Exorcisms are a common practice among homosexuals and trans people in Indonesia

GAYLES.TV.- En Indonesia Exorcisms are increasingly used to "cure”To community members LGBT +. Oddly enough, even in some cities like Padang en West SumatraThese exorcisms are sponsored by the government. They are a common test for homosexuals and trans people in this country of Southeast Asia, where the largest Muslim population in the world resides.

So strong and intense is the pressure in Indonesian society that even some members of the community LGBT + they have requested exorcisms on their own account. Homosexuality is legal in Indonesia, except in the province of Aceh, the only one that applies Islamic law. The advance of the most conservative Islam in recent years has sharpened discrimination against the minority LGBT +.

Many Indonesians are convinced that homosexuality comes from evil spirits that inhabit the body and can only be eliminated through prayer or exorcism. For his part, the police of Padang, between November and December 2019, arrested 18 same-sex couples and forced them to undergo conversion exorcisms. "We have an exorcism expert here who specializes in the LGBT + community", He said Lucky Abdul Hayji, member of a civil society organization that assisted the government in this operation. "Gay men are generally possessed by female demons. We also have a program that will allow transgender people to be trained by the military.", he pointed.

Sexual minorities have faced discrimination from all ranks of society. Regional governments, the police and even citizens have actively persecuted community members LGBT +. A survey conducted in 2017 by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) revealed that 87.6% of Indonesians perceive community members LGBT + as a significant threat.