How to prevent premarital sex? Minister proposes college dorms without doors

JAKARTA, Indonesia – An Indonesian official has a new idea to avoid premarital sex and promiscuity among the youth: remove doors from dorm rooms.

Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa suggested “doorless” university dorms to discourage college students from having sex. She said the move would avoid homosexuality which she called a “disease.”

“The thing that is as dangerous [as men and women having sex], is men doing it with men and women with women,” she told local media over the weekend.

In Indonesia, there are no coed dorms in universities. Parawansa said this should be applied to same-sex dorms, in both male and female dorms “so that the behavior would not happen.”

As for privacy issues for students, she said, “A dormitory is either all male or all female. What privacy?”

The conservative minister is among a number of government officals and advocates who have sought to criminalize same-sex marriage. Parawansa also said in the past that homosexuality can be cured.

The minister’s suggestion for doorless dorms was met with backlash on social media.

Bu, waktu itu di asrama UI lantai 3 ada maling nyolong laptop loh bu. Pintu dikunci aja ada maling, gimana ga dipasang pintu 🙁 https://t.co/m8StkNkZnJ

— Retno Lestari (@retnolestarii) October 29, 2016

Twitter user Retno Lestarii said, “Ma’am [referring to the Minister], once on the 3rd floor of the University of Indonesia dorm, there was a burglar who stole a laptop. Even with locked doors there are burglars, what will it be like if there are no doors at all :(“

Khofifah menyarankan asrama tanpa pintu untuk hindari seks bebas. Lalu pelecehan & pencurian merajalela. MIKIR!

— Helga IA Worotitjan (@HelgaWorottjan) October 31, 2016

Another complained about privacy issues, saying “Khofifah recommends doorless dorms to avoid premarital sex. Than sexual harassment and theft will run riot.” 

Ngilangin pintu di asrama mahasiswa itu ngelanggar hak privasi bukan sih?

— Nadia Farahnaz (@Nadiafarahnaz) October 30, 2016

Netizen @Nadiafarahnaz was straight to the point: “Isn’t getting rid of doors in student dorms a violation of the right to privacy?”

asrama tanpa pintu kl mau ganti baju gmn dah wkwkwkwkkwkwkw

— spooky febreze (@rhinoceruu) October 29, 2016

Another student laughed at the suggestion: “With doorless dorms how are we supposed to change clothes wkwkwkwkwkkwkwk”

Kalo asrama gada pintu, pas masuk kelas mahasiswanya pasti bebawaan kaya pindahan :))

Iyalah, insekiur.

— jongskih (@jojopatricka) October 29, 2016

Twitter user @jojopatricka said, “With doorless dorms, students will come to class with all their things like they’re going to move. Of course, they’ll feel insecure.” 

HAHAHAHA… kan bisa di kamar mandi..!! Jadi kamar mandi gapake pintu juga..? mau sering2 maen ke asrama putri ah..!! https://t.co/x9IgRqBOxH

— I.M. Ahoker, U? (@WadyaIrbar) October 29, 2016

Another pointed out that doorless dorms would not prevent sex from happening: “HAHAHAHA… they can do it in the bathroom! So bathrooms will be doorless too? Then I’ll go around to the girls’ dorms more often!!” – with reports from Natashya Gutierrez and Karina Maharani/Rappler.com