Anita, 49, and Ukke, 54, are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They have been together for the past last 11 years. This photo essay shows their daily life over the course of three months in a moment when hate speech against LGBT people increases in Indonesia. It was 1981 when Ika Yuanita - "Anita", as her friends know her, a 13 year old Indonesian girl, told her mother she thought she would not get married, just before going to bed at home in Bendo, a green village set amidst the geometric rice paddies of East Java.
Her mother, Mrs. Alimah, who had long awaited the conversation with her daughter asked her in a friendly tone:
--Why? –And it was a silence.
--Because I do not like boys –Anita admitted, out of the blue.
--It is ok –mom said –but remember that you are our only daughter. We want to be grandparents –she stressed.
This is how this beautiful 49 years old indonesian woman, a lesbian, a mother, a grandmother of three grandchildren, a former actress, a former model and an activist looked for “a solution to love a girl,” she explains pragmatically, squatting on the second floor of her home in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, while she pats "Paris", a white and honey cat. Her partner Ukke prepares a coffee.
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Ready to dinner at Anita and Ukke home, a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together.
Anita y Ukke love animals. They feed several cats from the beighbourhood but their cat Paris is the king of the house. Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together.
Ready to dinner at Anita and Ukke home, a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together.
Paris is the king oh the home at Anita and Ukke place, a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together.
Anita and Ukke , a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are couple from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. They were together for the last 11 years. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. Paris is her cat.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. Paris is her cat.
For years every Satruday some lesbiasn women from Surabaya, Indonesia, meet in the same park: Hiburan Rakyat fot “talking-talking” ang “kopi-kopi” (having a coffee). Most of them have a couple. The longest couple is fro 31 years. Like most of them, Ida (on the left) known as "Epes" (daddy) first was married with a men.
Anita and Ukke with the lesbian community of Surabaya in Hiburan Rakyat park where some lesbians meet for years every Satruday foy “talking-talking” ang “kopi-kopi” (having a coffee). Most of them have a couple. The longest couple is for 31 years.
Anita and Ukke with the lesbian community of Surabaya in Hiburan Rakyat park where some lesbians meet for years every Satruday foy “talking-talking” ang “kopi-kopi” (having a coffee). Most of them have a couple. The longest couple is for 31 years.
Anita and Ukke with the lesbian community of Surabaya in Hiburan Rakyat park where some lesbians meet for years every Satruday foy “talking-talking” ang “kopi-kopi” (having a coffee). Most of them have a couple. The longest couple is for 31 years.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. They celebrate their 11th aniversary of their releationship in the place that they met: a karaoke.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. Paris is their cat.
Anita and Ukke are a couple of lesbians from Surabaya East Java that were for 11 years together. Anita is a former model, a former actrice, an activist, a mother, a wife, a gradmother and a muslim from Indonesia. Paris is their cat.