Although there are an estimated 7 million transgender individuals in Indonesia, they are rarely allowed to live and work openly in society due to the tremendous amount of persecution they face.
This persecution extends into religion. Many transgender Indonesians consider themselves devout Muslims, but due to the strict separation of genders in Islamic worship centers, there are very few places for waria (a portmanteau of wanita and pria, the Indonesian words for woman and man) to practice their faith.
One of the few places where Muslim waria are accepted and supported is the Al-Fatah Islamic school, located on the outer edge of Yogyakarta. The school was created specifically for transgender Muslims to gather together, pray, and discuss issues they face as a community.
Freelance photographer Ulet Ifansasti was granted access to Al-Fatah during the holy month of Ramadan to take these intimate portraits of this tight-knit community practicing their faith together.
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