149 almost lose her physical and mental health. Loui suffers this only after their
parents separate her and her partner. “People said you lost your mind, Loui. You said nothing but my name. They tried so hard to get you back, completely. They
did not realize that complete is you and I.” USDP, 115-116
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b. “Cure” the Lesbian in Religious Institution
The second solution is using an institution, especially a religious institution to rehabilitate the character. Besides separating their daughter from her
lover, the next thing they do is “cure” the lesbian. The parents usually take their daughter to an institution to “cure” her in religious institutions or boarding schools
pesantren. Why is religion seen as a solution to change a lesbian’s sexual orientation? Religion is considered as a solution for Indonesian parents because
they believe that religious dogma or doctrine can help their daughter to alter her sexual orientation to heterosexual. Thus, if they find their children doing anything
forbidden by society and religion, the religious institution serves as a place to “cure” them. They send their children to be educated there with a very strong
religious agenda because they believe that by attaining a good and strong religion understanding of religion; they will change to become a better person. There are
two Indonesian language short stories, which portray this issue, “Bilik Religius” and “Putus”.
In “Bilik Religius” and “Putus”, the lesbian characters end up in an Islamic Institution. In “Bilik Religius”, Dila’s parents send her daughter to an
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“Orang-orang bilang kau kehilangan kewarasan mu, Loui. Kau tak berkata-kata selain membilang nama ku. Mereka berusaha sekuat daya untuk mengembalikan diri mu utuh. Mereka tak
menyadari bahwa utuh itu kamu dan aku”.
150 Islamic Institution, after her sexual orientation is disclosed. She lives there for one
year. In “Putus” Sarah who has been a lesbian since she was in junior high school, has to stay at an Islamic Boarding School for 2 years. The unique issue in
these stories is that the parents strongly believe placing a lesbian in a religious institution would provide a solution and hope by building a stronger religious
knowledge their daughter’s sexual orientation can change. Yet, the fact is that this strategy is a totally failure. It is clearly portrayed in these stories, that this solution
is indeed successful in causing the lesbian understanding about her religion to be deeper and better. It is also successful in changing the way they dress, to be more
religious and modest, as expressed in the veils that the characters wear to cover their heads. Yet, when it comes to their sexual orientation, it does not work. Thus
from these stories, a conclusion can be stated that sexual desire towards the same sex cannot be changed with religious doctrines. Sexual orientation and religious
faith are two different things. Therefore, we need to make separation between religion and sexual orientation.
c. Forcing to Marry a Man
