Ep #16 Coming Out and LGBTQ+ Life in Indonesia, with Kai Mata
Welcome to a very special episode of the How To Die Happy podcast, where we recorded our first studio podcast with a small audience and live music featuring the Indonesian LGBTQ+ activist and singer-songwriter Kai Mata.
Kai Mata is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and representation, known for "being the first openly gay musician in Indonesia" (The Diplomat). She uses her platform to promote empathy and raise awareness about the lack of LGBTQ+ rights in Indonesia. Alongside Kai, our hosts Martin O'Toole and Julia Macolmson delve deep into the issue of cultural bigotry and governments' treatment of people in the LGBTQ+ community.
The Indonesian Psychiatrist Association classes homosexuals and bisexuals as people with "psychiatric problems", and transgender people have been declared to have "mental disorders". Unfortunately, Indonesia is not the only country that demonstrates a lack of tolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community. While same-sex marriage is now legal in 29 countries (with Chile and Switzerland joining the ranks in 2022), there is still a long way to go when accepting people who do not fit the societal norm of being straight and cisgender. In fact, 72 countries currently criminalise all things LGBTQ+.
The situation is dire in some countries, as being queer could result in the death penalty. Of these, 11 jurisdictions reserve the right to impose the death penalty for anyone engaging in consensual same-sex, with regular executions in Iran, Northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Yemen. It is heartbreaking that we still live in a world where hate based on personal consensual sexual and gender preferences can lead to severe injury or death. Many believe that LGBTQ+ folks need to be locked up, receive electro-shock therapy, and even participate in what is known as "corrective rape" — a criminal practice that has no place in this world.
Kai Mata lives in a country where homosexuality and bisexuality are taboo. The Indonesian government recently tried to pass The "Family Resilience Bill", which would force LGBTQ+ people to undergo conversion therapy treatment to "cure" their sexual orientation or gender ambiguity. This proposal inspired Kai's accidental entry into the world of LGBTQ+ activism when she infamously posted a video on social media stating, "My name is Kai Mata; I'm Indonesian, and I am also flaming gay. No laws will change that, no conversion therapy will change that, and neither will the hate and threats". The video went viral, turning Kai's life upside down, as she was thrust into the spotlight for sharing what was apparently an incredibly controversial truth.
Despite the tsunami of death threats and hatred, Kai Mata has continued to use her music to spread love and compassion, promote empathy, and raise awareness about the void of LGBTQ+ rights in Indonesia. Her indie-released single, Where Love Goes, has been streamed over 2.5 million times on Spotify. In the podcast interview, Kai shares her experience as an accidental queer activist and how she balances this while growing as a young woman and artist. Interwoven through the chat, Kai performs some live songs, showcasing her incredible talent as a singer-songwriter.
The How To Die Happy podcast is about making life changes now to avoid a long list of deathbed regrets. Kai Mata has dared to express her truth, and not doing so is a common death regret. For that reason and many more, she is a welcome guest and friend to the show. Whether you're straight, bi, gay, cis, or trans, this podcast is worth a listen. In this informative and entertaining show, Kai Mata, Martin O'Toole, and Julia Malcolmson dive into the worlds of intolerance, love, music, and more. Plus, the girl can sing. Oh boy, that girl can sing.
