Calabai

Key Features

• Cultural Gender Role: Calabai are not simply men expressing femininity; they occupy a unique gender category with specific social and cultural roles within the Bugis community. Their role often involves a mix of traditionally feminine traits while maintaining elements that set them apart from cisgender women.

• Distinct Gender Expression: While calabai adopt feminine clothing, makeup, and mannerisms, their presentation often incorporates elements that are unique to their identity, emphasizing that they are not replicating the identity of cisgender heterosexual women but expressing a distinct form of femininity.

• Roles in Society: Calabai often play significant roles in Bugis culture, especially in ceremonial and social events. For example, they are frequently involved in organizing and leading weddings, where their expertise in fashion, ceremony, and event planning is highly valued.

• Identity Beyond the Binary: The Bugis gender system challenges the Western understanding of gender binaries. Calabai, along with calalai (assigned female at birth but expressing masculinity) and bissu (considered androgynous or transcendent gender), reflect a broader understanding of gender as a spectrum or as multifaceted.

Context

The Bugis Gender System

The Bugis people have a traditional understanding of gender that goes beyond the male-female binary. Their system includes:

• Oroané (male)

• Makunrai (female)

• Calabai (feminine AMAB)

• Calalai (masculine AFAB)

• Bissu (a sacred, androgynous or gender-transcendent role)

In this system, calabai are recognized as distinct from both men and women, with their own societal functions and respected roles.

Cultural Acceptance

In Bugis society, calabai are generally accepted as part of the social fabric. Their roles in ceremonies and community events often grant them a level of respect and recognition that might contrast with how gender non-conformity is treated in other parts of the world. However, like other marginalized identities, calabai may still face challenges depending on the broader societal and political context in Indonesia, where attitudes toward LGBTQ+ identities can vary widely.

Modern Challenges

While traditional Bugis culture respects and includes calabai, the influence of modernity, globalization, and conservative interpretations of religion in Indonesia has sometimes led to stigmatization of gender-diverse individuals, including calabai. These pressures may create conflicts between traditional cultural acceptance and modern societal discrimination.

Cultural Relevance

Representation of Non-Binary Genders

The existence of calabai in Bugis culture highlights the diversity of gender systems across the world. It demonstrates that gender is not universally understood as a binary but can be multifaceted, with roles and identities specific to different cultures.

Roles in Rituals and Ceremonies

Calabai often hold significant roles in Bugis rituals, particularly weddings. Their involvement is not just practical but symbolic, representing the blending of masculine and feminine elements and emphasizing the communal harmony of the event.

A Challenge to Western Norms

The recognition of calabai as a legitimate gender identity within Bugis culture challenges Western-centric views of gender. It underscores the importance of understanding gender through a cultural and historical lens rather than imposing universal definitions.

Intersection with Religion

Bugis culture is predominantly Muslim, and the calabai identity exists alongside Islamic practices. This coexistence demonstrates the ability of cultural traditions and religious beliefs to integrate, though this balance can sometimes be tested by more conservative societal shifts.

Challenges Faced by Calabai Individuals

• Modern Stigmatization: In modern Indonesia, the rise of conservative attitudes and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment has posed challenges for calabai individuals, even in regions where they have traditionally been respected.

• Visibility Outside the Bugis Community: While calabai are recognized within Bugis culture, they may face misunderstanding or discrimination outside their cultural context, particularly in urban or non-Bugis-dominated areas.

• Legal and Social Barriers: Indonesia does not legally recognize non-binary genders, which can limit the rights and protections available to calabai individuals, particularly in areas like legal documentation and healthcare.