Indonesian Ulema Council bans cross-dressing during Independence Day

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has declared that men wearing women’s clothing, and women wearing men’s clothing, is “haram” (forbidden) under Islamic law. This ruling specifically addresses practices during Independence Day celebrations, such as parades and carnivals, where cross-dressing has historically been used for entertainment.

KH Abdul Muiz Ali of the MUI Fatwa Commission stated that such actions violate sharia and social norms. The council expressed concern that these practices could serve as a covert campaign for the “Lesbian, Gay, Sodomy and Obscenity (LGSP)” movement.

While cross-dressing in community festivities like football matches or parades has been a long-standing local custom for humor, the ruling comes amid a shifting political climate. This follows a 2025 presidential regulation that categorized the promotion of LGBTQ culture as a non-military threat to national defense, alongside terrorism and radicalism.