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While
working on the homicide case of Vera Arus Pelangi started to bring together
the different gay, lesbian and transgender groups/communities together.
Each groups has its own lifestyle. The gays tend to come together in open-air,
public spaces, while the lesbians prefer the privacy of homes to get together.
Whereas the the waria (transgender) community is somewhere in between.
They rarely mingle with each other. But all the groups agreed to the need
to have their own organization and it did not take too long before they
realize that it is even better to have one organization for all the communities.
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The first ever training in organization building was held for lesbian, gay and waria groups in August 2006. It was also the first time they came together. Many concepts and prejudices against each other had to be treshed out. At the end they agreed to form a organizing committee to prepare for a general assembly. |
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In September 2006 they held their first assembly on a camping ground. Aside from recreation and fun more serious matters were also taken up, like the election of a set of officers and the planning of initial activities. More than 100 people signed up as members. But dark clouds were already gathering; there have been rumors that certain religious groups have been very displeased to hear of the gathering of so many gays, lesbians and warias. But the fasting month of Ramadhan then started and the issue quieted down for a moment. |
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Right after the end of the Ramadhan came the big day: the launching of Arus Pelangi-Banyumas (Banyumas is the name of the district of which Purwokerto is the capital town). More than hundred new members showed up and the program was enlivened with live band. The handing over of the Arus Pelangi Flag became the culmination of a long process of organization building. This celebration was covered by some locals newspapers. The following reaction can be guessed... |
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