Queer visibility and the erotics of resistance in Indonesian gay pornography: local voices, digital colonialism, and religious politics
Abstract
This article examines the intersections of queer visibility, Islamic morality, and digital capitalism in contemporary Indonesia through the production and circulation of gay pornography. Rather than viewing pornography as a universal form of liberation, it is situated within Indonesia’s distinct historical, religious, and technological conditions. Drawing on testimonies from queer Muslim creators and audiences, the study reveals how individuals negotiate visibility, faith, and concealment within restrictive moral and legal systems. The study argues that global platforms such as X and Fansly function not as neutral spaces of freedom but as infrastructures of digital colonialism governed by Western capitalist algorithms. Using multimodal critical discourse analysis and digital ethnography, the research integrates textual, affective, and social dimensions of online pornography. Epistemologically, it introduces the framework of Queer Islam Nusantara as a postcolonial contribution that redefines Muslim sexualities through intertwined histories of religion, culture, and technology in Southeast Asia.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Asian Studies and History
African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues
LGBTQ Health
Identity
and Policy
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Porn Studies
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Pages
- 1–22
- Publication date
- 8 January 2026
- Language
- EN