Queer Spiritualism

Kamu tidak sembunyi

kamu sedang menyelamatkan hidupmu

Queer Spiritualism

(sabdanaung)

In society, a queer person has to have some kind of battle between theirself and their believes. I maybe have some share of that battle, but as far as i can remember my spiritual journey and my sexual orientation, or identity was always two far different things that has not (always) have anything to do with each other and not (always) mutually exclusive, at least from my point of view.

“Dia menciptakan pasangan-pasangan untukmu dari jenismu sendiri.”

[Quran 78:8]

A friend mentioned that in a light discussion about our identity as queer person. “Pairs means what way?”. “We can also see Adam and Wawan, Eve and Fatimah as pairs if used that term.” she continued.

I was born 29 years ago, in Semarang was bring up in a muslim-conservatives society, where “Pairs” means “man and woman”, but as a grow older and have the privilege to always learn and unlearn. i unlearn that meaning of “pairs”.

“.Qul huwa llaahu ahad,..” ‘He is Allah, the One

Dia-lah Allah, Yang Maha Esa

We can also see in this perspective that God was not creating Eve to complete Adam, Eve was not created for Adam, we can see that eve was created for God because the only one who doesnt need nor have a pair is God.

We all know same sex relationships was never mentioned clearly in the Quran. But some surah has a lots of interpretation depends on what perspective are we using.

I imagine it just like a restaurant, there is a fixed menu to follow, but we can go around with what has been offer. there’s a lemon juice on the menu, but there’s no water with ice on the menu. so i think to myself “in order to make a lemon juice they need water and ice, so im ordering what i want, and i want water with only ice.” and thats never wrong.

If you always think that you’re always alone in this not very straight way of the world. Let sit your head and see that there’s always people who understand you in a way that you can always understand.

This were few warm words that have been said to me during processing (again) the realtionship my belief and me as a queer person:

Kamu tidak sembunyi kamu sedang

menyelamatkan hidupmu

Pundak sendiri dipeluk dia kuat sekali Support yang kamu berikan sungguh membuat hidup lebih indah

Walaupun hari ini banyak sedihnya tapi tetap berhasil kau lalui rayakan Pundak sendiri dipeluk dia kuat sekali

Youre completelY YOU

Valid ARE LOVED

Let me tell you a secret

You are right all this time

Proses mengenali diri adalah perjalanan

seumur hidup tapi dirimu hari ini tetap valid

Sex is not always a tool to create

it can also be a tool TO recreation

nads or nanda bagus (he/him/they) was born and raised in semarang, 27th august, 1993. As a kid, i was always interested in drawing and arts in general. Spent my younger adult in a very heteronorma- tives social culture.

And will always say that i was a very internalized homophobe. Later in life has the privilege to learn and unlearn and still on my way to accept my queerness.

Active and very interested in feminism and gender and queer perspective topics.

During all the process of creating this artwork i wanna say thank you to

Laviaminora for pushing me out of my comfort zone, to my partner, End, who always be there when im complaining. to my everything, anggun and ninun, who always up for the discussions. to all the queer out or not, you are very brave.

love,