Gender minority in disasters: social practice and role of Indonesian <i>waria</i> community in COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and response

Purpose This paper examines how the waria (transwomen) community in Indonesia – historically stigmatized and excluded – mobilized social practices and collective action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how the Kebaya Foundation, a transwomen-led organization in Yogyakarta, transformed marginalization into resilience, challenging traditional views of gender minorities as passive disaster victims. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative single case study approach was applied, focusing on the Kebaya Foundation's preparedness and response from 2020 to 2021. Data were gathered through document reviews and semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected participants, including staff, partners and beneficiaries. Guided by Bourdieu's social practice theory, the data were thematically analyzed to examine how habitus, capital and field shaped community-led disaster practices. Findings The study identified three interlinked dynamics – layered vulnerabilities, crisis reflection by community leaders and transformation of social into economic capital – that enabled the Kebaya Foundation to assume three roles: beneficiary, responder and partner. Despite systemic discrimination, the waria community demonstrated solidarity, leadership and adaptive capacity in responding to crisis. Practical implications Inclusive disaster governance should recognize gender-diverse communities as capable actors. Strengthening social networks and equitable partnerships can enhance their sustained participation in disaster risk reduction. Originality/value This paper is among the first in Indonesia to document transwomen-led disaster response in Indonesia, amplifying indigenous perspectives and advancing a call for grounded, inclusive and decolonized disaster scholarship.