Find out more about the award recipient

I’ve been a queer activist for 45 years, starting when I joined Gay People Cornell (previously Cornell Gay Liberation, and before that Student Homophile League) in 1980, then founding Lambda Indonesia, Indonesia’s first gay organization (1982) and GAYa NUSANTARA (1987), which is still active now. My work is a combination of knowledge production and contestation on gender-sexual diversity as part of human diversity and human rights advocacy in the same area, in intersection with other equity issues. Regionally I was involved in the founding of APCASO, AP Rainbow, APCOM, and ISEAN, as well as active in ILGA and CSBR. Within Indonesia GAYa NUSANTARA has been one of the leading players in founding the national network GWL-INA as well as numerous local organizations. Personally, and connected to my academic position, I’ve played the role of public intellectual in advocating the acceptance of gender-sexual diversity and other intersectional equity issues.

What one achievement you’ve accomplished that you’re most proud of

I suppose I can be proud of being the first publicly out gay activist, academic and public intellectual. From time to time some young person would approach me at a gathering and thank me for what I’ve done, saying it has “saved their life”.

What do you find most challenging about your work

What I find disappointing is that not very many people are ready to join in the movement, although I realize the atmosphere is not exactly encouraging in Indonesia.

What do you do to recharge your battery

I take time off from my activism, among other things through traveling, which thankfully activism has afforded me the opportunities. When I am on a train or in an airplane, I have learned not to do work.

What is your vulnerability and how do you overcome it

Procrastination! I try to keep thinking about what needs to get done, and usually I eventually get it done.

With changes that we are currently experiencing politically affecting our movement, and sustainability, what is a warm/hopeful message that you would like to share with the communities in the Asia Pacific?

This may sound sappy, but since our movement is based on the right to love and be ourselves, it is the strongest motivation we can have. Look back from time to time, and realize how far we’ve gone, though of course we still have some way to go.

Anything else that you would like to add, perhaps as a former Chair of APCOM, and recommendations to APCOM to navigate through this time 

When I started in the 1980s, partly because of my Asian studies background, and being Asian myself, I dreamed of a pan-Asian queer and trans movement. APCOM is one of its realizations, together with the likes of ILGA Asia, APTN, Intersex Asia etc. We should cherish these entities as our vehicles in our journey towards more freedom and well-being.

Back to main article

---