This research explores the identity negotiation processes of Lengger Lanangperformers as a stigmatized cultural community within contemporary Indonesiansociety. Rooted in Javanese tradition, Lengger Lanang is a dance form performed bymale dancers in feminized expressions, often subject to cultural reverence andsociopolitical stigma simultaneously. Using Stella Ting-Toomey’s Integrative IdentityNegotiation Theory (IINT) as the primary analytical framework, this study examines howperformers navigate complex identity intersections of: gender nonconformity, traditionalroles, and public reception through four key dimensions: qualified knowledge of identity,environmental awareness, mindful attunement, and adaptive code-switching. Aqualitative methodology is employed, with data gathered through semi-structuredinterviews involving five key informants: two Lengger Lanang performers, an art curator,a journalist, and a strategic communication professional. This triangulation capturesdiverse perspectives across performance, media, and social strategy domains. Thefindings reveal that Lengger Lanang artists engage in a continual negotiation ofauthenticity and survival, balancing personal expression with social expectations. Theirstrategies of attunement and adaptation reflect both cultural resilience andcommunicative agency. The study contributes to the broader discourse on interculturalcommunication, queer identity in Southeast Asian performance, and the role oftraditional arts in contesting dominant social narratives. It underscores the importanceof recognizing traditional cultural expressions as dynamic sites of identity negotiation inmodern Indonesia.


Keywords: Identity, Negotiation, Stigma, Culture, Gender