Remembering Bunda Dorce

Growing up in the 90s meant that my childhood overlapped with Dorce at the peak of her star power. My childhood home was close to one of her houses, and so I would join the other neighborhood kids for an afternoon adventure to go past her home. Another house nearby was used to store all her memorabilia, like a museum to her celebrity. I remember seeing on TV some glimpses inside the house – the collections of her glamourous clothes. I also became friends with one of her neighbors, and she would share stories of Dorce’s generosity. In her properties, local women’s groups were given space to gather. In addition hundreds of orphans were supported by Dorce as a mother figure, a role she was idealized for at the time. I admire her struggle to win recognition for her rhetorical claim of “mother” in such an intensely heteronormative culture. 

Dorce began her career as a member of the Fantastic Dolls, a performance group consisting of waria/transgender women. Fantastic Dolls was popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s and was led by Ibu Myrna. In the late 1960s, – when the modern LGBTIQ+ movement hadn’t yet begun in Indonesia – transgender women had begun to build a name for themselves within performance groups. These groups turned into an important foundation for the trans movement in Indonesia, leading to the formation of  Himpunan Wadam Djakarta (the Jakarta Wadam Association or HIWAD) in the late 60s (sources vary, but around 1969). Other organizations would form throughout the 1970s, including some that still exist today like Persatuan Waria Kota Surabaya (the Surabaya City Waria Association or PERWAKOS) which formed in 1978 (I am aware  the existence of other wadam/waria/transpuan organizations in Jakarta or other major cities in Indonesia, but I only mention these two organizations because they are the ones that I have found in the recorded history so far). Meanwhile, the gay and lesbian movement entered Indonesia with the formation of Lambda Indonesia on March 1st, 1982 in Solo, Central Java. Groups such as HIWAD and the Fantastic Dolls established the first generation of transgender activists including Ibu Myrna, Ibu Nancy Iskandar, and Ibu Lenny Sugiharto (current head of the Srikandi Sejati Foundation). Inspired by these groups, performance, entertainment and political waria groups formed throughout Indonesia, basing themselves in most major cities throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

At the height of their popularity in the Fantastic Dolls, Ibu Myrna was said to have given Dorce her performance name by which she is now known. Dorce herself would adopt the name “Gamalama” in the early 1980s after visiting mount Gamalama in Ternate alongside Benyamin Sueb (an actor who famously depicted Betty Bencong Slebor in 1978). Her last name, “Halimatusadiah”, was taken after Dorce completed the Hajj in 1990.

The 1980s were challenging years for Dorce as she communicated her gender transition in almost all aspects of public and cultural life whilst continuing her entertainment career. This encapsulated her most amazing and most significant success, and is something that we as a queer community should respect her for. The fact that she achieved this cultural victory of recognition of her transition whilst continuing the struggle through her career in the entertainment world.

Chenny Han, an alumni of Fantastic Dolls, often likened Dorce and Ibu Myrna to perfectly complimenting dishes of entertainment. At this time Dorce was also involved in a film that was about the experience of trans women, and had trans women in the cast – Mereka Memang Ada (1982). The popularity of the film is shown by the release of the soundtrack on cassette, on which Dorce contributed two songs. It was one year after the release of this film that Dorce began her medical and surgical transition. This decision was made through a religious contemplation and contact with God, a moment which further solidified her intention to live publicly as the woman she was, and undertake surgery. Although initially rejected by her doctor, Dorce continued seeking treatment until she located the plastic surgeon Prof. Djohansjah Marzoeki.

Prof. Djohansjah Marzoeki who performed the surgery stated (in Angin Malam episode 42 “Dorce’s Journey to Plastic Surgery”) that alongside him there was a team consisting of obstetricians, internalists, geneticists, psychiatrists, psychologists and others to ensure “the candidate (Dorce) is not pretending or imitating, but it is a desire that is driven from her, by her determination which is complete”. This was not the first time that this surgery was performed, but the huge public spotlight at the time changed the views of many people, including the doctors/experts that Dorce managed to convince. 

She said “I was reborn” after returning from her pilgrimage to Mecca.

After the two of her starring films Dorce Sok Akrab (1989) and Dorce Ketemu Jodoh (1990) became blockbusters, Dorce gained superstar status within Indonesian pop culture – as an actress, singer, songwriter, comedian, TV host and many other roles. Her face graces the small screen throughout the 1990s. She starred in many films, soap operas and talk shows whilst maintaining a successful music career. Dorce even set an Indonesian music record for releasing 9 albums within five months. Eventually from 2005-2009 she would host her own talk show: The Dorce Show. The show itself was successful and was even nominated for best talk show. It was from hosting this show that her final moniker ‘Bunda Dorce’ would be popularised. 

However, after the Reformasi movement in 1998 – or to be perhaps more precise, after the 2009 election – there was a significant rise in religious fundamentalism and anti-”LGBT” populist movements. From this moment the LGBTIQ+ movement began to face situations unanticipated animosity and often became the target of religious fundamentalist movements. However, as we know Bunda Dorce had spent considerable effort in showing her piety as a muslim woman. 

After her talk show was cancelled in 2009, Dorce’s personal life often became the subject of discussion by those promoting conservative interpretations of Islam. She herself – with all her achievements as a performer and muslim woman – often faced challenging situations with the increasing targeting of the “LGBT” community as cultural scapegoats by conservative clerics, politicians and officials in the era of liberal democracy. Gradually, Dorce’s figure dimmed from the public sphere alongside a decline in her physical health. 

In fact, towards the end of her life, Dorce was vilified within certain parts of public media in Indonesia. Conservative clerics did not hesitate to make the life and figure of Bunda Dorce a target in order for them to get public attention. 

However, in these times Bunda Dorce never allowed herself to be a submissive victim. Instead her life story is a significant and powerful reminder of a trans woman who was able to excel in so many fields, and sparked the dreams and aspirations of many queer people, especially waria/trans women across Indonesia. 

We will continue to remember her wise words – that “perfection belongs only to Allah” – not doctors, experts, ulama, ustadz, politicians nor the state.