In Indonesia a man who believes he is born with the soul of a woman is called a waria. The word waria is a mixture of the words, “wanita” (woman) and “pria” (man). Waria culture in Indonesia is very diverse, being a waria can mean very different things. It encompasses in America what we may consider transgender, drag queen, and/or effeminate gay men, but all warias see themselves as having a strong feminine soul.
Through a journalist living in Jakarta I met Mami Yulie, a waria who owns her own hair salon and is pursuing her masters in law. Mami is committed to bettering lives for her fellow warias and sees herself as a catalyst for change and a community leader.