Priawan in Indonesia: A Study of Transmasculine Female-to-Male Individuals

Abstract

Topics surrounding transmasculinity, especially in Indonesia, are still overlooked, degraded, and understudied. This paper aims to explore the experience of priawan in Indonesia. Differentiating from the globally-renowned term ‘trans men’, a priawan identifies as a female-to-male transmasculine individual. We conducted in-depth interviews with eleven qualified informants. These interviews shed light on gender dysphoria or fluidity, gender-affirming processes, and discriminations they have faced, with hopes of proving and validating their existence. Eight of the informants express themselves as masculine and identify as lesbians. The most common gender-affirming process that they chose is name updating, followed by chest binding and hormone therapy. Five out of eleven reported having faced discrimination in various forms, such as verbal abuse, misgendering, stereotyping, and physical abuse. This study adds a new perspective on regional variability in transmasculine identities. Further research on chosen family dynamics and generational differences are encouraged to accentuate the visibility of transgender individuals in existing queer studies.