from their birth place in needed. But, the situation at birth place might not
conducive; one who runs away from home would face difficulties to get
back to family, and so on.
Legal context: Malay
• before 1990s, if a person goes for psychological test and get diagnose as
transgender, that person could undergo hormone treatment, sexual
reassignment surgery and then officially re-issue ID card with different
gender not at birth.
• The Islamic religion department argued to the surgeons on what were
they doing. A week later, a “fatwa” stated that TGs are not allowed and
discourage for sex change.
• Islam as a federal religion and practice in major, if the government is
showing a negative idea regarding transgender to society, and then people
would follow. The assumption that transwomen are impersonating
women, not living as women would happen.
• Expectation :
• Gender recognition by law
• Abolishing the Syariah Law that discriminate and create hates
• National Policy to encourage gender and sexuality workshops for school
teacher
Legal context: Philippines
• Legal recognition and anti-discrimination law
for TGs does not exist yet. The current
progress is that in Cebu, there’s already Anti
Discrimination Law (including for LGBT)
Legal context: Timor
• TG in Timor Leste strongly proposes the need
on law to protect other genders rather than
male and female. Stigma and Discrimination
are exists strongly outside Dili on calling
terminology, extortion, physical violence such
as beaten or thrown with stones.
Social-Religious Context
• Indo
• Extremist Islamic organization named FPI is a
local organization that uses Islam as their
main agenda. The case where ILGA conference
was banned by FPI in Aston Bandung,
Surabaya still remains in the memory of Asian
LGBT activist and allies.
Social-Religion: Malay
• Media also give negative impact, which often
times says TG does sex work, and non-positive
work. Even to show TG character in a movie is
not allowed, if there is a TG in the movie must
either repent or die at the end.
• In case a TG gets beaten and hurt, then went
to police station for report, often there is no
action after reporting.
Social-Religious: Philippines
• There are some difficulties TGs face even in
their own house such as bullying. Bullying
usually starts from their own family, parents,
siblings and/or cousins. In school, students
who are gay or feminine especially TGs, often
times get bullied because of what they are.
Social-Religious: Timor
• “Wearing a dress if causing problem, so we
will wear more of shirts and pants.”
• lack of awareness and education on LGBT
issues.
Workplace/ Education
• Indo
• Indonesia society looks at TG as non-educated and only can work at
low-level work.
• Barrier to apply for job
• Unsupportive environment
• Religion, Islamic organization (FPI, local organization that use Islam
as their power against TG)
• Cultural meaning upon transgender as taboo, male should not get
female job, TGW feel uncomfortable to wear male uniform
• Under education, discrimination and bullying against TG in school
• Stigma as low class people, joker
• Stereotyped as TG should work only in some particular area (salon,
make up, hairdresser, etc)
Workplace/ Education: Philippines
• TGs would feel more comfortable working in
international companies because they have antidiscrimination policies.
• Since the 1980-90s, Japan restricted the opportunity to
travel into their country to work as performers-“Japanera.”
• TGs in the Philippines who received proper education
seek for better job opportunities aside from the
stereotype jobs like working in a salon, as an
entertainer/performer, or as a sex worker. TGs in the
country aim to break these stereotypes.
Workplace/ Education: Timor
• Young TG also need to be protected in school, university.
There is also young TG outside educational system,
especially out of Dili. They need access to education and
skills and government need to subsidize them.
• One who comes from low-income family faced difficulty
accessing education. Usually the older siblings are not
possible to go to school because need to pass opportunity
to other younger siblings. Instead older siblings are asked
to take care of housework, plantation.
• Imagine if one who come from low-income family plus if
they are TG how could they expect to go school.
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