Society's Shunned Give Lessons in Tolerance
Rebecca Henschke | September 15, 2010
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifeandtimes/societys-shunned-give-lessons-in-tolerance/396274Mirrors are tucked behind embroidered drapes, prayer rugs are spread over the carpet and fashion magazines are replaced by copies of the Koran in preparation for breaking the fast at dusk. In a quiet alley in the ancient Javanese city of Yogyakarta, Mariyani, a 50-year-old transsexual hairdresser, has turned part of her salon into an Islamic school. It's a place where lesbian, gay and transsexual Muslims — banned from Islamic schools and unwelcomed at mosques — can safely pray and discuss their religion.
"Tonight we are breaking the fast and praying with 90 orphans and poor women from a nearby village. It's my 50th birthday today and I want to thank God for giving me this time on earth. I will be called by God in the not too distant future so I have to do the right thing," says Mariyani, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.
