YOGYAKARTA – The Communication Psychology lecture presented a doctoral student from the Department of Anthropology Northwestern University Febi R. Ramadhan to deliver a guest lecture. The programme with the theme Heteronormativity and Representation Bias was held on Friday (25/11/2022) through the Zoom Meeting.
The activity aims to briefly discuss the concept of heteronormativity redeemed academically, especially in the field of gender and sexuality studies. In addition, the presentation presented contained a discussion of the representation bias in the LGBTQ+ community carried out by the mass media and the impact of heteronormativity in shaping the social order.
“This presentation contains trigger warnings, namely various practices of violence against LGBTQ+ individuals in various forms, such as psychotherapy, counselling, ruqyah, anointing sacraments, ruwatan, corrective rape, negative news coverage, and criminalisation efforts that are loaded with homophobia, transphobia, and queerphobia,” Febi explained.
Meanwhile, Febi also explained about the remedicalisation of homosexuality. In a historical context, homosexuality was removed from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) in 1973, removed from the ICD (International Classification of Diseases) in 1990, and removed from the PPDGJ (Guidelines for the Diagnosis of Mental Disorders) in 1993.
The meeting also touched on the criminalisation of homosexuality, which is not considered illegal in Indonesia. “Sexual activity between individuals of the same sex is not illegal in Indonesia,” said Febi.
Furthermore, the international class programme is considered to provide benefits for students. As stated by the lecturer of the Communication Psychology course, Meike Lusye Karolus, “Introducing students to critical cultural and social theories in the context of communication psychology.”
Writer: Elisabeth Eka