ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to locate the forces inspiring the emergence of pro-queer religious activism in contemporary Indonesia to elucidate how and why Islamic values are mobilised by a minority of non-queer Muslim actors for the defence of sexual minority rights. The chapter introduces a range of stakeholders, including religious leaders, activists and Islamic scholars supporting LGBTIQ+ rights, as ‘allies’ of sexual minorities. It begins by exploring discussions around Progressive Islam to subsequently focus on the participants’ own definitions of the term. Drawing upon interviews and participant observations at events bringing together religion, gender and sexuality, this chapter identifies three key forces behind pro-queer religious activism. These include previous membership of the organisation Indonesian Islamic Student Movement (Pergerakan Mahasiswa Islam Indonesia), inter-faith dialogue, and the Gusdurian Network (Jaringan Gusdurian). Participation in these three groups emerges as a force shaping the allies’ conceptualisation of progressive Islam making pro-queer activism possible but not unavoidable. Following this, the chapter moves on to discuss the notion of Islam Nusantara by focusing on the significance of notions of nationalism, liberation, and local cultures.
