LGBTI Media coverage and community media mapping

H. Simarmata, C. Aji

Media engagement was one of the key elements of the 20-month project, Increasing Access To Justice For LGBTI Communities In Indonesia, that OutRight Action International coordinated in 2015 and 2016. Given the impact of unbalanced media reporting on LGBTI communities, including incitement to violent discrimination, one of OutRight's Indonesian partners, Kemitraan, a national organization on good governance and government reform did a media mapping to show how mainstream media, community media and social media portrayed LGBTI issues and LGBTI people. The findings show that biased negative reporting bias spread intolerance. False media stories about LGBTI people increased the Indonesian public's fears about LGBTI people as a national security threat and a danger to society. Kemitraan produced the original version in Bahasa Indonesia.