be:longing is a project about older Muslim trans women in Yogyakarta on Java, Indonesia.
Religion plays a central role in Indonesia. Nearly 90 percent of the population is Muslim. People of the queer community, especially trans women, are faced with the challenge of reconciling their faith, their identity and society’s expectations.
On the one hand, trans women – known in Indonesia as waria (a mixture of the words wanita (woman) and pria (man)) – have long been part of Javanese culture. On the other hand, they are not recognised by conservative Muslims and are usually excluded from formal employment opportunities. Many trans women lose the support of their families after coming out.
A strong community of trans women in Yogyakarta has established its own safe spaces over generations, shaping visibility, solidarity and belonging on their own terms. At the Pondok Pesantren Al-Fatah Quran school, they meet with friends to study the Quran and pray. They organise numerous programmes that promote dialogue with society and educate about gender diversity. At the Waria Crisis Centre (WCC), they find a home in old age, illness or difficult phases of life.
The project is dedicated to the deeply human need to experience belonging in one’s own being.
be:longing is one of the finalists in the Professional Portraiture category of the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards.
