LGBTQ+ (HOMOSEXUALITY) IN INDONESIA: HISTORY, PRACTICES, WAROKS, PRESSURES

HOMOSEXUALITY IN INDONESIA

LGBTQ+ flag map of Indonesia

Homosexuality is widely tolerated in Indonesia. One anthropologist said “as long as it’s not in one’s family.” It is not illegal but has not been legally recognized. The age of consent is 18. The vibe toward LGBTQ+ is more like Thailand than Saudi Arabia.

With that said social opposition to homosexual has remained high. A 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center indicated that around 95 percent of Indonesians opposed same-sex marriage while earlier data from 2020 suggested that about 9 percent of Indonesians believed homosexuality should be accepted by society.

While consensual same-sex activity between adults has not been prohibited under national criminal law, it has been criminalized in the autonomous province of Aceh, where Islamic law has been enforced. In Aceh, same-sex relations have been punishable by up to 100 strokes of the cane or up to 100 months in prison. At the national level, there have been no legal protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals, and same-sex marriage has not been recognized.

Reports have noted that law enforcement has at times used anti-pornography laws or public indecency provisions to target LGBTQ+ individuals. In addition, a revised penal code scheduled to take effect in 2026 has criminalized sexual activity outside of marriage, a measure expected to disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ people, as same-sex relationships are not legally recognized.

Several LGBTQ+ groups and organizations operate in Indonesia, focusing on advocacy, support, and community building. They include include Arus Pelangi (federation for rights), Gaya Nusantara (education/community), Our Voice (advocacy), and Institut Pelangi Perempuan (lesbian support). Dede Oetomo is the founder of Gaya Nusantara, the country’s longest-standing gay rights organization, is widely considered the godfather of Indonesia’s gay rights movement.

History of Homosexuality in Indonesia

Indonesian LGBT activists protests in Jakarta 2018

Male homosexuals have historically been more visible in Indonesian society than lesbians. Organized advocacy began in 1982 with the establishment of a national gay and lesbian organization, supported in part by Dédé Oetomo. In 1987, he also contributed to the publication of Gaya Nusantara, one of the country’s longest-running magazines focused on gay and lesbian issues. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

In earlier periods, especially in the early 20th century, Bali attracted European artists and writers, including gay men, who were drawn by what they perceived as a relatively permissive social environment. Their presence contributed to cultural and artistic developments during the 1930s.

In contemporary Indonesia, expressions of sexual diversity have varied by location. In large cities such as Jakarta, there have been visible social spaces including nightclubs and public presence of transgender individuals. Outside major urban and tourist areas, individuals have generally continued to live within existing community structures, often adapting to local norms while maintaining their identities.

Lesbians in Indonesia

Lesbians have become more visible in recent decades and are often referred to as tomboi or lesbi, terms derived from English. Compared to male homosexuality, lesbian identity has typically been less publicly visible. Some women have remained unmarried or adopted masculine styles of dress. In certain regions, accounts have described relationships between women in which one partner assumes a male role. These cases have often been treated as social curiosities rather than moral violations. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Webster (2004) in a study of Yogyakarta lesbians wrote:: All of the ‘butch’ respondents felt a same sex attraction from an early age, one as young as four. This woman felt a strong sense of love and mutual responsibility for a kindergarten friend who was always “giving me food and not wanting to see me sick, we were always together”. The ‘butch’ respondents indicate they preferred girls to boys in an emotional sense but “I did not know what it was, actually I didn’t tell anyone because I feared my parents would find out. When I entered junior high I learnt the name, lesbian”. Despite not knowing what her sexuality was or what it would be perceived as, she already had a developed notion that it was bad due to a large extent to an absence of positive role models in her immediate environment and in the media”. [Source: “Growing Up Sexually, Volume” I by D. F. Janssen, World Reference Atlas, 2004]

Homosexual Behavior in Indonesia

In general, Indonesians consider homosexuality and bisexuality to be immoral and forbidden by religion. Despite this, thousands of adults engage in homosexual and bisexual relationships. Most gay men and lesbians hide their sexual orientation and activities because they know that most people oppose homosexual behaviour. Very few male homosexuals want to be open and frank about their sexual behaviour. . [Source: International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, edited by Robert T. Francoeur, Ph.d., A.c.s and Raymond J. Noonan, PhD., Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004, online at the Kinsey Institute \^/]

As homosexual marriage is illegal, homosexual individuals are limited to living together and cohabiting. Sexual outlets among gay, lesbian and bisexual adults include oral sex, anal sex and mutual masturbation. Some lesbians use vibrators.

Some gay men hide their sexual orientation by marrying a woman for social acceptance. Their wives only discover their husbands' homosexuality after the marriage has taken place. Some of these marriages end in divorce, while others remain intact for social or religious reasons.

Some men gradually discover their homosexual orientation during adolescence or early adulthood. Others may be drawn into a homosexual lifestyle because they had homosexual experiences during childhood. Some engage in homosexual behaviour strictly for profit as male prostitutes and then discover that they are homosexual.

Homosexual Practices in Indonesia

In Indonesia, same-sex marriage has not been legally recognized, and same-sex couples have generally relied on informal cohabitation without legal status. In larger cities, some social spaces have existed where homosexual individuals could meet and interact. Lesbian visibility has typically been lower than that of gay men in public settings. [Source: International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, edited by Robert T. Francoeur, Ph.d., A.c.s and Raymond J. Noonan, PhD., Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004, online at the Kinsey Institute]

Among children, homosexual behavior has not been widely reported, although limited sexual exploration—such as displaying genitals—has been observed. During adolescence, some individuals have engaged in same-sex activity, either as part of sexual exploration or, in some cases, for economic reasons such as sex work.

In certain cultural contexts, such as within the Reog Ponorogo tradition in Java, reports have noted that some adolescents participated in same-sex interactions with adult performers believed to possess supernatural powers. There have also been accounts of children experiencing same-sex contact with adults, though available data has not provided clear information on long-term outcomes.

Homosexual Behavior of the Orang Rimba

The Orang Rimba are an animist forest peoples who inhabit the lowland rainforests of southeastern Sumatra, mainly in Jambi Province. Male same-sex behavior has occasionally been reported among adolescents and young adults, though it is considered rare and is virtually unheard of among married men. [Source: International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, edited by Robert T. Francoeur, Ph.d., A.c.s and Raymond J. Noonan, PhD., Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004, online at the Kinsey Institute \^/]

In most instances, such behavior is interpreted as experimentation or rehearsal rather than a lasting orientation. One reported case described two men who had engaged in anal intercourse during their youth; when discovered, they were fined and briefly stigmatized. As adults, both later recounted the experience without shame. While some informants suggest that homosexual behavior may have existed among married men in earlier generations, no concrete examples were recalled, though such acts were believed to have been severely punished.

Information regarding female same-sex behavior is scarce. Cultural expectations emphasizing female modesty, purity, and restraint—instilled from an early age—likely discourage both the expression and acknowledgment of such relationships, even if such desires exist.

Dancing Boys of Sumatra, Bali and Sulawesi

Some early colonial-era accounts described practices involving boys in parts of what is now Indonesia, though these reports are limited, inconsistent, and often debated by later researchers. In southeast Sumatra, writers such as Karsch-Haack (1911) and later Davis and Whitten (1987) reported that among the Lampong (Lampung), boys aged roughly 9 to 12—referred to as sedatti—were said to serve adult men, including through dance and entertainment. Similar descriptions appeared in some accounts from Bali, where boys were reportedly dressed in female attire and performed dances, sometimes linked by observers to sexual services. [Source: “Growing Up Sexually, Volume” I by D. F. Janssen, World Reference Atlas, 2004]

Other early reports mentioned comparable practices in different regions. For example, accounts cited by Van Praag described pederastic relations among the To Bada’, while De Zwaan (1910) reported that in areas around Singkarak Lake and Sidjoendjoeng, boys were allegedly involved in such relationships, sometimes referred to as anak djawi. Additional references from the period described similar observations among groups in Kalimantan and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

In Aceh, some sources claimed that local elites kept sedatti—boys who entertained through music and dance and were also associated, in these reports, with sexual roles. However, not all observers agreed. Jacobs (1894), a Dutch medical official, argued that such portrayals were exaggerated and stated that boys would be dismissed if they showed “perverse” sexual behavior. At the same time, he noted that chiefs were often accompanied by groups of these attendants.

Chabot (1950) speaks about a dance in Makassar, Sulawesi titled masri in which boys of 8-12 years perform dances for apparently highly enthusiastic men. “The sexual stimulus resulting from the combination of verse, rhythm and the little boys half-dressed as women is the main thing.” The dance was temporarily forbidden by the Government.

Overall, these accounts come mainly from colonial observers and vary in reliability. Some later researchers have suggested that they may reflect misunderstandings, exaggerations, or biases in how local customs were interpreted.

Waroks and Gemblaks

In a Javanese artistic community in East Java known as Reog Ponorogo, some men engage in same-sex relationships as part of a broader system of cultural and spiritual beliefs. These men, called waroks, are believed to possess supernatural powers that could be diminished through sexual relations with women. As a result, they form close relationships with younger males known as gemblaks, who take on roles associated with femininity. Waroks maintain intimate relationships with gemblaks rather than with women.[Source: “Growing Up Sexually, Volume” I by D. F. Janssen, World Reference Atlas, 2004]

Petkovic wrote (1999): Gemblak help the warok maintain the state of abstinence by providing companionship and a kind of woman substitute. For this reason, gemblak are selected for their grace, pose and beauty. While, publicly, sexual activity between warok and gemblak is not condoned, some petting and kissing is allowed. There is usually an intense relationship between warok and gemblak and there have been many instances when different warok have fought one another over the possession of their favorite gemblak...The warok’s relationship with their gemblak companions is amplified by their 'sexual games' on the one hand, and moderated, in the end, by professed abstinence”.

While the relationship was said to be innocent (as elderly say, “with gemblak the most that can happen is a bit of harmless kissing and cuddling. But close association with women will definitely lead to sexual intercourse which will result in the warok losing his powers”), local government regarded the warok/gemblak relationship as “morally offensive and in conflict with the ‘national personality’ [kepribadian bangsa]. The relationship is deemed to be unacceptable because it is considered to be nothing more than ‘socialised homosexuality’, and a potential threat to public order”.

Oetomo, one of the leading gay-rights activists in Indonesia and an academic at Airlangga University, East Java, said: I think what they do sexually, we have to call homosexual acts. This is widely known all over Java. Anybody who is in touch with the traditional way of life in Ponorogo, knows that there are these older men called warok who, instead of having sex with their wives, have sex with younger boys — eight to fourteen, fifteen — and they do that as part of looking for prowess. Whether we can call them a homosexual community is questionable. They don’t call themselves homosexuals; they don’t identify themselves as homosexuals, such as one finds in the West or in modern Indonesia. They would call themselves warok-gemblakan”.

History of Waroks and Gemblaks

Williams (1990) states that in the Ponorogo area of Eastern Java, boys were used by men, traditionally by waroks (spiritually and physically powerful masculine adult men) as a gemblakan, some as young as seven, but mostly in their teens. [Source: “Growing Up Sexually, Volume” I by D. F. Janssen, World Reference Atlas, 2004]

These gemblaks date back to the 15th century, and survived until recently in Ponorogo, a small town east of Yogyakarta: Warok [students of Ki Ageng Kutu, the court poet of the last king of the Majapahit kingdom, Bra Kertabumi,in the fifteenth century] were said to follow a strict regime of ascetic discipline, one of the parguron’s rules being that they were forbidden to have sexual intercourse with women. This prohibition was predicated on the belief that the resulting loss of sperm would deplete their supernatural powers.

To aid them in their endeavour, each warok enlisted the aid of a young boy known as a gemblak who acted as a “substitute” woman....As a 'substitute' for a wife the warok chose a beautiful young boy, who acted as his companion as well as a jatilan dancer in his reog troupe. The beauty of the gemblak, in the eyes of the warok, came from their androgynous like features, grace, and poise. The boy was chosen from a neighbouring area and usually aged between eight and sixteen years.

The warok would send a delegation to the home of the boy's parents to ‘propose’, the patterns of ritualised speech employed being very similar to that used in proposals for heterosexual weddings...Warok are reputed to use magical powers obtained through extended periods of fasting to 'seduce' [ merayu] reluctant gemblak...For many young boys, being a gemblak was accepted as a certain stage in the journey to manhood and the majority of gemblak stayed with their warok until their late teens”.

Indonesian Bill Aim to Force LGBTQ People into 'Rehabilitation'

Lawmakers in Indonesia proposed legislation known as the “Family Resilience Bill,” which included provisions targeting LGBTQ individuals. The draft, introduced by members of the House of Representatives, proposed that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people be required to undergo rehabilitation in state-supported, religiously based centers. If individuals did not comply, family members could be required to report them. [Source: Nico Lang, NBC News, March 3, 2020]

The bill described LGBTQ people as a “threat” to the nuclear family and compared homosexuality to incest and sadomasochism. Sodik Mujahid, a supporter from the Gerindra Party, stated, “The practice of homosexuality, does it not disrupt the future of mankind on a family basis?” She also argued that sexual orientation is not a “private matter” in Indonesia.

Human rights organizations raised concerns about the proposal. OutRight Action International stated that the bill would create a government body to handle “family crises due to sexual deviation.” The group said the proposed measures could include “spiritual guidance and social, psychological and medical rehabilitation.” Its executive director, Jessica Stern, said the law would intensify “the mounting persecution and hate” and make LGBTQ individuals more “vulnerable and isolated.”

Dédé Oetomo, co-founder of the Gaya Nusantara Foundation, described the bill as part of a broader pattern of legislation targeting LGBTQ people. He said the aim was to “create a moral panic” and noted increasing public fear, stating, “I have actually come across young mothers who are afraid their children will be transgender, gay or lesbian… they think… it’s contagious.”

Advocates argued that the bill sought to provide a legal basis for discrimination, particularly in the absence of national laws explicitly criminalizing homosexuality. Savitri Nurina reported that police and vigilante groups had already conducted raids targeting LGBTQ spaces, including arrests at a sauna in Jakarta and attacks on an HIV prevention organization. She stated, “It feels like we are moving backward… They’re trying to make human rights violations official.”

The bill also faced criticism beyond LGBTQ issues. Civil society groups objected to provisions requiring women to remain in the home to “fulfill the rights of the husband and children according to religious norms.” Mutiara Ika Pratiwi of the group Perempuan Mahardhika said the proposal aimed “to control families.”

Although the bill had not been passed, activists stated that its introduction had already affected the LGBTQ community. Oetomo said some individuals were considering leaving the country and described the situation as “already very bad.” He also noted that local governments had explored similar measures, including reported forced “rehabilitation” practices in areas such as Padang.

Despite these developments, advocacy groups continued to oppose the legislation and promote dialogue. Oetomo stated, “It’s possible to fight back… life actually goes on as usual,” while noting regional differences in attitudes, particularly in more conservative provinces such as Aceh, West Sumatra, and West Java.

Proposed “Cures” — Including Forced Exorcisms — for LGBTQ+ Indonesians

In Indonesia, reports have described the use of religious “rehabilitation” methods aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity. These practices have included exorcisms, prayer-based treatments, and other forms of what critics describe as conversion therapy. Such methods are often based on the belief that being gay or transgender is caused by possession or spiritual disorder that can be “cleansed.” [Source: Haeril Halim, AFP, May 7, 2020]

The proposed “Family Resilience” bill that would have required LGBTQ individuals to undergo “rehabilitation” could include exorcisms and similar treatments. Usman Hamid of Amnesty International Indonesia stated that exorcism would likely be “the most likely option” used by authorities under such a framework.

Practitioners who offer these services have claimed they can “cure” clients. One exorcist, Aris Fatoni, said he had treated multiple individuals and described the process as reciting Quranic verses while observing reactions such as “vomiting and screaming,” which he interpreted as signs that spirits were being expelled. Another practitioner, Ahmad Sadzali, stated, “One guy I treated only did the exorcism twice and he is cured now. He married a woman just one month later.” Several clinics in Jakarta acknowledged offering such treatments privately, sometimes referring to LGBTQ identity as a “disease.”

Exorcism practices are not limited to sexuality and have historically been used in Indonesia for a range of issues, including mental health and spiritual concerns. These practices reflect a broader mix of religious and older animist beliefs across the archipelago.

Indonesians Who Have Undergone LGBTQ+ “Cures”

Individuals who have undergone so-called LGBTQ+ “cures” practices have reported coercion and lasting psychological effects. One transgender woman, identified as Andin, described being subjected to multiple attempts by her family to “cure” her over two decades. These included being locked in a room while religious verses were recited and being doused with cold water by a cleric. She said of one exorcism: “Nothing changed after the exorcism. I’m still LGBT… It’s traumatising—the horror of that memory stays in my head.”

Another individual, Dinda, said she was deceived by her family into attending a gathering where an exorcism was performed against her will. “My mom believed I was possessed by ghosts,” she said. After the experience, she reported ongoing fear: “I get shivers every time my mum calls me… It left me very scared.”

Reports have also described broader pressure on LGBTQ individuals in certain regions. In Aceh, same-sex relations are punishable under local law, and authorities have conducted public punishments and humiliation of transgender individuals. In Padang, officials have called for treatment to stop what they described as “sinful acts.”

Critics have argued that such practices constitute abuse. Budi Wahyuni stated, “Conversion therapy, such as exorcisms, amount to violence against LGBT people.” Despite opposition from advocacy groups, some individuals have reported continued pressure from families to undergo such treatments, even years later.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources:“Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; “Culture and Customs of Indonesia” by Jill Forshee, Greenwood Press, 2006; National Geographic, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, Indonesia Tourism website (indonesia.travel), Indonesia government websites, Live Science, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated April 2026