The rise of Islamic conservatism in Indonesia doesn't just threaten LGBT+ people
Jonta Saragih is Indonesia program officer and Daina Rudusa is senior communications manager at OutRight Action International
Little good news has come from Indonesia in relation to LGBT+ equality. Several regressive laws have been proposed, vigilante violence is rising, and police raids of LGBT+ spaces are common. Just last month a gay couple was publicly caned in Aceh province.
It has been rightly reported that a crackdown against LGBT+ people in Indonesia is underway. However, what's been missing is the recognition that these attacks form one part of a broader proliferation of purist Islamic conservatism promoted by a number of right-wing parties and organizations. In order to most effectively fight for LGBT+ equality, and human rights more broadly, we have to consider the picture as a whole.