Transgender in Policy and Climate Change Adaptation Action: Challenge and Potentials

Transgender community is categorized as a marginalized and vulnerable community in Indonesia. A stigma from society has limited transgender community from participating in social and environmental activities, climate change adaptation is one of it. On the other hand, in humanity morals point of view, the transgender community have the right to participate and have a potential to contribute for the environment. Transgender community consists of numerous highly skilled individuals with a good sense of survival and they have a spirit of solidarity which can be beneficial for community surround them in making an inclusive living environment and in taking action for climate change adaptation.

On 30th of November 2020 RDI held a workshop with title “Transgender in Policy and Climate Change Adaptation Action: Challenge and Potentials”. This event was held to be a space for sharing discussion, information, and experience as an effort to understand the context of challenge and potential from policy and climate change adaptation action for non-normative communities of gender and sexuality, especially for transgender community. At the beginning and at the end of the workshop we conducted an interactive survey with Mentimeter as the platform, most of all participants were keep up with the survey and successfully completed it. Then in the workshop,wehavetwokeynotespeakerswhodeliveredpresentationsabout climate change adaptation and public participation matters. After that, this workshop followed up with two times group discussion session which attracted more enthusiasm from all participants, in this session they were actively discuss about their concern for climate change had caused to their daily activities and how they overcome with it. This e v e n t was followed by 53 people from the transgender community and LGBTQI community from several cities in Indonesia (Aceh, Medan, Jakarta, Bandung, Cimahi, Yogyakarta, Bali, Lombok, Maumere, and Palu). Also, this workshop was attended by 2 external observers/researchers from the Stockholm Environment Institute and Community Engagement. These are key takeaways from speakers presentation sessions by Dr. Saut Sagala & Hendrika Mayora Victoria:

• Dr. Saut Sagala gave a presentation about Transgender and Climate Change Adaptation. It was begin by explaining the climate change catastrophic events in Indonesia, such as floods happened in many regions due to the heavy rainfall season and there was a forest fires and haze for quite a long time due to the extreme changing temperature of the earth surface. Climate change adaptation can be overcome if people maximize their social capital owned, also for transgender community in Indonesia is no exception. Climate change adaptation can be handled well if a community build and increase strong social capital. With collaboration, mutual assistance, and providing space for the transgender community to be involved and contribute to climate change adaptation actions so that the transgender community can be active and contribute to help communities in the process of climate change adaptation effectively.

• Group Discussion SessionAll participants were divided into 3 groups for discuss in detail about climate change adaptation.To conclude the discussion, climate change adaptation is important and needs to be prioritized because transgender community also got the impact directly in their daily basis. The impact of climate change are various, such as the occurrence of disasters, the stigma that transgender get, financial instability and also health issues. Responses of transgender community also varied in facing climate change starting from individual preparation, management garbage, food security, building a community garden and solidarity action for disaster response. However, the involvement of the transgender community in climate change adaptation is still limited due to lack of adequate information,capacity, awareness, and access to be involved. On the other hand, transgender community have the opportunity to contribute with climate change adaptation by their friendly engagement to people surrounds and their unique skills such as being a beautician, a chef, an artist, a professional singer, and also their ability in public speaking.

• Presentation about Transgender and Public Participant, Bunda Mayora explain the involvement of a transgender as a public government official in a village level, transgender also needs to accept their self and be open, then grow self - confidence and show it to the public and prove their enthusiasm and ability to lead the villagers. Supports form family, religion leaders, and friends in one community is an extraordinary strength to forming the enthusiasm and determination to serve and to contribute in her region. Seeing themselves as equal to other genders can increase a transgender self-confidence. In public participation as the BPD that manages the village, the community does not see the leader as a transgender, but the community looks more in the self -ability of the leader who is a transgender person and a human who has power and function. The presence of transgender in the middle of people lives must remain empowered and useful. Even though stigma and discrimination still exist in society, never be ashamed and don’t feel confident being a transgender. Bunda Mayora also shared about her moral value in facing challenges during her contribution toward society in her region, it is to be always stay confident and spread kindness, spread benefits, and try to be a good role model as a transgender.

• Group Discussion Session

  After understanding the public participation process from Bunda Mayora, participants divided into 3 group again. To conclude the discussion, society has been able to accept the existence of transgender so the transgender communitycanbeinvolvedinvariouscommunityactivities.Thereare even some transgender communities who are able to be involved as implementer of disaster programs. But on other hand, there are still a few the involvement or transgender inclusion of stakeholders so that transgender participation is still limited, such as in terms of general elections, distribution and receipt of assistance. The participants feel that each city has different challenges and opportunities. However, in a general, self-acceptance and self-expression with positive efforts that the transgender community has practice in society has an impact in the advancement of public participation and level of community acceptance. The participants hope that in the future transgender can accepting their self and getting more confident to speak positive things to the public. Besides that, there is hope for empowerment and capacity building for transgender so existence of transgender can be accepted in society.