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Seruni recently spent nearly half a day with fellow transgendered men in Bukit Duri, West Jakarta, as part of a discussion about HIV/AIDS at the headquarters of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM). Earlier this month, Seruni was crowned Jakarta’s Miss Transgendered Youth Concerned about HIV/AIDS. The Bukit Duri discussion marked the beginning of Seruni’s one-year stint as the voice of transgendered Jakartans.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Seruni Mahendra. I was born in Jakarta on April 7, 1987, and I’m the eldest of four siblings.

How did you earn the title Miss Transgendered Youth Concerned about HIV/AIDS?

The competition was a joint project by the National AIDS Commission (KPA), the Waria Foundation, the Transgendered Youth Community and the United Nations Population Fund. An audition was held in each of Jakarta’s five municipalities, with each municipality sending five representatives. I was one of Central Jakarta’s top five. We stayed at a villa in Cipanas, Bogor, for four days. We went through classes, talent shows and interviews. On Feb. 13, I was named the winner.

What were you doing in Bukit Duri just now?

I introduced myself to waria (transgendered people) there. I have to open myself up to the aspirations of different waria groups so I can carry out my duties. Even though I represent the waria community for HIV/AIDS-related programs, a lot of what was thrown my way had to do with issues of discrimination. It’s not surprising because most of the people in our society have long put a negative stamp on transgendered men. That’s why the opportunities we get are very limited.

What kind of opportunities?

Employment opportunities mainly. Most transgendered men can’t express themselves when they work outside their own circle because of the stigma attached to their situation. Many people associate us with beauty salons or the entertainment industry, but more people associate us with prostitution. When transgendered men don’t have the skills to work at a salon or in the entertainment industry, they can easily turn to what other waria are doing — becoming prostitutes.

Have you ever … ?

Have I ever been a prostitute? No. I make money from dancing, singing and being an MC. I guess I’m lucky because when I told my parents about how I had been secretly wearing dresses and makeup, they didn’t throw me out like many parents here usually would when they found out they had a transgendered son. And I’ve always held on to what my mother said that day: “If this is what you really are,” she told me, “I just hope that you lead a good life away from the streets.”

Now that you are representing the waria community, don’t you have to get to know transgendered men from all sorts of backgrounds, including the ones on the street?

I do make friends with waria on the street. I once went to Taman Lawang, which is an area known for waria prostitutes, not to moonlight but to get to know the people there. I really managed to expand my network after I took part in the second season of “Be a Man” [a TV reality show in which transgendered men undergo military training; Seruni made it to the top six]. I became friends with waria from all over Indonesia. Now, more people know my face and my name.

Any thoughts on how you can help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among waria in Jakarta?

According to statistics, nearly 40 percent of waria in the city are infected with HIV. I want to reach out to as many waria communities as possible and cooperate with peer educators from the Waria Foundation, so that more waria will be informed about HIV/AIDS-related programs and have access to them. It’s a lot of work and I’m aware of that, but I’m optimistic.

Any words for waria who work as prostitutes?

I’m not saying it’s wrong to be a prostitute, but it’s not right to expose yourself to such risks by not following the rules of safe sex.

 

Seruni was talkingto Dalih Sembiring.