Lengger Lanang

Lengger lanang are cross-dressing dancers whose name translates to "male Lengger dancer" from Javanese which comes from Banyumas culture from central Java, Indonesia. It is comparable to being transgender or gender non-conforming in nature. Being a Lengger lanang involves performing a traditional Lengger dance which can be performed by either a man or a woman. This usually involves both masculine and feminine traits. Not all Lengger lanang consider themselves transgender or non-binary and is more to do with gender presentation than gender identity.

Lengger Lanang would commonly be dressed in traditional Javanese dance wear. This includes a hair bun, kebaya, hair jewellery, makeup, sash, & kain batik.

History
It is believed to be related to Javanese Ronggeng which is a dance that Javanese couples would perform. This would also suggest that it is very ancient, but exactly how old isn't completely agreed upon. According to Javanese beliefs the soul may be incarnated into a boy or a girl making them a talented Lengger dancer. This may be a hold-over from Hindu-Buddhist Javanese beliefs of reincarnation. Lengger lanang would become local celebrities in their area if they were talented and would sometimes be coveted by rich Indonesian men, however such affairs would usually be discreet due to growing homophobic, transphobic, and anti-indigenous sentiments in Indonesia.