This incident was a painful reminder that prejudice and hatred against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) is still widespread in many parts of the world, and Indonesia is no exception. Indonesia’s LGBT community has gained visibility in the past decade, mostly due to the country’s transition to democracy, but it has also experienced more public disapproval as many LGBT people have stopped hiding and are now fighting for equality. Though they have made progress, they are still seen by many as “threatening,” “abnormal” or “sinful.”
To prevent this kind of prejudice and discrimination, the Yogyakarta-based Youth Interfaith Forum on Sexuality (YIFoS), a group of young men and women with different sexual orientations and religious backgrounds, has organized a youth camp in Yogyakarta to foster discussion about these issues.
