Surveys show the vast majority of Indonesians strongly disagree with LGBTQ+ rights, but two Indonesian celebrities were brave enough to join the famed New York City Pride March to support what they believe in. Back home, the reactions from netizens to their attendance at the parade saw some strong statements of condemnation, but also many heartfelt messages of support, serving as a microcosm of how the marginalized sexual minority is viewed in the country.
One of those celebs is former child singer Dena Rachman, a transgender woman, who recently shared several snaps from Pride celebrations in New York City.
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The 31-year-old model and activist also posted photos of herself marching in the NYC Pride parade. In the post below, Dena is seen marching with members of an Indonesian LGBTQ+ community who were decked out it what appears to be Balinese-inspired headdresses and costumes as well as waving the red-and-white flag.
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“Proud to be Indonesian, proud to be trans,” she wrote in the caption.
This wasn’t the first Pride parade for Dena, as she previously attended one in Amsterdam last year.
In addition to Dena, popular beauty vlogger Marcella Febrianne AKA Cindercella also joined the Pride celebration in The Big Apple. In the caption on her Instagram post below, the 24-year-old Cindercella wrote that she was marching to “celebrate all kinds of love”.
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Several other celebs responded positively on Dena’s posts , such as Indonesian actress Wulan Guritno, actor/comedian Aming, and lifestyle blogger Jovi Adhiguna, who identifies as an androgynous male. They said they were proud of Dena for being loud and proud about who she is.
“Keep moving forward, Dena. Be brave, keep on learning and creating things.”
People also expressed their gratitude to Cindercella, who used her platform to voice her support for the LGBTQ+ community:
“The fact that you’re not even afraid of saying this out loud makes me love you even more. Especially [because] you live in a country [where the majority of its people are] not accepting about this matter[…]”
“I swear to God we need more influencers like you in Indonesia. Because many of them actually stan the LGBTQ+ community but they’re afraid to speak up and build awareness on social media. Hopefully you can be an example for others.”
Some people commented that they can’t “fully accept” the LGBTQ community or same-sex relationships, but they’ve found a way to compromise.
“I’m not someone who supports [it], but I’m also not hating LGBTQ+. And I’m very open about it and [their sexual orientation or gender identity] doesn’t limit me to be friends with anyone, as long as they’re kind. Sexual orientation is their own choice, and it’s a right of every individual. But one thing I learned from #Pride, love doesn’t see religion, race, and every difference and there’s a jealous feeling because they’re solid. Love you Maru and all”
Unfortunately, but also expectedly, many netizens left scathing comments on their posts.
“If you want to support that’s up to you, but you don’t have to post [about it], so many people can see, and many who are already doing wrong can be even more encouraged to do more wrong because they feel they have the support and people who don’t understand anything are going to follow to do this kind of deviation.”
Especially for Dena, most people wrote that she “violated human nature” by being a trans woman and expressed their disappointment in her for “bringing Indonesia into this matter”.
“If anyone said Indonesia doesn’t prohibit [LGBTQ+], well it’s unclear whether it’s prohibited or not but Indonesia is a religious country it’s [written] in Pancasila. I think all religions prohibit LGBT”
“Shame on you for bringing Indonesia [into the Pride parade] I hope Allah gives you and I guidance, Amen”
Many of the commenters also deliberately misgendered Dena by calling her “Mas” (“bro” in Indonesian) or “deadnaming” her by calling her by her birth name Renaldy Denada Rachman.
In a now-deleted Instagram Story, Dena wrote a response to the hatred she received for attending the Pride parade, reminding people that the world doesn’t belong only to them.
Human Rights Watch last year released a report highlighting a disturbing rise in persecution against LGBTQ+ individuals in Indonesia. The recent increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hysteria, the worst the country has seen since the height of the last LGBTQ+ moral panic 2016, has been attributed by some to election year politics and cynical leaders looking to score easy electoral points with increasingly conservative voters by scapegoating the vulnerable minority group.
