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Difficult changes: When LGBTQ Indonesians look abroad for a better life
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Not that easy: While the LGBTQ community is able to apply for the protection visa in Australia, there is a misconception that the process is easy. (Pexels/42North) (Pexels/42North)
More LGBTQ Indonesians seek freedom by moving to Australia, but to move permanently is not an easy process.
A good number of Indonesian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals live under pressure. Many experience constant discrimination and see escaping to another country as the only way out.
Doni, a 30-year-old kindergarten teacher from Manado who was outed by a “best friend”, said his family kicked him out of the house in 2016 when they discovered he was gay. Doni opted to not use his real name for privacy reasons.
Like many other LGBTQ Indonesians, Doni picked Australia as his country to move to.
But the actual process of moving is not a simple one, especially for those unfamiliar with the procedures.
Budi Sudarto, director of Ananda Training and Consultancy, which specializes in intersectionality, inclusion and belonging, said that one of the major hurdles was proving that a discriminatory incident had occurred.
“Being, gay, lesbian or transgender is not illegal in Indonesia. When someone is seeking protection [in Australia], they need to prepare a whole document to prove that there has been persecution — for example, death threats by family members.”
