This is why for Pride Month, we’re highlighting LGBTQ representation in Indonesian pop culture, as they play a significant role in shaping societal perceptions and promoting acceptance.

1. Madame X

The 2010 comedy by director Lucky Kuswandi is an almost two-hour long epic lampooning conservative elements who try to repress the minority LGBTQ community. A campy take on the superhero genre, it is filled with killer dance moves, fierce hairstyles and outfit slays.

The iconic Aming stars as Adam, a hairdresser by day and crime-fighting heroine by night. Their arch nemesis is Kanjeng Badai, who leads a militant and homophobic political party. What’s a simple hairdresser to do? Pack up their make-up bag and grooming equipment, step up as a defender and save the country of course.

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Written and directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja, the movie follows Cahaya, a 19-year-old girl with strong Islamic values, who goes to Jakarta to find her long lost dad, only to find out that he has now become a female transgender sex worker by the name of Ipuy.

The story unfolds with lessons about life, love and redemption for Cahaya and Ipuy, as they struggle to rebuild broken bridges and come to terms with their own personal issues. Above all, the movie portrays the vulnerable connection between the two that seem to be on polar opposites of the spectrum of womanhood.

Since premiering in the Busan International Film Festival in 2011, the film has gained multiple accolades, including an Asian Film Award, two Indonesian Movie Awards and four Maya Awards. It has also made waves in several international film festivals from the United States to Australia.

3. Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku (Memories of My Body)

Released in 2018, the award-winning yet controversial film written and directed by Garin Nugroho is inspired by the story of the famed dancer and choreographer Rianto.

The coming-of-age story follows Juno as he grows from a lonely orphan looking for shelter to an adult dancer villainized by a powerful politician and a jilted love interest. The movie is a roller coaster of emotions as he navigates through his complicated exploration of emotional urges and sexual orientation with multiple characters throughout his life.

Set against the backdrop of Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage, it also features the local Lengger dance, an art performed by male dancers who dress and act like women. 

Memories of My Body was first screened at the 75th Venice International Film Festival in 2018, followed by various international film festivals. In Indonesia, it premiered at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2018 and opened in cinemas the following year.

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4. Berbagi Suami (Love for Share)

This 2005 film centers around polygamous marriages of three different women: Salma, Siti and Ming. Directed by Nia Dinata, it conveys polyamory against three different social backdrops.

Siti’s segment portrays a relationship a little more complicated than the others. A simple Javanese girl with dreams of making it in the big city, Siti marries Pak Liknya and is forced to coexist with his other two wives, Sri and Dwi, along with their respective children.

But in an unexpected twist, Siti falls in love with Dwi and together they make plans to leave their husband with Dwi’s two children. What starts out as a story about polygamy then turns into a lesbian Romeo & Juliet, two star-crossed lovers who have to risk everything for a happy ending.

5. CONQ

CONQ, derived from the local slang for gays, is a web series also by Lucky Kuswandi that was first introduced in 2014 via YouTube. The episodes follow three urban gay figures who face social pressures and taboos in society, packaging their stories with humor. Come with them as they meet Grindr acquaintances and raise awareness about HIV in their communities. No topics are off limits and all are equally important.

The series was well-received by Indonesia’s LGBT communities. CONQ’s tagline was “The Voice of Indonesia’s Gay and Lesbian Community.” Rest in peace, gone, silenced, but never forgotten.

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This article is part of The Weekender, which comes out on the Saturday edition of The Jakarta Post. It offers a variety of lifestyle and culture articles aimed at enriching your reading experience. Subscribe here to get access to the Saturday edition and all other premium content from the Post.