THE GOOD MOTHER
Bayu Eka Novanta (Freelance Photojournalist, Malang)

Dozens of sexy-looking, yet muscular, people were seen standing in a row on Latuharhary Street, Menteng, Central Jakarta, that night. Carrying make-up bags, they stood there waiting for their ‘guests.’

They are transvestites, putting themselves on display almost every night to make a living out of the Jakarta’s hungry sex buyers. Many stories reveal that Taman Lawang has been the hot spot for transvestites since 1970s.

Although a small number of tranvestites are still seen in the area, more have managed to leave this dark place. One of them is Yulianus Rettoblaut, or better known as Mami Yuli.

After 15 years of working under the dim street lights of Taman Lawang, Mami Yuli’s aura also began to fade. Customers started to leave her for younger transvestites.

Retirement became the only choice left for Mami Yuli. “I got out of the prostitution world because I was no longer attractive.”

After accepting the fact that she was no longer in demand, Mami Yuli made a turning point in her life.

She went back to church, reconnecting with the Creator and tried to resurrect herself from the darkness that she had been living.

Slowly, Mami Yuli started to reenter the community. She involved herself in social activities and finally became the chairperson of Indonesian Transvestites Communication Forum (Forum Komunikasi Waria Indonesia or FKWI).

With FKWI, Mami Yuli urges other transvestites to seek better lives, instead of continue selling sex on the streets.

She also often visits Taman Lawang to invite other transvestites to attend skill trainings organized by FKWI together with other institutions.

In the midst of her social mission, Mami Yuli is also trying to play her role as a mother. Like many women, she takes care of her four children, whom she adopted from her relatives.

Trying to live a better life does not only mean leaving the dark world for Mami Yuli, but also giving hope to her relatives, the way she has cared for her adopted children since they were babies.

“Two boys are already in high school and the third is still in elementary school. The youngest here is seven months old,” shares Mami Yuli, holding her youngest child, Maria.

Thinking back on her gloomy past, Mami Yuli admits she never imagined that she would spend her old years taking care of children. She can only say that her life now is what was destined for her.

“I never imagined this. Well, maybe this is God’s work,” she says. Her efforts are part of her attempt to form a viewpoint that every human has the same rights.