On Sep 23, 2016 The Jakarta Post reported: The debate on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights is still being conducted in the negative terms of deviancy and community norms, an activist has said.

North Sulawesi LGBT Forum advocacy division head Coco Jerico said media reports regarding the LGBT community in North Sulawesi were unbalanced. The negative coverage, he added, shaped the mindset of the public and led to the stigmatizing of and discrimination against the LGBT community.

“The negative news has an impact on the LGBT community in North Sulawesi, especially in the three major cities of Manado, Tomohon and Bitung. The media exaggerates negative reporting of LGBT issues,” said Coco.

In addition, the occurrence of oppression against LGBT in the three cities has increased. Coco gave as examples a raid in Manado during which the local police sexually harassed LGBT members and private universities that clearly rejected students based on their LGBT orientation.

Read more at: Negative news reports trigger LGBT persecution Fri, September 23 2016 – The Jakarta Post