Ubud Writers and Readers Festival: 2 Cisgender Authors vs. 2 LGBTIQ Figures
Creative freedom or queerbaiting?
Nestled in an agricultural village named Ubud, with winding rivers adorned with mossy rocks, multiple terraces of rice fields, and towering coconut trees on the horizon, the 20th Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2023 (UWRF 2023) has opened its doors to authors and thinkers from all corners of the world.
Since its founding in 2012, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) has become the most important literary event in Southeast Asia, attracting visitors from around the world to experience the unique cultural offerings of the festival.
This year, in 2023, after a lengthy pandemic lockdown, UWRF returned. However, it was different from previous years. It wasn’t only authors and thinkers who were on the panel; activists and LGBTIQ authors from Indonesia and internationally were also invited.
The sensitivity of LGBTIQ issues in Indonesia poses a risk for the foundation to address them on their discussion panel. However, Ubud, a small village in Central Bali with a predominantly farming population, is known for its high tolerance level. During the gala opening at Puri Ubud, also known as the Ubud Palace, the mayor, Tjokorda Gde Putra Sukawati, addressed hundreds of people and acknowledged…
