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Fearing the Queer and the War on “Indecency” : Portrayals of LGBT Individuals, and the Struggle for Religious Decorum in Aceh, Indonesia

Nilsson, Jeanna (2018) ACET35
Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University
Abstract
In 2014, the sharia-ruled Aceh province of Indonesia legislated bylaw qanun jinayat no.6/2014, which criminalised same-sex acts, and imposed a caning punishment consisting of a hundred lashes if a person was found guilty. The law impelled a hunt and persecution of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) individuals, thereby worsening discrimination against the already hampered LGBT community. This study investigated how LGBT individuals are portrayed in Aceh, specifically how the former mayor of Banda Aceh Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal understands the LGBT phenomenon. The research uncovered (1) the different discourses on LGBT individuals that emerged according to Djamal’s understanding, (2) how LGBT individuals are portrayed within the... (More)
In 2014, the sharia-ruled Aceh province of Indonesia legislated bylaw qanun jinayat no.6/2014, which criminalised same-sex acts, and imposed a caning punishment consisting of a hundred lashes if a person was found guilty. The law impelled a hunt and persecution of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) individuals, thereby worsening discrimination against the already hampered LGBT community. This study investigated how LGBT individuals are portrayed in Aceh, specifically how the former mayor of Banda Aceh Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal understands the LGBT phenomenon. The research uncovered (1) the different discourses on LGBT individuals that emerged according to Djamal’s understanding, (2) how LGBT individuals are portrayed within the Acehnese society, and (3) how LGBT issues contrast the Acehnese Muslim identity. With the assessment of various gender theories and insights to Islamic paradigms from the Sunni Shafi’i School – the most practised type of Islam in Aceh – the analysis of this study discussed the salience of religion in the society. The results showed that LGBT individuals are portrayed in different discourses – as a threat, disease, deviancy from traditional gender norms, family problem, and a crime. The outcomes further indicated that “LGBT behaviour” is categorically perceived as a threat to Aceh, and incompatible with the Acehnese Muslim identity. (Less)
Abstract (Uncoded languages)
Pada tahun 2014, provinsi Aceh yang diatur oleh syariah di Indonesia disahkan oleh hukum qanun jinayat no.6/2014, yang mana mengkriminalisasi tindakan homoseksual, dan memberlakukan hukuman cambuk yang terdiri dari seratus cambukan jika seseorang dinyatakan bersalah. Hukum tersebut mempergiatkan perburuan dan penganiayaan terhadap individu-individu LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Biseksual, Transgender), sehingga memperburuk diskriminasi terhadap komunitas LGBT yang sudah terganggu. Studi ini menyelidiki bagaimana individu-individu LGBT digambarkan di Aceh, khususnya bagaimana mantan walikota Banda Aceh Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal memahami fenomena LGBT. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap (1) wacana yang berbeda tentang individu-individu LGBT yang... (More)
Pada tahun 2014, provinsi Aceh yang diatur oleh syariah di Indonesia disahkan oleh hukum qanun jinayat no.6/2014, yang mana mengkriminalisasi tindakan homoseksual, dan memberlakukan hukuman cambuk yang terdiri dari seratus cambukan jika seseorang dinyatakan bersalah. Hukum tersebut mempergiatkan perburuan dan penganiayaan terhadap individu-individu LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Biseksual, Transgender), sehingga memperburuk diskriminasi terhadap komunitas LGBT yang sudah terganggu. Studi ini menyelidiki bagaimana individu-individu LGBT digambarkan di Aceh, khususnya bagaimana mantan walikota Banda Aceh Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal memahami fenomena LGBT. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap (1) wacana yang berbeda tentang individu-individu LGBT yang muncul berdasarkan dari pemahaman Djamal, (2) bagaimana individu-individu LGBT digambarkan di dalam masyarakat Aceh, dan (3) bagaimana isu-isu LGBT bertentangan dengan identitas Muslim masyarakat Aceh. Dengan evaluasi dari berbagai teori jender dan wawasan terhadap paradigma Islam dari sekolah Sunni Shafi’i – jenis Islam yang paling banyak dipraktikkan di Aceh – analisis penelitian ini berpusat pada pembahasan arti-penting agama bagi masyarakat Aceh. Hasil studi ini menunjukkan bahwa individu individu LGBT digambarkan dalam wacana yang berbeda – sebagai ancaman, penyakit, penyimpangan dari norma-norma jender tradisional, masalah keluarga, dan tindak kejahatan. Hasil lebih lanjut menandakan bahwa “perilaku LGBT” dengan pasti dipersepsikan sebagai ancaman bagi Aceh, dan tidak sesuai dengan identitas Muslim masyarakat Aceh. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nilsson, Jeanna
supervisor
organization
course
ACET35
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Acehnese discourse, LGBT, qanun jinayat, Shafi’i Islam, gender, liwath, musahaqah, kodrat, Islam, Aceh, Indonesia, Asian studies, South-East Asia
language
English
id
8962186
date added to LUP
2018-10-22 16:19:39
date last changed
2018-10-23 13:17:18
@misc{8962186,
  abstract     = {{In 2014, the sharia-ruled Aceh province of Indonesia legislated bylaw qanun jinayat no.6/2014, which criminalised same-sex acts, and imposed a caning punishment consisting of a hundred lashes if a person was found guilty. The law impelled a hunt and persecution of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) individuals, thereby worsening discrimination against the already hampered LGBT community. This study investigated how LGBT individuals are portrayed in Aceh, specifically how the former mayor of Banda Aceh Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal understands the LGBT phenomenon. The research uncovered (1) the different discourses on LGBT individuals that emerged according to Djamal’s understanding, (2) how LGBT individuals are portrayed within the Acehnese society, and (3) how LGBT issues contrast the Acehnese Muslim identity. With the assessment of various gender theories and insights to Islamic paradigms from the Sunni Shafi’i School – the most practised type of Islam in Aceh – the analysis of this study discussed the salience of religion in the society. The results showed that LGBT individuals are portrayed in different discourses – as a threat, disease, deviancy from traditional gender norms, family problem, and a crime. The outcomes further indicated that “LGBT behaviour” is categorically perceived as a threat to Aceh, and incompatible with the Acehnese Muslim identity.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Jeanna}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Fearing the Queer and the War on “Indecency” : Portrayals of LGBT Individuals, and the Struggle for Religious Decorum in Aceh, Indonesia}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}