Shannon Power – Discrimination against LGBTI people has cost Indonesia billions of dollars.
The William Institute at the UCLA School of Law Discrimination completed a study on the experiences of LGBTI Indonesians. It found discrimination against LGBTI people at work, school and socially limits their ability to fully contribute to the Indonesian economy.
"To reach their full economic potential, LGBT people need to develop their human capital, or their abilities, skills, and knowledge," said one of the study's author and economist M.V. Lee Badgett.
"This report shows that LGBT Indonesians are often held back from reaching that point, which prevents them from contributing fully to the economy."
What the study found
One key finding of the study was most LGBTI Indonesians have experienced violence which results in economic hardship.
LGBTI people or those perceived to be LGBTI report high levels of harrassment at school which reduces their educational career economic productivity later in life. Stress associated with prejudice produces higher rates of depression and suicide, which also impedes economic productivity.
Indonesia's Waria (transgender women) face many barriers because they violate cultural rules about gender. Waria struggle to get work, stay in school, or open a bank account because the gender listed on their identification cards does not match their gender presentation.
In some regions, LGBTI people rely heavily on work in the informal employment sector, particularly sex work and jobs in salons.France must do more
Earlier in the week, Human Rights Watch urged French president Francois Hollande to press Indonesia on its LGBTI record. Hollande will become the first French president to visit Indonesia in 30 years.
"We encourage you to both publicly and privately press President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and Indonesian officials on issues including freedom of religion, accountability for past human rights abuses, the death penalty, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights," HRW said in an open letter to Hollande.
"Specifically, we ask that you press President Jokowi to... publicly condemn all major incidents of anti-LGBT violence and harassment.
"Direct the Indonesian police internal affairs division to investigate incidents of police collusion with militant Islamist groups in attacks on LGBT people and activists, and hold those responsible accountable.
"Order all ministries to rescind anti-LGBT edicts, and ask the Ministry of Health to publicly reject the assertion by the Indonesian Psychiatric Association that homosexuality is a diagnosable mental health condition."
In 2016 President Jokowi publicly said LGBTI should be protected but has been criticised for not following up his words with tangible action.
Source: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/lgbti-discrimination-costs-indonesia-12-billion-annually/