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September 25, 2008 9:11 PM
YOGYAKARTA - Wearing headscarves and reciting the Koran, students at an Indonesian Islamic school look like ordinary women practicing their faith in the holy month of Ramadan, but they are actually transvestites.
Breaking with the norm in the world's most populous Muslim nation, Mujahadah al-Fatah provides a special program for Muslim transvestites during Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar when religious fervor intensifies.
Teachers said the program was aimed at helping the transvestites learn more about their faith, with the hope that they would start living like ordinary men.
"We call them to return to what Allah taught us, and pray to
Allah to help them solve the problems they are facing," said
Andi Yusuf, one of boarding school teachers.
Although they are largely tolerated by society, most Islamic
schools in Indonesia ban transvestites, who are called
"waria," a combination of Indonesian words for male and
female, and who regularly appear on local television.
Mujahadah al-Fatah has been taking in transvestites for
about 10 years now. This year, it set up twice-a-week classes
during Ramadan, when practicing Muslims abstain from food,
drink and sex during daylight hours, and more than 20
transvestites are attending.
Some students said they wanted solace from religion.
"In this holy month, I want to get closer to God and hope
God will forgive me for all I have been doing because there
is a bad image of our group in the community," said Novi, a
transvestite.
Most of the students wear a headscarf and loose-fitting
clothes that cover their body during prayers, as women are
required to by Islam.
But a small number wear a sarong and cap to pray - the
attire for an Indonesian man.
"I hope there will be more similar programs like this in the
future which can help us to know more about Islam," said
Wulan, another transvestite.
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