Queerness has been part of Indonesia’s socio-cultural community. Queer identity is embedded and socially accepted as part of the culture. However, queerness is also heavily politicised in Indonesia. Studies show that since the 1960s, three significant events have paralleled the growing negative sentiment towards queerness. The first is the attempted coup by the PKI (Partai Komunis Indonesia, or Indonesian Communist Party), known as the G30SPKI, in 1965. The second one is the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, marking the beginning of democracy in Indonesia. And the last one is the legalisation of same-sex marriage in the US in 2014. Given the complexity of behaviour towards queerness in Indonesia, this study aims to understand queer subjectivity and acceptance in two religious areas in Indonesia, Ternate and Larantuka. This research focuses on exploring what it means to be queer and to be accepted as waria. Waria or transvestite males are among the most vulnerable due to their visibility. They are criminalised, they are victims of raids done by vigilante groups, they are denied access to work, and they have been subjected to marginalisation since their school years. I will collect the data by using participatory observation and semi-structured interviews. Participatory observation will be used to record and understand the lived experiences of waria and their families within the community. On the other hand, the semi-structured interviews will be useful to understand the reasoning behind the acceptance of waria. I will speak with 10 to 15 people, including waria and their families, local government officials, tribal figures, and religious figures. Speaking with waria and their families will provide personal insights into their lived experience. Furthermore, talking to other actors will provide context on their understanding and acceptance of queerness based on their governmental, cultural, and religious understanding.
