Indonesian Islamic body warns against cross-dressing in Independence Day games
Indonesia’s top Islamic clerical body has warned men not to wear “women’s clothing” for Independence Day festivities despite a long-standing tradition of men in dresses playing football as part of the annual fun. Amid a rising tide of anti-LGBTQ sentiment in the Muslim-majority Southeast Asian nation, the influential Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) said in a statement such behaviour was “haram” or…
Indonesia's top Islamic clerical body, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), has cautioned men against wearing women's clothing during Independence Day festivities, despite a longstanding tradition of men in dresses playing football as part of the annual celebration. The MUI issued a statement declaring such behavior "haram" or forbidden, citing it as an effort to prevent a covert campaign by the Lesbian, Gay, Sodomy and Obscenity (LGSP) movement.
Each year, Indonesians participate in games and parades to commemorate the nation's independence from centuries of colonization on August 17, 1945. In some communities, men traditionally don dresses and hijabs to play football, a practice often viewed as humorous rather than a statement on gender identity. However, the MUI's recent warning is a response to the growing anti-LGBTQ sentiment in the Muslim-majority Southeast Asian nation, fueled by a surge in physical attacks against gay individuals and a presidential decree classifying "LGBTQ culture" as a security threat.
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