Premium Content:

Indonesia moves to classify homosexuality as a mental disorder

Indonesia is moving to classify homosexuality as a mental disorder ahead of a push to criminalize gay sex and all sex outside of heterosexual marriage.

- Advertisement -

On Friday the Indonesian Health Ministry announced it was set to publish a medical guide based on two reports from the past two years.

One of the reports, published in 2016 by the Indonesia Psychiatrists Association (PDSKJI) describes gay and bisexual people as being at risk from emotional problems such as depression due to “identitity crisises” and describes people who are transgender as being susceptible to “mental diseases”.

A second report from the Health Ministry declares that homosexuality is “against the ethos of the country”.

The World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from it’s list of mental disorders in 1990. While the American Psychiatric Association removed the classification 45 years ago in 1973.

Homosexuality has never previously been illegal in Indonesia, except in the province of Aceh which follows Islamic Sharia law. There has however been a push in recent years to criminalize homosexuality, and all sex outside of marriage.

Police in Indonesia have also been using the country’s vaguely worded anti-pornography laws to target gay venues and meeting place to arrest same sex attracted people.

OIP Staff


Support OUTinPerth

Thanks for reading OUTinPerth. We can only create LGBTIQA+ focused media with your help.

If you can help support our work, please consider assisting us through a one-off contribution to our GoFundMe campaign, or a regular contribution through our Patreon appeal.

Become a Supporter→     Make a contribution→ 

 

 

Latest

Documentary on Merchant Ivory highlights their long personal and professional relationship

For decades James Ivory and Ismail Merchant kept their personal relationship secret.

PrideFEST: Queer Prom celebrates all things bright, bold and beautiful

Queer Prom promises a world of colourful camp and glittery glitz especially made for LGBTQIA+ young folks here in WA.

Callout for Transgender Day of Remembrance speakers and performers

Transgender Day of Remembrance is coming up later this month, an important opportunity to honour trans and gender diverse lives.

Review | ‘The Moogai’ exposes horror of intergenerational trauma

“The Stolen Generation is such a massive wound in the psyche of Australia, but it is often thought of as something in the past."

Newsletter

Don't miss

Documentary on Merchant Ivory highlights their long personal and professional relationship

For decades James Ivory and Ismail Merchant kept their personal relationship secret.

PrideFEST: Queer Prom celebrates all things bright, bold and beautiful

Queer Prom promises a world of colourful camp and glittery glitz especially made for LGBTQIA+ young folks here in WA.

Callout for Transgender Day of Remembrance speakers and performers

Transgender Day of Remembrance is coming up later this month, an important opportunity to honour trans and gender diverse lives.

Review | ‘The Moogai’ exposes horror of intergenerational trauma

“The Stolen Generation is such a massive wound in the psyche of Australia, but it is often thought of as something in the past."

Chappell Roan debuts sapphic country track ‘The Giver’ on ‘SNL’

Chappell Roan's trajectory to superstardom is unlike anything we’ve seen in a very long time.
Old Lira. Delicious roman sourdough pizza since 2013.

Documentary on Merchant Ivory highlights their long personal and professional relationship

For decades James Ivory and Ismail Merchant kept their personal relationship secret.

PrideFEST: Queer Prom celebrates all things bright, bold and beautiful

Queer Prom promises a world of colourful camp and glittery glitz especially made for LGBTQIA+ young folks here in WA.

Callout for Transgender Day of Remembrance speakers and performers

Transgender Day of Remembrance is coming up later this month, an important opportunity to honour trans and gender diverse lives.