JAKARTA: Indonesia’s top Islamic clerical body has warned men against wearing women’s clothing during the country’s annual Independence Day celebrations, describing the practice as “haram”, or forbidden under Islamic law.
The warning was issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) ahead of the country’s Independence Day celebrations on August 17.
The statement has drawn attention because dressing in women’s clothes has been part of some local Independence Day festivities for years, particularly during humorous community games and football matches.
MUI Links Practice to Social and Religious Concerns
The MUI said its intervention was intended to prevent what it described as a covert campaign by the Lesbian, Gay, Sodomy and Obscenity (LGSP) movement, an acronym the council promotes as an alternative to the commonly used LGBT terminology.
In a statement issued last week, the MUI’s Fatwa Commission said that the increasing visibility of what it described as “deviant actions”, including men participating in events while wearing women’s clothing, could contribute to violations of sharia and social norms.
The warning applies in both directions, with the council also objecting to women dressing in traditionally male clothing.
The MUI is one of Indonesia’s most prominent Islamic organisations and has previously issued statements concerning matters of religious practice and social behaviour.
Cross-Dressing Has Been Part of Local Festivities
Indonesia celebrates its Independence Day every year on August 17, marking the declaration of independence from Dutch colonial rule in 1945.
Communities across the country traditionally organise a variety of games, competitions and parades to mark the occasion.
Popular activities include tug-of-war competitions, sack races, cracker-eating contests and climbing greased poles. Many neighbourhoods also organise colourful parades and community performances.
In some areas, men wearing dresses or hijabs take part in football matches as part of the festivities. The practice has generally been viewed by participants as a form of humour and entertainment, rather than an expression of gender identity.
Men may also dress in traditionally feminine clothing during local parades or other light-hearted competitions.
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Rights Activists Describe It as a Long-Standing Custom
Dede Oetomo, founder of Indonesian rights organisation GAYa Nusantara, told AFP that men participating in football matches or parades while wearing traditionally female clothing is not a new development.
He described the practice as a long-standing custom that has been part of Independence Day celebrations in many Indonesian communities.
The contrasting views highlight a broader debate in Indonesia over the cultural meaning of traditional festivities and the boundaries between entertainment, religious values and social norms.
While the MUI has raised religious objections to cross-dressing on previous occasions, the latest statement comes amid increased scrutiny of LGBTQ-related issues in the country.
Warning Comes Amid Broader Tensions
The latest statement follows reports of physical attacks against gay people in Indonesia and comes after a presidential regulation classified what it describes as “LGBTQ culture” as a security threat.
Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, but its population includes a wide range of religious and cultural communities, with local traditions varying considerably across its vast archipelago.
The MUI’s statement therefore comes as part of an ongoing discussion over how religious interpretations should interact with established cultural practices.
For communities that have traditionally included humorous cross-dressing in Independence Day games, the warning could alter how some local events are organised this year.
At the same time, rights advocates and cultural observers argue that such activities have historically been viewed primarily as entertainment rather than statements about sexual orientation or gender identity.
As Indonesia prepares to mark its independence anniversary, the debate illustrates the tension between long-standing community traditions and increasingly prominent religious and social concerns surrounding gender expression.
