Indonesia is experiencing an im/moral turn. We see this in the push to make all sexual activity outside heteronormative marriage illegal. If that bill is passed, it would be a radical move for a country that’s never criminalized homosexuality, and that has for the most part considered private, consensual, adult sexual activity to be a matter for individuals, not the state. Other examples of the im/moral turn include the 2016 ‘LGBT crises’ and the proposed 2020 Family Resilience bill. These are stark clues revealing the direction Indonesia is taking when it comes to punitive sexual surveillance. The antecedents of these moves—which we might collectively call Indonesia’s im/moral turn—are much deeper and can be traced to the early years of democratic reform.

In this paper talk, part of the Gatty Lecture Series, Sharyn Davies (Associate Professor, Director of the Herb Feith Indonesian Engagement Centre, Monash University) explores the drivers and consequences of Indonesia’s im/moral turn, reflecting on the impact of COVID-19. In particular, Davies will focus on the impact of COVID-19 and the increasing punitive surveillance of sexuality on the provision of healthcare.

Click here for more information.