Lesbian Martial Artist Rescues Girlfriend From Ex-Gay Camp: OMFG

An Indonesian tae kwon do instructor, Sj, has been charged with kidnapping after using her martial arts skills to infiltrate a “sexual orientation class” where her 15-year-old student and lover had been sent by her parents. This is a real headline. The student in question, Tn, is fifteen years old, and has been studying tae kwon do with Sj for two years. Her parents sent her to “sexual orientation classes” after Tn went to live with Sj for a month, and confessed that she had fallen in love with her teacher and had “sexual intercourse” with her. Tn was taken/rescued/last seen on September 17, and while police are investigating, it’s still unclear whether Sj can be charged with any offense under Indonesian law. Homosexuality is not outlawed there, although there is a higher age of consent for homosexual relationships than heterosexual ones (18 years old). The heterosexual age of consent is 16 for females and 19 for males.

We cannot think of a single piece of commentary to make that is not culturally insensitive, completely ignorant and othering, or otherwise totally misinformed. Furthermore, we are pretty much at a loss as far as the age difference/consent issue goes, especially given that we only have a very few unsubstantiated facts to work with (Tn’s “confession” of “sexual intercourse” was repeated to the media secondhand by the National Commission for Child Protection, the same organization that placed Tn in classes to “cure” her of homosexuality.) Also, we keep thinking of that part in the Vagina Monologues about lesbian statutory rape, and our friends who have similar tales of underage dating who seem okay with it and that writer we like who has a girlfriend 30 years younger than her and um, But I’m a Cheerleader?

Really, the only reaction we can pull together is OH MY GOD, IS THIS A REAL THING. Did this happen. LESBIAN MARTIAL ARTISTS RESCUES UNDERAGE GIRLFRIEND FROM SEXUAL ORIENTATION CLASSES. Jesus Christ.

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Rachel

Originally from Boston, MA, Rachel now lives in the Midwest. Topics dear to her heart include bisexuality, The X-Files and tacos. Her favorite Ciara video is probably "Ride," but if you're only going to watch one, she recommends "Like A Boy." You can follow her on twitter and instagram.

Rachel has written 1142 articles for us.

33 Comments

  1. My current daydream: Lots of hot lady ninjas attacking the Mormon church.
    I know ninjas don’t practice tae kwon do, and it’s insensitive of me to picture that, but I’m doing it anyway.

    • Yes! I would totally read it!

      Except less romance and more ass-kicking pls.

      Except scrap that, I would totally write it!

      I stilled my body, only slightly breathless from the motions of the hyeong*.

      When they told me what had happened to her, I could not fight my instincts, ignore my base urges to attack, to strike, to cut my way through to her no matter how much blood I had to swim through to get there. But I had resolved never again to use my power in anger, the price was always too high**.

      I stared at my upturned palms, each one a palimpsest***. The marks of every chigi* struck, every limb snapped, every throat choked had been erased by caresses of my beloved. But now they had taken her, and my hands were wiped clean once more, ready to be inked with fresh violence.

      * interchangeable and possibly gibberish italicised martial arts terminology
      ** reference to ominous back-story which will confusingly turn the whole story on its head in penultimate chapter
      *** incongruous pretentious word used by delusional author pretending they are writing more than trashy pulp

      Anyone else want to join lesbian kung-fu trashy writing club?

      • i will pay you everything in my bank account to finish writing this masterpiece. granted i may only have £3.46 in my bank just now but it is EVERYTHING I HAVE.

        • Save your precious pennies, ducky.

          I’m sure I can finish it just as soon as I work out how to fit in the ghost of the protagonist’s former mentor/lover, a double-jointed shuriken-wielding arch nemesis, the word “peripatetic” and some telepathic nunchucks.

          • immeasurable bonus points for getting palimpsest (I didn’t care for that book either) and peripatetic plausibly into the same thread. I am awestruck.

      • wow. i didn’t want that little story to end. seriously hope you did write that story and post it somewhere so i can read it ;)

  2. Happens here in the Philippines a lot of times! Well, minus the martial arts part. There have been several reported cases and threats of kidnapping against “lesbian lovers”. Running away with the love of your life makes the love of your life a kidnapper.

  3. This is way to dramatic. Reading it I pictured an old school video game … Sj would be the hero who “infiltrates” the enemy camp (sexual orientation class) and kills bad guys left right and centre before reaching the ultimate level where (the princess) Tn is found and rescued.

    If this really happened … to much is elided to comment … however there’s enough to kick start the imagination ..haha … could we refer to Sj as Rambo or Chuck Norris even … after all she did take on an entire class by herself and came out victorious….nya a aaahhh …!

    • I pictured it as being directed by Quentin Tarentino. OR!!! This could be the lesbian version of Scott Pilgrim OMG WTF.

  4. So I initially read it as “lesbian marital artist”…. Maybe if we can’t get legally married we can call ourselves that as a way to work around it?

  5. You guys realize that now that Tn is free from True Directions, she and Sj are going to become a lesbian justice crime fighting detective team right? Travelling around being bad-ass and teaching women how to fight… and how to love?

  6. Posted this to my tumblr because Morgan Grenier told me about this::

    omfg ok so listen
    So once upon a month or so ago this Indonesian tae kwon jitsu instructor who was a total babe with tig o bitties but kinda muscular arms had an affair with her 15 year old student who was probably also a babe. The baby one was all “mom and dad i like girls and i’m in love with my sensei.” Mom and Dad were NOT having a non-baby-machine for a daughter so they sent her to gay camp or how-to-be-straight class or something. So then the babygirl was like “waaa i miss you sensei” and being the kinda jacked and totally agile indo-babe that she is was like “i got this” FUCKING KARATE CHOPPED HER WAY INTO THE GAY CAMP AND SAVED HER! Kidnapping charges and violation of the Indonesian homosexual age of consent rule are being pressed if they ever find wherever their shangri-la lover’s paradise is.

    Read about it here. The lead has a link to the full article, but my friend writes for autostraddle, so give them some dollars by clickin on diss.

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