On 21 April, Indonesia celebrated Kartini Day, commemorating Raden Ageng Kartini, a national hero and pioneer of the emancipation of women. More than a century since her death, gender, sexuality and morality are highly contested issues in politics and society. In recent times, a conservative turn in Indonesia has seen extreme voices come to the fore in mainstream Islam, leading to attacks on non-traditional sexualities and women’s bodies.

What is the present state of the women’s movement in Indonesia? Why have sexuality and the female body continued to be sites for contestation and national anxiety? How have women and other marginalised groups like the LGBT community responded to the conservative turn?

In this week’s podcast I explore these issues with Dr Intan Paramaditha, a lecturer at Macquarie University.

Image: Indi and Rani Soemardjan (Flickr)