Justice, intersexuals and epistemic authority in Indonesia

Abstract

Intersex people in Indonesia, especially those from the lower economic classes, face serious social, cultural, and political-economic challenges, including limited access to medical assistance, legal protection, and human rights. This research utilizes a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews with intersex individuals as our key informants and their families, friends, and teachers, as well as examining archives of their personal medical records, citizenship documents, and court proceedings that legally officiated the status of their sex. Intersex individuals from the lower middle class encounter diverse challenges in legally changing their identity, namely issues related to knowledge, legal access, and the availability of material resources for court proceedings and medical care. Additionally, various actors play a role in influencing the ease or difficulty that intersex individuals face in accessing law in Indonesia. The current stake of intersexual people in Indonesia lies in receiving forms of constant social assistance that would help them from diagnosis to court. It remains unclear which provisions and actors are appropriate for this task. The state in Indonesia leaves room for recognition of intersex conditions and provides essential public services for them; however, intersex individuals are outsourced with the weight of translating the affirmation of one epistemic space to another.

Keywords

• Intersex identity
• intersexuality
• epistemic authority
• gender identity
• Sexuality
• Human Rights Law & Civil Liberties