LGBTQ News About Singapore

AsiaOne: Sex, drugs and the hard facts (Nov 9)

2008-11-09T14:48:00.000+08:00

Sex, drugs and the hard facts

In town last month to promote her work, Elizabeth Pisani, the London-based 44-year-old epidemiologist, is as unflinchingly honest in real life as she is in the book.
Tan Hui Yee

Tue, Nov 11, 2008
The Sunday Times

The speaker takes the microphone to address the handful of people at the corner of Page One bookstore. Please, he asks those milling around, take your seats for a session with the author.

No one stirs until a small, pixie-faced woman leans over the mike and announces: 'Sex and drugs in the corner! Sex and drugs in the corner!'

Peals of laughter break out. The seats fill up. The woman is Elizabeth Pisani. Her newly released book, The Wisdom Of Whores, gives an insider's view of the bloated Aids industry and it literally has a lot to do with sex and drugs.

In town last month to promote her work, the London-based 44-year-old epidemiologist is as unflinchingly honest in real life as she is in the book. The former Economist journalist, who spent more than 10 years tracking and fighting the spread of the disease in organisations such as the World Bank, UNAIDS and the World Health Organisation takes no prisoners as she attempts to pin down exactly what is wrong with the system.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids), she says, is 'completely preventable' with a condom and a clean needle. The HIV virus, which causes it, is spread mainly through sex, and drug addicts using infected needles.

But bureaucrats, religious leaders and politicians are squeamish about providing or promoting the use of the two relatively cheap items. Some even insist on making abstinence central to HIV prevention programmes.

'But discouraging sex is never a winning game. Sex is a lot of fun and people will go a long way to get it,' she says.

'Abstinence has no effect on preventing the spread of HIV. It sometimes delays the spread of HIV by about a year and a half, but it doesn't seem to have any effect at all on the overall levels of HIV.'

She also pokes fun at unrealistic pro-abstinence groups, one of which suggests on its website that people 'visit a nursing home' instead of having sex.

'Hmmm, visit a nursing home or have an orgasm? Now let me see...If we base our prevention programme around things which are so obviously absurd, we're going to get nowhere,' she declares.

'Absurd' is also the word she uses for the Singapore Government's move earlier this year to criminalise anyone who has reason to believe that he may be infected with the HIV virus and yet has sex with another person without first informing that person of the risk.

She says: 'I can't imagine a situation when you're in Batam for the weekend with your golf buddy and you're in the brothel, and you think: Oh, you know what, actually I won't have sex with this girl because otherwise if I don't tell my partner I might get into trouble. Or I will use a condom because otherwise...People don't think like that. It's impossible to regulate your way out of this problem.'

'Nothing,' she declares, 'gets in the way of common sense like erections and addiction.'

In her book, she suggests instead that the enforcement of condom use be put in the hands of those in power. The Thai government, for example, registered great success when it threatened to put out of business brothel owners who were lax in enforcing the use of condoms.

The scientist in her will not let political correctness get in the way of plain facts.

While she is derisive of religious zealots who try to paint Aids as a gay disease, she is equally critical of gay men who are lax in their use of condoms.

She writes in her book: 'HIV is not divine retribution for unprotected anal sex with lots of other people. It is simply a consequence of unprotected anal sex with lots of other people, in the same way that lung cancer is a consequence of smoking, and obesity is a consequence of eating fast food, drinking supersized Cokes, and getting in your truck to drive the 800 yards to church instead of walking.'

In Singapore, where heterosexual sex is the main source of HIV infection but gay sex accounts for the fastest-rising source of reported cases, 'the gay community should be very worried', she tells The Sunday Times.

'To say 'Oh, this isn't a gay problem' doesn't help reduce the stigma because in the end what you get is more disease.'

However, she notes that Section 377A of Singapore's penal code, which criminalises sex between men, makes it more difficult for gay men to seek the information they need to protect themselves.

Globally, the budget for Aids in developing countries has grown from a mere US$300 million (S$449 million) a year in 1996 to US$10 billion last year, but vast amounts of money are wasted because governments, for ideological or political reasons, are not focusing enough attention on the groups which need them most - gay men, sex workers and drug injectors.

For example, the United States, which budgeted US$4.2 billion for HIV in developing countries this year, does not allow federal funds to be used on clean needles for drug injectors.

Wastage also stems from the fact that many countries prioritise Aids treatment over other equally or more pressing health threats.

'Why should someone with HIV get free treatment when someone with lung cancer doesn't? The reason that distortion exists is because there is a massive international lobby for free HIV treatment. So developing countries, where a big proportion of the health budget comes from donors - and Indonesia is a classic case - very often spend a big proportion of their health budget on HIV.'

Asked about the provocative title of her book, she paid tribute to the transgender sex workers on the streets of Jakarta who provided her with the greatest insights after she went there seven years ago to work on HIV prevention.

She mentions in particular Ms Ines Angela, a sex worker in Jakarta who pointed out that surveys on sex workers were skewed because researchers were interviewing the least active individuals.

Ms Pisani relates, with a chuckle: 'She said, 'Any sex worker who is on the street talking to a research team is a sex worker who is not with a client... I'm never on a street corner, I'm with a client.'

'And I was like...she's right. Oh dear.'

After that, surveys on the sex workers were conducted through their internal hierarchies, with each district's leader gathering interviewees at her home in the daytime, when they were not working.

The other reason for Ms Pisani's choice of title is somewhat more grim. The budget to fight HIV/Aids worldwide has ballooned almost disproportionately in relation to the number of people suffering from the infection. The number of people living with HIV rose by 38 per cent between 1996 and 2006, but spending on HIV in developing countries surged 2,900 per cent over the same period.

This money, in turn, has attracted groups - some not entirely relevant to the cause - into vying for a piece of the pie.

She reflects: 'After nearly 15 years in this ever-better funded industry, more and more money is sloshing around, and more non-governmental organisations, United Nations organisations and international organisations are jumping into the cause. You see people bending over backwards to get HIV money. In the Aids industry these days, we're all whores.'

» Go to www.straitstimes.com for more on Ms Elizabeth Pisani.

The Wisdom Of Whores. Bureaucrats, Brothels And The Business Of Aids, published by Granta, by Elizabeth Pisani, is on sale at $40.66 (with GST) at major bookstores

This article was first published in The Sunday Times on Nov 9, 2008.

Oogachaga's Upcoming Family Forum

2008-11-07T18:49:00.000+08:00

*Me & My Family

Apart or A Part?*

Family is home. Family is where we develop our sense of self.

Does that change if …

you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (GLBT)?

your loved one is gay?

you are GLBT and have children of your own?

Join us and our panelists for an afternoon of lively conversations. Hear what
family means to them and share with us what family means to you.

Date: 29 November 2008, Saturday
Time: 2.30pm – 5.00pm
Venue: OnePeople.sg @ 381 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 (5 mins walk from Braddell MRT)

Admission is free

Register now at events@oogachaga.com and bring a
family member or friend!

This forum is proudly brought to you by OC and facilitated by Leow Yangfa, a
social worker.

For map of the event venue, please visit
http://www.oogachaga.com/talk29112008.html

365Gay: Singapore gays plan massive rally (Nov 7)

2008-11-07T12:33:00.001+08:00

(Singapore) Singapore’s LGBT community is planning a massive rally to celebrate gay pride and chastise the government for its tough stand on homosexuality.

The event will mark a loosening of tight controls on public demonstrations at Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park.

The rally is the brainchild of Roy Tan, a gay man who works in the health care industry. Tan, 50, originally planned to hold the event next week, but postponed it until next year, saying there had been such large LGBT interest he would need more time to organize it. Tan also said that he will form a committee with a number of those people who have offered help.

But he said that the event will be restricted to people from Singapore. Tan said that if foreigners were involved, it would require a police permit which might not be granted.

He said he hopes to hold a pride march around the park and then have speakers who would press for the repeal of anti-gay laws in Singapore.

Last October Singapore’s Parliament passed a sweeping revision of its penal law, eliminating sodomy as a crime for heterosexual couples but leaving in place provisions that could send gays to prison.

Under the law, anyone engaging in same-sex sodomy could face two years in prison, although police say no one has been charged in recent times.

Last August, Singapore banned a gay pride event, saying it ran counter to the city-state’s public morals.

In addition, censors refused to allow an LGBT book reading event that was to have been part of the pride celebration. A human rights forum was blocked. And a photography exhibit of of gays and lesbians was closed by police hours before it was to officially open.

The Media Development Authority balked at a book by author Ng Yi-Sheng about a young man’s fictional sexual adventures with older men including military officers and government officials.

The authority said that the book went beyond good taste and decency and disparaged public officers.

The human rights forum was to have featured Douglas Sanders, a professor emeritus in law at the University of British Columbia, Canada, and Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University.

The forum, titled “Sexual Orientation in International Law: The Case of Asia,” was deemed contrary to public interest.

The censorship board ordered the photo exhibition closed because it showed photos of gay men and women kissing. The board said that the show violated Singapore law because it promoted “a homosexual lifestyle.”

Earlier this year, the government fined two television stations that showed gay content.

One aired an episode of a home and decor series called “Find and Design” that featured a gay couple wanting to transform their game room into a new nursery for their adopted baby.

The other ran a commercial that showed two lesbians kissing.

ST: California bans gay marriage (Nov 6)

2008-11-06T18:46:00.000+08:00

LOS ANGELES - THOUSANDS of gay rights supporters took to the streets of Hollywood late on Wednesday outraged that California had voted to ban same-sex marriages.

The historic presidential win of Mr Barack Obama, who promises to be far more socially liberal than his predecessor, was therefore a bitter-sweet moment for California's gay community as a simultaneous referendum went against them.

Voters approved the constitutional amendment by a margin of 52.5 to 47.5 per cent, according to near complete results.

Known as 'Proposition 8,' the proposal was trumpeted by conservative groups as the people's way of overturning the legalization of gay marriage back in May.

For the gay community, however, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Angry crowds thronged the streets in central West Hollywood, the heart of Los Angeles' gay community, chanting slogans and waving signs.

'Stop the hate in 2008!' went one chant. 'Keep religion out of my Constitution!' was another.

Protestor Jason Louis wrote the words 'I am a victim of H-8' (H for Hate) on his bare chest.

The referendum circumvents a California Supreme Court ruling in May that legalizes gay marriage by amending the state constitution to add the phrase, 'Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognised in California.'

The court's May ruling overturned an earlier plebiscite in 2000, when 61 per cent of voters agreed marriage should be defined as only being between a man and a woman.

Fearing that Proposition 8 could be approved, thousands of same-sex couples rushed to tie the knot since Jun, and especially in the last days.

The ruling now leaves thousands of gay couples in a legal limbo.

Those couples include some celebrity marriages such as comedienne Ellen DeGeneres who wed her long-time girlfriend Portia de Rossi in Aug.

'I feel anger, I feel frustration,' Mr Louis, 34, told AFP. 'I just got married last Sunday, we did it two days before the Election Day because I knew that Yes on Prop 8 it could win. Now we don't know what is going to happen, but for sure it will be a long, long legal battle.'

Police said at least 2,000 people gathered for the march, but the crowd continued to swell after that estimate. Protestors included families with children and clerics from progressive churches.

A lesbian couple planned to file a new suit to prevent Proposition 8 from being implemented.

'The new lawsuit will contain a new and controversial legal argument as to why Prop 8 is unconstitutional,' said their attorney Gloria Allred said.

Japanese-American actor George Takei, who played Mr Sulu in the long-running series 'Star Trek' and who married his longtime partner Brad Altman in Sept, said his marriage would remain valid no matter what.

'There's nothing in the language of Proposition 8 that says it's retroactive, so our marriage is going to be valid,' he told a local TV channel.

'But what we're concerned about is the young people of the future.

'Proposition 8 will eliminate in the constitution of the state their options of really being who they want to be.'

Takei and Altman were the first couple to receive a marriage license in West Hollywood when California began issuing them to gay couples on Jun 17.

Hollywood stars including Brad Pitt and Steven Spielberg as well as multinational companies such as Apple campaigned against the ban, with donations of up to US$100,000 (S$148,343).

But supporters unleashed a flood of hard-hitting ads especially targeting the Hispanic community and its traditional Christian and family values.

The Los Angeles Times reported some 18,000 same-sex couples married in the past four and a half months.

Arizona and Florida also passed similar referendums by large margins on Tuesday, stating that marriage was the legal union between a man and a woman.

The largest was in Florida where 62 per cent of voters approved the measure compared to 38 per cent against.

In Arkansas, voters approved a ban on couples who live together without being married, whether gay or straight, from adopting or fostering children. -- AFP

ST: Penang police raid gay parties (Nov 4)

2008-11-04T05:19:00.000+08:00

Nov 4, 2008
Penang police raid gay parties
GEORGE TOWN (Penang): Malaysian police broke up four gay parties over the weekend and nabbed 70 people, some of whom were caught literally with their pants down.

Those detained included locals, Americans, Europeans and a Chinese national.

Police, in a blitz to weed out vice activities in George Town and in Seberang Jaya last Saturday, stumbled upon the parties specially organised for the men.

In the three-hour operation that started at 5.30pm, police raided a traditional massage parlour and a fitness centre in Midlands Park and two other fitness centres in Seberang Jaya.

The raiding party seized pornography DVDs, gay magazines, lubrication jelly and boxes of condoms found on the premises.

Police said the organisers had used legitimate businesses as their front to conduct the illicit activities in order to hoodwink the authorities.

George Town Deputy Superintendent of Police Gan Kong Meng said they arrested 29 men, including a Chinese national, at the massage parlour and fitness centre here during the 8.30pm raid. Many of them were naked when police walked into the joints.

The men, aged between 20 and 40, were arrested and questioned at the state police headquarters in Penang Road and were later released on bail.

'Those caught will be charged with gross indecency,' said DSP Gan, adding that police had raided the massage parlour and fitness centre five times in the past.

In Seberang Jaya, the police conducted the raid following public tip-offs and caught 41 suspects, including the Westerners.

The suspects were taken to the Seberang Jaya district police headquarters and had their statements recorded before being released on police bail.

Police are also looking for the owners of the two premises to prosecute them for allowing their premises to be used as vice dens.

There are no laws against homosexuality in Malaysia but acts such as sodomy and oral sex are illegal.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Sayoni Queer Women Survery 2008 Report

2008-11-03T18:41:00.000+08:00

Sayoni proudly presents Sayoni Queer Women Survey 2008 Report (Singapore).

Abstract

Objectives:

1.To gain some perspective on the actual needs of queer women, and what we
can do about them

2.To provide free and accessible information to researchers, and act as a
starting point for further research into the field

3.To ameliorate the dire lack of information on queer women in Singapore.
Currently, there is no proper understanding of how the women's queer
community functions, other than biased and disjointed personal views.

The survey is broken down into five main aspects. Questions in each category
are stream-lined and standardised for easy answering, by presenting most of
the questions as rating questions where possible.

1. Introduction

General background.

2. Family, Friends and Work

Questions on how out the respondent is in their various social circles, how
this group has reacted to the information, and the respondent's intention to
come out to that particular group.

3. Personal

Questions on a personal level relating to sexual orientation. Probes how the
respondents come to realise their sexuality, different aspects of personal
identity, and how their sexuality has affected them. Also includes
information on relationships of respondents.

4. Financial

Questions to ascertain the financial status of queer women as a community -
on income, occupation and industry, housing and car ownership.

5. Feedback on Sayoni and the community

Take note that the answers to these questions with the exception of two, are
not presented in this report as they are meant for internal feedback.

This survey was not carried out with a null hypothesis in mind, and much of
the information contained in this report is processed descriptive
statistics. Where possible, averages and trends have been pre-computed, and
presented along with a broad analysis of the data. This year, the data is
presented in a much more visual format, as opposed to raw numbers in the
pilot run of 2006.

In the report of 2006, the data was broken down across Age, Ethnicity and
Religion, as it is believed that these three different aspects affect the
average queer woman in her views and social situation with respect to her
sexuality. This year, due to the significant changes in methodology and
presentation, we have decided to omit the comparison by Ethnicity and
Religion, as the representation for minority ethnic groups is not high
enough to allow accurate comparisons.

Download the report here:
http://www.sayoni.com/surveyreport/ccount/click.php?id=4

--
The Sayoni Admin Team
www.sayoni.com
To Empower Asian Queer Women

ST: Gay protest postponed (Nov 1)

2008-11-01T05:17:00.001+08:00

Nov 1, 2008
Gay protest postponed
Speakers' Corner event on Nov 15 postponed to cater to strong response
By Kor Kian Beng
SINGAPORE's first outdoor gay protest at Speakers' Corner in Hong Lim Park on Nov 15 has been postponed to early next year.

Organiser Roy Tan, 50, a Singaporean who initiated the event, yesterday cited the overwhelming response from the gay community as a key reason for the date change.

The event was being postponed 'to ensure that all interested parties - straight, gay and queer - have the opportunity to participate in this landmark occasion', he said in a statement e-mailed to the media.

Many members of the gay community have expressed interest in taking part, he told The Straits Times when contacted.

A number of those who are backing the event also want to help him organise it, said Mr Tan, who works in the health-care industry.

An organising committee has now been set up.

Said Mr Tan: 'We're postponing it so we can have more time to organise a better event.'

He declined to comment on a new date, the number of interested participants and organisers, and whether there would be changes to the programme.

More details will be released later, he said.

Mr Tan registered with the National Parks Board (NParks) in September to stage the Nov 15 event.

He will now let the Nov 15 date lapse and make a fresh application closer to the new date.

When he first registered to stage the event, which he described as a GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual) pride parade, he said it would feature speeches on gay rights.

Participants would march around the park with placards to protest against Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises homosexual sex. There was also to be a public forum on the difficulties that gay Singaporeans here face.

Mr Tan said he was keeping the event as a Singaporeans-only activity. This was to avoid having to apply for a police permit, which is required if foreigners were to speak or participate in or organise activities at the park.

With the Government moving to relax the rules at Speakers' Corner as of Sept 1, applicants need only register online with NParks before they speak or stage a demonstration.

But they have to state the topic of their speech or demonstration, as issues such as race and religion remain out of bounds.

kianbeng@sph.com.sg

Time: The Gay Mafia That's Redefining Politics (Oct 31)

2008-10-31T18:44:00.000+08:00

Friday, Oct. 31, 2008
The Gay Mafia That's Redefining Politics
By John Cloud / Beverly Hills

A few weeks before Virginia's legislative elections in 2005, a researcher working on behalf of a clandestine group of wealthy, gay political donors telephoned a Virginia legislator named Adam Ebbin. Then, as now, Ebbin was the only openly gay member of the state's general assembly. The researcher wanted Ebbin's advice on how the men he represented could spend their considerable funds to help defeat anti-gay Virginia politicians.

Ebbin, a Democrat who is now 44, was happy to oblige. (Full disclosure: in the mid-'90s, Ebbin and I knew each other briefly as colleagues; he sold ads for Washington City Paper, a weekly where I was a reporter.) Using Ebbin's expertise, the gay donors — none of whom live in Virginia — began contributing to certain candidates in the state. There were five benefactors: David Bohnett of Beverly Hills, Calif., who in 1999 sold the company he had co-founded, Geo-Cities, to Yahoo! in a deal worth $5 billion on the day it was announced; Timothy Gill of Denver, another tech multimillionaire; James Hormel of San Francisco, grandson of George, who founded the famous meat company; Jon Stryker of Kalamazoo, Mich., the billionaire grandson of the founder of medical-technology giant Stryker Corp.; and Henry van Ameringen, whose father Arnold Louis van Ameringen started a Manhattan-based import company that later became the mammoth International Flavors & Fragrances.

The five men spent $138,000 in Virginia that autumn, according to state records compiled by the nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project. Of that, $48,000 went directly to the candidates Ebbin recommended. Ebbin got $45,000 for his PAC, the Virginia Progress Fund, so he could give to the candidates himself. Another $45,000 went to Equality Virginia, a gay-rights group that was putting money into many of the same races.

On Election Day that year, the Virginia legislature stayed solidly in Republican hands; the Democratic Party netted just one seat. But that larger outcome masked an intriguing development: anti-gay conservatives had suffered considerably. For instance, in northern Virginia, a Democrat named Charles Caputo (who received $6,500 from Ebbin's PAC) had beaten a Christian youth minister, Chris Craddock, by an unexpectedly large margin, with a vote of 56% to 41%. Three other candidates critical of gays were also defeated, including delegate Richard Black, who had long opposed gay equality in Richmond. Black had had no single donation as large as the $20,000 that Ebbin's PAC gave his opponent. "This was my ninth election campaign, and it wasn't unusual to have homosexuals involved," says Black, who now practices law. "But it was different, certainly, in degree. There had not been a concerted influx of money from homosexuals as a group before."

The group that donated the money to use against Black and the others is known as the Cabinet, although you won't find that name on a letterhead or even on the Internet. Aside from Bohnett, 52; Gill, 55; Hormel, 75; Stryker, 50; and Van Ameringen, 78, the other members of the Cabinet are Jonathan Lewis (49-year-old grandson of Joseph, co-founder of Progressive Insurance) and Linda Ketner, 58, heiress to the Food Lion fortune, who is running for Congress against GOP Representative Henry Brown Jr. of South Carolina.

Ketner's is something of a long-shot bid — her district has been reliably Republican for years — but recently Congressional Quarterly described her "suddenly strong run" against Brown as "the biggest surprise" in this year's House races. Ketner, who was invited to join the all-male Cabinet as a way of diversifying it, declined to discuss her role in the group.

Among gay activists, the Cabinet is revered as a kind of secret gay Super Friends, a homosexual justice league that can quietly swoop in wherever anti-gay candidates are threatening and finance victories for the good guys. Rumors abound in gay political circles about the group's recondite influence; some of the rumors are even true. For instance, the Cabinet met in California last year with two sitting governors, Brian Schweitzer of Montana and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, both Democrats; political advisers who work for the Cabinet met with a third Democratic governor, Wisconsin's Jim Doyle. The Cabinet has also funded a secretive organization called the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), which a veteran lesbian activist describes as the "Gay IRS." MAP keeps tabs on the major gay organizations to make sure they are operating efficiently. The October 2008 MAP report notes, for example, that the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force fails to meet Better Business Bureau standards for limiting overhead expenses.

According to the online databases Opensecrets.org and Followthemoney.org, the seven members of the Cabinet have spent at least $7.8 million on political races since the beginning of 2004, although their true level of giving is doubtless far higher, since Followthemoney.org — which is run by the nonpartisan National Institute on Money in State Politics — does not capture all contributions to PACs (for instance, the Cabinet money that went to Ebbin's PAC in 2005 doesn't show up on the website). The Cabinet spends at least as much each election cycle as does the PAC run by the Human Rights Campaign, the world's largest gay political group. And yet the Cabinet has operated in stealth, without accountability from watchdogs. (The Cabinet does not subject itself to MAP analysis.)

Cabinet spending shows up in races all over the country where pro-gay candidates have a good shot. For instance, Bohnett, Gill and Van Ameringen have given $143,000 this year to New York Democrats, who are within two seats of controlling the state senate. A Democratic New York legislature would likely approve equal marriage rights.

The Cabinet's Gill and Stryker have seen their money achieve remarkable results in their respective states, Colorado and Michigan. Stateline.org (a project of the Pew Charitable Trusts) reported that in 2006, Stryker gave "at least $6.4 million to candidates or political committees in at least a dozen states, including Michigan, where he can boast that Democrats gained a majority in the state house for the first time in 12 years." Some Cabinet members also donated tens of thousands of dollars in certain Iowa and New Hampshire races in 2006, when Democrats regained control of both states' legislatures. Those states' Democratic majorities now ensure that, among other things, efforts to amend the Iowa and New Hampshire constitutions to ban same-sex marriage will fail.

And yet the Cabinet is noteworthy not only because its treasure begets political influence but also because its very existence shows how dramatically the culture wars — and liberal politics as a whole — have changed in the past decade. Next summer gays will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the 1969 Manhattan demonstrations that began when cross-dressers angry about police raids at the Stonewall bar began throwing bottles and punches. Today, though, the street movement is basically defunct. And increasingly, the center of gay power is moving out from Washington toward the interior — toward powerful foundations like those run by Stryker in Kalamazoo and Gill in Denver. Since the beginning of 2001, Stryker's foundation, which is called Arcus and has offices in both the U.S. and the U.K., has given away $67 million, about three-quarters to gays and about one-quarter to apes. (Stryker, who got a pet monkey as a gift when he was young, is a major donor to the conservation of ape habitats.)

The Cabinet is emblematic of a larger shift on the left since 2004 in the direction of big-money politics, a shift most clearly seen in Barack Obama's refusal of public financing for his campaign. The Cabinet is only one of several flush, members-only liberal groups that have formed since 2004, the most famous (and richest) being the Democracy Alliance, whose sponsors include billionaires George Soros, Peter Lewis (father of Cabinet member Jonathan) and Pat Stryker (sister of Cabinet member Jon).

That raises questions: What does a civil rights movement look like in an era of massive wealth? Can you still inspire a grass-roots movement when all the street troops know that the billionaires can just write bigger checks? And is it possible that the left has become a movement as coldly obsessed with money as it always assumed the right was?

Gays may see the cabinet as powerful, almost numinous, but its own members see themselves as largely unorganized and highly independent. "It's a group of people who like and respect each other and their opinions," Ray Mulliner, a longtime Hormel adviser, told me recently. "It's nothing more than like-minded donors getting together to share strategies." When I mentioned that similar organizations on the right had received press scrutiny — I was thinking of the Arlington Group, a coalition of movement conservatives — Mulliner angrily rejected the comparison: "You have no reason to be curious about this. You're going to write a piece that's going to start a fire that needs to get put out, and it's going to cost a lot of money to put it out," he said.

The Cabinet first came together three or four years ago, according to Van Ameringen, as a "meeting place" for donors who wanted to use their money with greater strategic acumen. Gill got the idea for the group after he and Lewis attended a Democracy Alliance meeting. The donors felt they could accomplish more for gays if they shared information rather than operate as "silo" givers. Some members were frustrated that the established gay movement in Washington hadn't made greater progress in a society rapidly coming to see homosexuality as a mere variation rather than a moral degeneration.

Today it's difficult to find a gay organization that has not enjoyed the Cabinet's largesse. In 2007, for example, Stryker's Arcus Foundation gave away $11.8 million as part of its Gay and Lesbian Program. The money reached both big-name groups like the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (which got half a million dollars) and little organizations like the Actors Theatre Co. of Grand Rapids, Mich., which got $25,000 to produce a play called Seven Passages: The Story of Gay Christians.

The web of connections among the Cabinet members is complex. All the other members have donated the maximum amount allowed to Ketner's congressional campaign. Gill, Lewis and Stryker employ political advisers — respectively, Denver attorney Ted Trimpa; Paul Yandura, who worked in the Clinton White House's political-affairs office; and Lisa Turner, a former political director for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee — who regularly speak with one another and with others who work for Cabinet members.

There's nothing illegal about the Cabinet's coordination of its members' giving, according to Lawrence Noble, campaign-finance expert with the Washington-based firm Skadden, Arps. The contributions would be illegal only if the members agreed to give up control of their donations entirely or coordinated them directly with a campaign. There's no evidence of either; several people associated with the Cabinet made clear that its members make their donations without anyone's review. And yet as the National Review's Byron York has pointed out, Americans were horrified to learn during Watergate that Richard Nixon's friend Clement Stone had donated an outrageous $2 million in cash to the President's campaign. Cabinet members have spent at least five times that amount in various races in the past four years; the Soros-backed Democracy Alliance has spent probably 50 times that amount.

Still, it's hard to argue that the left in general and gays in particular should sit on their hands while foes outspend them. Strategically, the Cabinet makes sense; most people who defend its secrecy offer a Machiavellian understanding of ends and means. "I could lose a lot of sleep about it, and I do wonder why they have abandoned [gay] organizations that have a 35-year track record in order to have their own operations," says a seasoned Washington gay activist. "But if that's the way the rules of the game are being played, I need to maneuver within what the realities are."

The larger question is what role wealthy groups like the Cabinet will have in reshaping the politics of the left. There's been a great deal of (largely self-congratulatory) talk among liberals about the progressive movement's success in using new technologies to harness the netroots, to use the fashionable liberal argot. But there has been less reflection about what impact the great gobs of Sorosian money will have on the movement. Michael Fleming, a Los Angeles political macher who advises Cabinet member Bohnett, worries that rank-and-file gay people — the ones who might have picked up a rock at Stonewall — are increasingly relying on billionaires to cut checks. "Where is the outrage?" he asks.

The answer is that outrage has given way to smugness, the kind of self-satisfaction conservatives displayed after electoral successes in 1980 and 1994. Groups like the Cabinet and the Democracy Alliance suggest a new kind of moneyed progressivism, one that shows little of the class discontent that animated earlier strains of leftist thought. Is this a sign of maturation — throwing off radical excesses — or capitulation, a surrendering to the idea that efforts to reduce the power of money in our democracy have failed? Probably a little of both.

For its part, the Cabinet seems poised to prod the gay movement into being sleeker, faster, more tactical. When the remaining veterans of Stonewall march down Fifth Avenue next summer, those shimmeringly romantic, slightly foolish days of 1969 will have never seemed so distant.

TNP: HIV Postive? You Deserve It (Oct 30)

2008-10-30T01:02:00.001+08:00

'HIV-positive? You deserve it'

Infected man's mum slams him when he reveals condition. He now hides it from friends and colleagues.

Sat, Nov 01, 2008
The New Paper

By Benson Ang

HE is gay and HIV-positive.

In 2004, one evening during dinner, he broke the news to his family. His mother and elder brother were present.

He was advised by his doctor to break the news to his family so that they could react appropriately in case of an emergency.

James (not his real name), 38, said he was shocked by their reaction at the dinner table.

His dejected mother, in her 70s, first stared at him and asked: 'How did this happen?

He replied: 'Through sex.'

She shot back: 'Then, you've only yourself to blame.'

His brother kept silent throughout the conversation.

There was a deafening silence for the rest of the dinner, interrupted only by his mother's questions regarding the illness.

Frightened

From then on, his family members were so frightened of the virus that they even washed and stored the plates and utensils he used separately and kept them in a different place.

James, who works in the service industry, said: 'I know that sharing cutlery cannot transmit the virus. But because they had not much knowledge of this, I just played along to reassure them.'

This less-accepting attitude towards HIV-positive people was revealed in a recent Health Promotion Board (HPB) survey. This is the first large population-based survey of its kind, according to HPB.

Since the first HIV case in Singapore was detected in 1985, only one person has dared to come out as HIV-positive. The late Paddy Chew went public with his condition in 1998 and eventually died in 1999.

Which goes on to show that even after 10 years, the stigma associated with HIV patients still hasn't gone away.

Said James, who works in the service industry: 'It was a double whammy - telling them that I was gay and HIV positive.

'I think my mum was just devastated and traumatised. It took several months before she came around to accepting my condition.'

A year later, he moved out of his family flat to his own three-room flat.

It took his family about two years to come to terms with the illness and be comfortable with mixing their cutlery with his.

His mother began talking to him more frequently and things went back to normal.

He said he tested positive for HIV in 1996 through unprotected sex with a former lover.

So how did he manage to keep this secret for eight years? He said: 'This is nothing. People have kept secrets for their whole lifetime.'

The only people who know about his illness are his family, partner, and the HIV-positive people he came to know through an Action for Aids (AfA) support group. James joined the group in 2002 when he started on his medication.

Why did he take six years to start on medication when he knew he was already HIV positive?

He said: 'I felt healthy and was ignorant of the disease at that time.

(Page 1 of 2)

'It was only when I had a chest infection in 2002 that reality hit me.'

He said he has not revealed his condition to any of his friends and colleagues, despite having lived with HIV for 12 years.

He said: 'Singapore society is still very unaccepting of gay people, let alone those with HIV.'

So why isn't he revealing his status?

He says he is just being 'practical', since in Singapore, there are no laws protecting HIV-positive people from discrimination by their employers.

This was verified by three lawyers The New Paper spoke to.

James said that employers who may not know much about HIV may just terminate such employees out of fear.

He claimed that some of his HIV-positive friends told their bosses about their condition, and ended up being sacked 'for the minutest reason'.

He takes anti-retroviral drugs at home instead: twice daily - in the mornings and evenings - to combat the spread of the virus.

He does not have full-blown Aids, but sometimes experiences side effects from his medication, such as nausea, diarrhoea and skin problems.

And although he shops, eats, sings karaoke and goes to the movies with his HIV-negative friends, most of whom are gay men, none know about his condition.

James said: 'I haven't got the guts to tell them. I just act buat-bodoh (blur) when the subject comes up, because I don't know if they can really accept it or not.

'I just don't see the need to tell them, especially since news tends to have a roll-on effect.'

James suspects that he contracted the disease through unprotected sex with a former lover.

'But I can't be sure, so I don't want to point fingers.'

A few months later, he became 'very sick', and had to be hospitalised for six days.

A blood test confirmed his HIV status.

Life goes on

'At first, I felt down. But life goes on.'

He says he does not want to 'perpetuate the cycle' with his current partner of three years, who is HIV-negative. They use condoms.

Prior to sharing his secret, James said he asked his partner leading questions to see how accepting the latter was of people with HIV.

James revealed the truth only when he felt it was safe, a few months into the relationship.

James said: 'My partner cried. But two weeks later, he told me, 'No worries. We will go through it together.'

'This made life much easier.'

Added James: 'I'll never have a job again if I were to come out publicly in Singapore. I'll have more to lose.'

This story was first published in The New Paper on Oct 30, 2008.

Pelangi Pride Centre presents "The Celluloid Closet" and "Sex Change Soldier"

2008-10-28T18:38:00.000+08:00

Details at a Glance

Event: Screening of "The Celluloid Closet" and "Sex Change Soldier"
Date: Saturday, 08 Nov 2008 (081108)
Time: 4pm
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 drinks and finger food)
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre
http://www.pelangipridecentre.org/contact/contact.htm

RSVP - This event is by invitation only.
LIMITED to only 30 pax, prior registration is required.
For an invite - please email [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com]
with your name (in full), contact number, the name/s of your guests.

AFP: Malaysian religious council issues ban on lesbian sex (Oct 27)

2008-10-27T18:30:00.000+08:00

Malaysian religious council issues ban on lesbian sex

22 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — One of Malaysia's highest Islamic bodies has
banned females from dressing or behaving like men and engaging in
lesbian sex, saying it was forbidden by the religion.

The National Fatwa Council late Thursday issued its ruling following a
two-day meeting that discussed recent cases of young women apparently
behaving like men and exhibiting homosexual tendencies, state news
agency Bernama reported.

Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin told Bernama many young women
admired the way men dress, behave and socialise, violating human
nature and denying their femininity.

"It is unacceptable to see women who love the male lifestyle including
dressing in the clothes men wear," Abdul Shukor was quoted as saying.

"(Masculine behaviour) becomes clearer when they start to have sex
with someone of the same gender, that is woman and woman," he said.

"In view of this, the National Fatwa Council which met today have
decided and taken the stand that such acts are forbidden and banned,"
he said.

Male homosexuality, considered against the order of nature, is illegal
in Malaysia but lawyers say female homosexuality is technically
permissible as there are no provisions for it under the law.

The Fatwa Council does not have jurisdiction in civil law, but the
ruling appears to be an attempt to push female homosexuality towards
illegality.

Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, where more than 60 percent
of its 27 million people are Muslim Malays who practice a conservative
brand of the religion.

ST: Islamic clerics issue fatwa on tomboys (Oct 25)

2008-10-25T17:54:00.000+08:00

Oct 25, 2008
Islamic clerics issue fatwa on tomboys
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's main body of Islamic clerics has issued an
edict banning tomboys in the Muslim-majority country, ruling that
girls who act like boys violate the tenets of Islam, an official said
yesterday.

At a meeting on Thursday in northern Malaysia, the National Fatwa
Council forbade girls to behave or dress like boys, said Perak mufti
Harussani Idris Zakaria.

He said the council's ruling was not legally binding because it has
not been passed into law, but that tomboys should be banned because
their actions are immoral.

'It doesn't matter if it's a law or not. When it's wrong, it's wrong.
It is a sin,' he said. 'Tomboy (behaviour) is forbidden in Islam.'

Under the edict, girls are forbidden to sport short hair and dress,
walk and act like boys, he said. Boys should also not act like girls,
he said.

'They must respect God. God created them as boys, they must behave
like boys. God created them as girls, they must act like girls,' he said.

Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin said the ruling was prompted by
recent cases of young women behaving like men and indulging in
homosexual behaviour, according to the national news agency Bernama.
He did not elaborate.

A well-known Malaysian Muslim actress caused an uproar last year when
she shaved her head bald for a film called Muallaf (The Convert).

Mr Harussani and other muftis urged Muslims not to watch the movie,
saying that the actress had violated Islam by making herself look like
a man.

It was not immediately clear what kind of punishment awaited those who
violate the tomboy edict, or fatwa.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Today Weekend: Malaysian clerics issue edict to ban tomboys (Oct 25)

2008-10-25T17:53:00.000+08:00

M'sian clerics issue edict to ban tomboys

Weekend • October 25, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's main body of Islamic clerics has issued an
edict banning tomboys in the Muslim-majority country, ruling that
girls who act like boys violate the tenets of Islam, an official said
on Friday.

The National Fatwa Council forbade the practice of girls behaving or
dressing like boys during a meeting on Thursday in northern Malaysia,
said Mr Harussani Idris Zakaria, the mufti of northern Perak state,
who attended the gathering.

He said an increasing number of Malaysian girls behave like tomboys
and that some of them engage in homosexuality. Homosexuality is not
explicitly banned in Malaysia, but it is effectively illegal under a
law that prohibits sex acts "against the order of nature".

Mr Harussani said the council's ruling was not legally binding because
it has not been passed into law, but that tomboys should be banned
because their actions are immoral.

"It doesn't matter if it's a law or not. When it's wrong, it's wrong.
It is a sin,"Mr Harussani told AP. "Tomboy (behaviour) is forbidden in
Islam."

Under the edict, or "fatwa", girls are forbidden to sport short hair
and dress, walk and act like boys, Mr Harussani said.

Boys should also not act like girls, he said. "They must respect God.
God created them as boys, they must behave like boys," he said.

Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin said the ruling was prompted by
recent cases of young women behaving like men and indulging in
homosexuality, according to the Bernama news agency. AP

HIV/AIDS Talk at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church

2008-10-25T07:10:00.000+08:00

Women who Love Women Documentary Now Online!

2008-10-20T10:32:00.002+08:00

If you missed the screenings at Pelangi Pride Centre, Singapore International Film Festival and Sinema, here's your chance to watch it!

Video at womenwholovewomensingapore.blogspot.com

Boston Globe: Connecticut Supreme Court legalises same-sex marriage (Oct 10)

2008-10-10T17:49:00.000+08:00

The Boston Globe
10 October 2008

Connecticut Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage

By Michael Levenson and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

Connecticut became the third state to legalize same-sex marriage today
in a 4-3 decision by the state Supreme Court.

In an 85-page decision issued at 11:30 a.m., the court struck down a
law barring same-sex marriage, ruling that the state had "failed to
establish adequate reason to justify the statutory ban."

The justices noted in the majority opinion that they recognized "as
the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court did in Goodridge v. Dept. of
Public Health … that 'our decision marks a change in the history of
our marriage law.' "

The case, Kerrigan v. the state Commissioner of Public Health, was
brought by eight same-sex couples who were denied marriage licenses by
the Madison town clerk. They argued that the state's civil union law
was discriminatory and unconstitutional because it established a
separate and therefore inherently unequal institution for a minority
group. Citing equal protection under the law, the state Supreme Court
agreed.

"In accordance with these state constitutional requirements, same sex
couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry," said the majority
opinion, which was written by Justice Richard N. Palmer.

State Senator Andrew J. McDonald, cochairman of the state Assembly's
Judiciary Committee, said he believes that gay couples will be allowed
to marry in 20 days, barring attempts by opponents to delay the ruling
with procedural maneuvers. He said he expects the Assembly to update
the state's marriage laws when members reconvene in January, without
much opposition.

"I continue to expect a bipartisan effort to eradicate any remaining
vestiges of discrimination," McDonald said, hailing the ruling as a
"dramatic reaffirmation of Connecticut's commitment to civil rights
and equality for all of her citizens."

"The court has seen through many of the diversionary arguments of our
opponents," McDonald said, "and has firmly established that
discrimination in any context and in any form is unacceptable and
unconstitutional."

Peter J. Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of
Connecticut, which opposes same-sex marriage, blasted the ruling.

"The decision is an outrage," Wolfgang said in a telephone interview.
"It is essentially a handful of judges acting as if they were rogue
masters usurping the democratic process in Connecticut and radically
redefining marriage by judicial fiat."

Wolfgang said that "our only shot" to stop same-sex marriage is to
push for passage of a ballot question that will appear before
Connecticut voters next month.

Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell said in a statement that she would
abide by the decision even though she disagreed with the court because
of her belief that "marriage is the union of a man and a woman."

"The Supreme Court has spoken," Rell said. "I do not believe their
voice reflects the majority of the people of Connecticut. However, I
am also firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision --
either legislatively or by amending the state Constitution – will not
meet with success."

Connecticut joins California and Massachusetts, which became the first
state to allow same-sex marriage in 2004.

In a scathing 25-page dissenting opinion today, Justice Peter T.
Zarella wrote that "there is no fundamental right to same sex marriage."

"The ancient definition of marriage as the union of one man and one
woman has its basis in biology, not bigotry," Zarella wrote. "If the
state no longer has an interest in the regulation of procreation, then
that is a decision for the legislature or the people of the state and
not this court."

In a dissenting opinion written by Justice David M. Borden and signed
by Justice Christine S. Vertefeuille, the judges wrote that, contrary
to arguments made by the plaintiffs, Connecticut's civil union law is
not discriminatory.

"The development of the law in this state dealing with sexual
orientation demonstrates that the legislature had no intention, in
passing the civil union statute, to encourage discrimination against
or to stigmatize homosexuals," the judges wrote. "On the contrary,
that history supports the conclusion that the legislature has been
working toward the eventual passage of a gay marriage bill, and that
the civil union statute was an important step in that process."

In 2005, Connecticut became the first state to establish civil unions
without a court order, but that measure did not end the same-sex
marriage debate. The eight gay couples who were denied licenses sued
the state Department of Public Health, which oversees marriage
registrations.

Following the governor's lead, there appeared to be little appetite in
the Assembly to fight the ruling.

State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, a Republican of Fairfield,
issued a statement today saying: "While I believe these decisions are
better left to elected representatives, it is ultimately the province
of the State Supreme Court to interpret our constitution. The Court
carried out that responsibility today and ruled that the institution
of marriage in Connecticut must include same-sex couples. Whether
people agree or disagree, we all need to respect the Court's decision
and abide by the ruling."

At the Family Institute of Connecticut, Wolfgang said that next
month's ballot question asked voters whether the state should hold its
first constitutional convention in 40 years. If the measure passes,
Wolfgang said, activists opposed to gay marriage will press the
Legislature to pass a constitutional amendment that would define
marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The measure would then
need approval from the voters, and the soonest it could be ratified
would be two years, he said.

"Our only shot is to get a yes vote on Election Day," Wolfgang said.
"That is our one opportunity to let people have the same remedy here
in Connecticut as they have out in California," where voters are also
scheduled to take up a ballot amendment next month that would ban
same-sex marriage.

Herstory Presents "Do You Know the Lyrics" (Oct 9)

2008-10-09T17:05:00.001+08:00

LOCATION : St James Power Station
3 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098544
DATE : 9 Oct 2008
TIME : 9pm - 3am

Herstory- DO YOU KNOW THE LYRICS?
@The Boiler Room
Herstory presents the first game show - DO YOU KNOW THE LYRICS? 6 Bold contestants take centrestage at The Boiler Room to challenge for $500 worth of CASH & Prizes. Come & support the contestants and watch them battle it out along side with Gino & Soul Kool Band. Semi Final round on 9 October at 11pm. See you @The Boiler Room!
Party Theme: Hip Hop & Funky!

Women's Nite 25th October 2008: So, what do you do?‏

2008-10-08T17:45:00.000+08:00

You've heard such arguments before. You've heard that you:
grew up without a father figure
hate men
and threaten family values.

Ever felt the urge to fight such fallacies but don't know how? Come join us
at Women's Nite as we find out how to set the record straight.

***
Women's Nite October 2008
Saturday 25th October, 7pm
Venue (in Singapore) will be disclosed upon registration.

Limited to 30 invites, so please register with your full name, contact
number, the full name/s of your guests, if any, and the type of halal food
or drink you would be contributing to the potluck.

Although Women's Nite is open to women of all orientations, please let us
know if you are straight, or are bringing along straight guests, so that we
can be sensitive to the needs of all women present.

Please send your details to women.snite@gmail.com [women dot snite at gmail
dot com]

Registration closes at midnight 24th October 2008

***

About Women's Nite

Women's Nite provides a safe, neutral and alcohol-free space for lesbians
and bisexual women in Singapore to discuss the issues relevant to their
lives.

The event, held on the last Saturday of every month, was started in December
2003. Over a potluck dinner, we hold discussions on wide ranging topics like
self acceptance, homophobia, relationships and identity. We also invite
special guests to field questions on legal rights and sexual health, and
conduct art and dance therapy nights.

To check out the past months' events, or find out more, please go to
http://women_snite.livejournal.com
To get email updates on each month's event, please visit
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
women_snite to join our mailing list.

As far as possible, we would like to keep this space commercial free. To
advertise events and projects, please email us at
women.snite@gmail.com

Today: Murder charge reduced against those in Orchard Towers brawl (Oct 7)

2008-10-07T17:47:00.000+08:00

Murder charge reduced against those in Orchard Towers brawl
07 October 2008 2324 hrs (SST)
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/381036/1/.html

SINGAPORE: It was a night of revelry, as six friends – all gang
members aged from 17 to 28 – gathered at a pub in Orchard Towers on
November 23, 2007 to celebrate a birthday.

But the gathering ended in tragedy when a brawl broke out, and by 6am,
a 37-year-old stranger was pronounced dead after being kicked and
punched by the six friends.

The sextet – namely Ahmad Nur Helmy, Muhammed Ridhwan Mohammed Roslan,
Helmi Abdul Rahim, Ho Ching Boon, Lai Chee Kuen and Muhammed Suffian
Zainal – were collared in a matter of days after the incident, and
charged with the murder of Mr Suhaimi Sulong.

On Tuesday, they appeared at the Subordinate Court and pleaded guilty,
but to a lesser charge – voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

The charges were probably downgraded because the attack was not
premeditated, explained one lawyer.

With friends and family crowding the packed courtroom, all six
remained emotionless even as Deputy Public-Prosecutor (DPP) Samuel
Chua unveiled the gruesome details of the attack on Mr Suhaimi.

The fight took place at around 5am near Brown Sugar, a pub on the
second floor. According to court documents, the fracas began when Ho,
18, and Lai, who at 17 was underaged, left the pub after they spotted
police officers performing checks.

While they were waiting outside the pub for their friends to turn up,
Mr Suhaimi approached the duo and began making lewd comments and
offering sexual services. The teenagers decided to ignore him and head
back to the club.

At about 4am, Mr Suhaimi approached Ahmad Nur Helmy – the birthday boy
– while he was in the toilet, exposing himself to the 20-year-old in
the process. Angered, Ahmad summoned his friends and they confronted
the victim.

Eyewitnesses said the group began chasing after Mr Suhaimi while
shouting "jangan lari", which meant "don't run" in Malay. They also
asked Mr Suhaimi if he was a homosexual.

But when he didn't answer and tried to flee, Ahmad grabbed the
victim's T-shirt and began kicking and punching him.

Although the rest initially tried to break up the fight, they
eventually joined the fray and began throwing a volley of kicks on Mr
Suhaimi.

They then dragged Mr Suhaimi down to the first-floor entrance and
threw him into a taxi, court documents said.

By then, the victim was motionless and bloodied from the attack. He
had also sustained head injuries and was taken unconscious to the
Singapore General Hospital by ambulance.

The victim was pronounced dead at 6.02am and an autopsy later revealed
that he had died from blunt force injuries to his head and neck.

Over the next few days, police arrested his attackers. On November 27,
Helmi Abdul Rahim, 28, surrendered himself to the authorities.

The six men, all out on bail, are due to appear in court on October 28
for sentencing. All six face imprisonment for a term which may extend
to 10 years, and they may also be fined or caned.

- TODAY/so

Today: 'V' for Victory (Oct 5)

2008-10-05T17:22:00.000+08:00

`V' for victory
A lively, comedic takeon a quiet classic:
Mayo Martin
mayo@mediacorp.com.sg

YOU'VE seen one, you've seen them all, the saying goes. Not so with
this version ofThe Vagina Monologues (TVM).

Despite this reviewer's initial doubts on the wisdom of choosing an
arguably over-exposed piece as an inaugural production for new
theatre company Zebra Crossing, director Loretta Chen has admirably
eschewed conventions for a unique take on TVM (which is not an easy
thing considering how notoriously hands-on the playwright Eve Ensler
is).

Instead of three performers, there are nine. Sombre and minimalist?
No, thank you, we're having fun.

Hence, monologues are shuffled around, public service announcements
flashed onscreen along with video interviews of three prominent
theatre personalities on motherhood, a clinical "vagina workshop" is
re-imagined as an army bootcamp led by a hyperactive drill sergeant
with a French accent, shrill "schoolgirls" descend on the audience
waving their (unused) sanitary napkins, and, seemingly out of
nowhere, someone actually does a sexy pole dance. Naughty,
naughty ...

Barring uneven scene transitions, (opening night jitters, most
likely) TVM was without a doubt a lively theatrical ride. There was
a conscious effort to localise the experience, with phrases in
Tamil, Malay and Chinese dialects thrown around.

That said, the flashy approach tends to occasionally distract,
diffusing some of the more intimate, disturbing moments of what is
by nature a confessional piece of text.

Despite a few over-the-top moments, new talent Eleine Ng showed a
flair for the comedic with her scene depicting the various ways of
moaning.

Soul singer Asha Edmund's own spiels on, er, hair "down there" and
how to pronounced "c**t" were tight and snappy. Transsexual Elnina
recounting a transformative experience was a bit too dramatic but
intense, nevertheless.

My favourite was veteran actress Loke Loo Pin deadpanning her way
through a monologue as a dignified old lady recounting her first
sexual awakening. Too shy to even say the word "vagina", she flashes
a "V" sign instead — which could very well stand for the
word "victory", too.

While Chen's approach was a little too much for a play whose power
lies in the intimacy that monologues offer, we're inclined to give
it a "V" sign for being fun and, more important, fresh.

The Vagina Monologues runs until Oct 12,8pm, at Drama Centre
Theatre,National Library. With 3pm matinees.Tickets from $17 to $57
at Sistic. Rating: R18.

ST: Joy and tears of being women (Oct 4)

2008-10-04T17:20:00.000+08:00

Oct 4, 2008
Joy and tears of being women
From first menstrual cramps to love and sex, this feminist play is
fun-filled and thoughtful
By tara tan

reviewtheatre
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES
Zebra Crossing
Drama Centre Theatre @ National Library
Last Thursday

This is Dim Sum Dollies-meets-Oprah - stories about love, family and
sex doused with tears and showered with laughter.

Eve Ensler's landmark play, The Vagina Monologues, played here by nine
women, is a series of vignettes that grapple with female issues from
domestic abuse to the first menstrual cramp.

Directed by Loretta Chen, this play had no qualms about its anti-men
slant: Father figures or male lovers are largely absent in this play.

Powerful feminist statements were made, such as chanting a certain
derogatory word (that rhymes with 'aunt') to reclaim it as a word of
worth.

Although the pacing in the first half was jerky, it hit a home run
with Loke Loo Pin's monologue, Because He Liked To See It. Playing an
elderly woman coming to terms with her vagina, a word she can't even
bring herself to say, Loke's deadpan humour - delivered with
impeccable comic timing - was a lethal combination.

Another very funny scene was between a lesbian sex worker (played by
Sabrina Chong) and a geeky girl on the cusp of sexual discovery
(Eleine Ng) with their inventory of orgasmic soundtracks.

In another scene, transsexual Elnina's brutally honest telling of the
trials and tribulations she endures was heartbreaking. The inclusion
of this monologue, taken from another of Ensler's plays, added a
significant dimension to this work.

Elizabeth Tan's young girl who goes through childhood sexual abuse but
finds salvation with an older woman in The Coochie Snorcher That Could
gave me mixed feelings, however.

Presented as a Dear Diary monologue, the text was hard-hitting but Tan
seemed joyfully detached from her past. Having said that, the actress
later put in an emotional turn in the role of an abused wife.

However, the series of short monologues sometimes felt too abrupt,
with its transitions shaky and irreverent. The music was also often
overly sentimental.

It did not seem as hard-hitting as previous versions staged in
Singapore. For instance, the scene dealing with genital mutilation was
played out with a video on butchery and accompanied with statistics.
In Li Xie's The Vaginalogue in 2003, which was based on the same play,
Li carved and sewed up a hunk of raw meat on stage, a visceral image
that is seared in my memory still.

Kudos to Chen for letting her nine performers' individual
personalities shine through. Most women would be able to identify
facets of themselves in them.

Also, intriguing directorial decisions gave this piece an added edge,
like how wealthy socialities laughingly exchanged stories of spousal
abuse at a lush party.

The Vagina Monologues is an enjoyable, fun and thoughtful production,
a should-see for women and their men.

taratan@sph.com.sg

watch it

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

R18 (Adult Content & Strong Language)

Who: Zebra Crossing
When: Till Oct 12, 8pm (no shows on Monday), Sat & Sun matinees at 3pm
Tickets: $17 to $57 from Sistic (log on to www.sistic.com.sg or call
6348-5555)

RedQueen Celebrates 10 years!

2008-10-04T17:07:00.000+08:00

*where - Pelangi Pride Centre
*when - 4th October 2008
*time - 8.30pm

*for women only

*by rsvp only

*please rsvp to [redqueen underscore at hotmail dot com] with your
full name and a contact number.

CONGRATULATIONS REDQUEEN! WELL DONE! :)

Herstory Newsletter

2008-10-01T17:18:00.001+08:00

Herstory @The Boiler Room
09 Oct 2008
Herstory presents the first game show - DO YOU KNOW THE LYRICS? 6 Bold contestants take centrestage at The Boiler Room to challenge for $500 worth of CASH & Prizes. Come & support the contestants and watch them battle it out along side with Gino & Soul Kool Band. Semi Final round on 9 October at 11pm. See you @The Boiler Room! You know you won't want to miss this.

Collect the NEW Herstory Party Card
Never miss a great party again with this newly launched Herstory Party Card.
Specially for all Herstory Parties Supporters, collect the NEW Herstory Party Card and claim your perks.

Herstory has lined-up a year's worth of great fun and surprises for you. Collect a stamp each time you attend our Herstory party. Every 3 stamps will entitle you to a FREE entry to our party. Get all 9 stamps and you will receive a fabulous mystery gift! (It's so good that you must own it, serious!)

Party on grrls, and we'll see you there.

Sign up for 1 Year of Herstory BLACK to receive:
Privilege online surfing @www.herstory.ws
Herstory Black Membership Card valid for 1 year
1 FREE Party Entry Pass
Roxy beach bag
LePride's Car Decal

Don't miss Herstory Grrls Only Party happening at ZOUK and The BOILER ROOM at St James Power Station on 2nd Thursday of every month.

Whether you want to sit and chat or dance and cruise, you're guaranteed to find something you'll like at Herstory Party. See ya..

Showtime
Herstory - DO YOU KNOW THE LYRICS? starts at 11.00pm
Performance by Soul Kool Band at 11.30pm

Party Theme
Hip Hop and Funky!

Programme Highlights
Chillout 9pm-10pm
Showtime - DO YOU KNOW THE LYRICS? 11.00pm
Performance by Soul Kool Band at 11.30pm
Chart Topping Hip Hop and Sexy R&B Dance Music 12am-2.30am (by The Boiler Room resident DJ)
Pop Hits Dance Music till 3am (by The Boiler Room resident DJ)

Drinks Promotion
One for One on all standard housepour 9pm-10pm

Admission
No Cover Charge
Applies to all members/non members
Herstory Members - $5
Non Herstory Members - $10
Entry for men - Subject to Approval at Door ($15)
POLICY : Mainly womyn with men as guests

Table Reservations
Email: party@herstory.ws
SMS: +65 91700517

LOCATION
St James Power Station
3 Sentosa Gateway
Singapore 098544

MRT / BUS
Harbour Front Station

OPENING HOUR
9pm - 3am
Every 2nd Thursday Monthly

BlogTV Episode 5: Am I Gay? (Sept 30)

2008-09-30T17:09:00.001+08:00

From the BlogTV website

Episode 5: Am I gay?
Catch it on Tuesday, 30 September at 8:30 pm on Channel NewsAsia

When you were 16, perhaps younger, and beginning to understand
yourself better – what happens when you find that unlike your
classmates you are different? You're not attracted to the opposite sex?

A poll was conducted in 2007 and of the 187 secondary school respondents:

* 33% felt that homosexuality was wrong
* More than 35% felt that homosexuals were responsible for passing AIDS
* 42% blamed gay people for paedophilia

This poll raises the issue of whether there is enough frank talk about
homosexuality among younger students. Is the topic of homosexuality
still taboo in schools, and are schools doing enough to educate
students about their sexual orientation? Or is it a case of 'if I
don't talk about it, it ain't there.'

This week BlogTV turns the spotlight onto sex education. Is it enough
to just discuss safe sex? Should we not be discussing all the
different sexualities as well? How educational is our sex education
system anyway? And seriously, should teachers be teaching sex amidst
history, English literature etc?

We ask these questions and more as we attempt to answer the question
that might occur to every adolescent at least once - am I Gay?

With our guests, we look away from excuses and seek answers to see if
our education for youths needs to be revamped to include alternative
perspectives.

You can also catch a repeat of the programme at these following times:
30th September, 11.30pm
1st October, 1.30pm
2nd October, 5.30pm

ST: 8 questions with... Loretta Chen (Sept 29)

2008-09-29T17:14:00.000+08:00

Sep 29, 2008
8 questions with... Loretta Chen
Wild thing
First, an Annabel Chong play. Now, The Vagina Monologues. Loretta Chen
is big on taboos
By tara tan

Theatre director Loretta Chen, 31, is a political animal who pushes
boundaries on and off the stage.

Her controversial play about Singaporean porn star Annabel Chong, 251,
got people talking when it was staged in April last year.

She is also an active member of the Young PAP and posed questions
about censorship to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at a youth dialogue
last year.

Chen was recently nominated by DrTeo Ho Pin, mayor of North West
district, to be in the North West Community Development Corporation's
executive committee.

Her current project is Eve Ensler's feminist play, The Vagina
Monologues, which opens on Wednesday. The play also marks the
inaugural show of her new company, Zebra Crossing.

Here is a little-known fact: She is also the baby sister of television
actor Edmund Chen.

'As a 10-year-old, I used to tag along to all his filming sessions,'
chuckled Chen, who is 14 years younger than her brother.

'That was what got me hooked on performances: seeing my big brother
turn into someone else on screen.'

Born to a clerk and a housewife, Chen, who grew up in a two-room flat
in Tanglin Halt, calls herself 'a complete accident'.

'My dad was 41 and my mum was 39 when they had me. Eric, my second
eldest brother, is only three years apart from Edmund,' said Chen.

She went on to study theatre studies at the National University of
Singapore, where she now teaches part-time while pursuing her
doctorate on queer performances staged in Singapore.

In 1999, she headed to University of London's Royal Holloway for her
master's, before starting on her doctorate at the University of
California in Los Angeles where she lived for over two years.

She returned to Singapore in 2002 and went on to garner a Life!
Theatre Awards nomination for Best Director for Ten Brothers, a cheeky
retelling of a Chinese folktale about 10 siblings who each possesses a
different superpower.

1. What draws you to controversial plays?

I am drawn to material which is overlooked in mainstream society and I
question why people react to it that way.

The contents often centre on fascinating personalities such as strong
women, as well as issues I feel very much for.

2. I hear you are quite superstitious. Is that why you are dressed in
all white today?

Yes, my geomancer told me it is my lucky colour. I just thought, what
the heck. I bought a white car, lots of white clothes, then white
shoes and white bags to match.

When I was harbouring thoughts of starting a theatre company, I got my
fortune told in a temple in China that said I should start my business
with my close friends, which I did.

3. Why name your theatre company Zebra Crossing?

(Laughs) I have a theory for that. We spend a lot of time on the road,
where people have little patience or much space.

At zebra crossings, however, traffic ceases to exist and only people
matter. No matter how important the driver is or how big the car, you
have to stop for the pedestrian.

Zebra Crossing will produce all sorts of theatre, from Broadway
musicals to newly commissioned works.

4. What does theatre mean to you?

When I was studying in California in 2002, my partner committed
suicide. Theatre, in a way, helped me deal with this very difficult
time. I was able to look at it as if it was a scene from my life's play.

Sometimes, when something melodramatic happens to you, you need to be
able to distance yourself and look at it with some objectivity.

5. What was your childhood like?

I grew up in a working-class family but I always had enough even
though we were not very rich. The house was full of love.

I never felt poorer than my classmates, who were always jetting off on
holidays to the United States or Europe.

I had nice pencil cases and birthday parties at McDonald's. Thinking
back, all these must have cost my parents quite a bit but they gave
them to me so I was never in want of anything.

6. What do you think makes a strong woman and do you think of yourself
as one?

To me, a strong woman is someone who says she can do anything she puts
her mind to. Sometimes, it takes more strength to be able to say you
are wrong or you are not good at something.

As a director, I rely on my collaborators. I have ideas but need
talented people to carry them out. We directors are useless without
them behind us.

7. What made you join the Young PAP?

If you want to make a change, you have to actively make it and that
means working within the political avenues.

Some people get quite disheartened, cynical and feel powerless because
they keep criticising from the outside.

I say: Jump in and fight for what you believe in. Theatre is a great
platform for me to be politically aware and socially involved while
still being creative.

8. Complete this sentence. If I could live my life all over again,
Iwould...

Not change it at all. I needed to go through my life the way I did.

On a lighter note, however, I wished I went for my bunion operation
earlier. I am going for it next month but now my feet look funny.

taratan@sph.com.sg

book it

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES
(Rated R18 for adult content and strong language)

Who: Zebra Crossing
When: Wednesday to Oct 12 (except Mondays and Sundays) at 8pm.
Matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm
Where: Drama Centre Theatre @ National Library Building
Tickets: $17 to $57 from Sistic (log on to www.sistic.com.sg or call
6348-5555)

TNP: 'Hong Lim Green' to turn somewhat pink (Sept 26)

2008-09-26T17:11:00.000+08:00

'Hong Lim Green' to turn somewhat pink
Organiser plans gay pride parade at Speakers' Corner
HONG LIM Park (once called Green) is open for demos of all shades and hues (except unlawful ones, of course).
By Andre Yeo
26 September 2008

HONG LIM Park (once called Green) is open for demos of all shades and
hues (except unlawful ones, of course).

So it is no surprise that the gay lobby here wants to use it in
November to make a statement.

Riding on the new, relaxed rules on protests at the park's Speakers'
Corner, Mr Roy Tan, 50, is planning a gay pride parade. But the
response to it has so far been uncertain.

Mr Alex Au, 55, one of the leaders of gay advocacy group, People Like
Us, likes the idea but he questions if it should be called thus.

He said: 'I am sceptical of calling it a parade if they can't walk
down the streets. A parade requires linear movement.'

Ms Jean Chong, 32, a lesbian who is self-employed and also from People
Like Us, said she was aware of the parade but was not sure if she
would be attending.

She told The New Paper: 'I think most of them (the gay community) are
standing on one side and thinking about it.

'Most don't see Hong Lim Park as a big step towards more freedom. It's
a form of tokenism.

'On the one hand, they feel they want to support it (the parade). But,
on the other hand, they are against the concept of Hong Lim Park
because you should have the right to demonstrate anywhere.'

Following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally speech
to slowly liberalise the political scene here, rules were changed such
that from 1 Sep, public demonstrations can now be held at Speakers'
Corner as long as they do not touch on race or religion.

Organiser Mr Tan, 50, who works in the healthcare industry, said: 'I
thought it would be good for someone to organise the first pride
parade and, hopefully, it would be the first of many and be part of
the cultural landscape.'

Mr Tan said that even if he were the only one at the park for the
event, he would march round the place holding a placard on Section
377A - a section of the penal code that criminalises gay sex.

Mr Tan said he would be marching three times round the park singing We
Shall Overcome, a civil rights anthem, to represent the struggle for
equality.

He expected people to come but he did not think many would be marching.

He said: 'Many people are not prepared to do it at the moment. The
first step is the most difficult one.'

The management of Speakers' Corner used to be under the police, but
now comes under the National Parks Board (NParks).

Demonstrators only need to register on the NParks website.

Yesterday, an NParks spokesman confirmed that it had received a
registration for a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual pride parade
at the Corner on 15 Nov.

It is slated to last from 3 to 7pm.

According to the NParks website, Singapore permanent residents can
also take part in a demonstration at Speakers' Corner and are required
to apply for a police permit only if they want to organise a
demonstration themselves or to speak at the Corner.

Foreigners will have to apply for a permit to conduct or take part in
any activity at the Corner.

Women's Nite 27th September 2008: Don't Shy, Just Ask!‏

2008-09-20T16:59:00.000+08:00

What do gay women look like?
Where are good places to meet other women?
Help! I'm in love with my best friend, should I tell her?

Brimming with questions but can't find the answers?

Join Women's Nite this month as we take a shot at them. We promise no quick
fixes but lots of fun as we figure them out together!

***

Women's Nite September 2008
Saturday 27th September, 7pm
Venue (in Singapore) will be disclosed upon registration.

Limited to 30 invites, so please register with your full name, contact
number, the full name/s of your guests, if any, and the type of halal food
or drink you would be contributing to the potluck.

Although Women's Nite is open to women of all orientations, please let us
know if you are straight, or are bringing along straight guests, so that we
can be sensitive to the needs of all women present.

Please send your details to women.snite@gmail.com [women dot snite at gmail
dot com]

Registration closes at midnight 26th September 2008

***

About Women's Nite

Women's Nite provides a safe, neutral and alcohol-free space for lesbians
and bisexual women in Singapore to discuss the issues relevant to their
lives.

The event, held on the last Saturday of every month, was started in December
2003. Over a potluck dinner, we hold discussions on wide ranging topics like
self acceptance, homophobia, relationships and identity. We also invite
special guests to field questions on legal rights and sexual health, and
conduct art and dance therapy nights.

To check out the past months' events, or find out more, please go to
http://women_snite.livejournal.com
To get email updates on each month's event, please visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/women_snite to join our mailing list.

As far as possible, we would like to keep this space commercial free. To
advertise events and projects, please email us at
women.snite@gmail.com

ST Forum: Corporate Social Responsibility (Sept 18)

2008-09-18T17:04:00.000+08:00

Sep 18, 2008
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Let's get down to business
THESE articles in The Straits Times deserve commendation: Miss Li
Xueying on religious diversity last Friday ('Tackling religious
taboo'), Mr Wong Kim Hoh on transsexuals ('When papa became mama',
Sept 6) and Miss Tan Hui Yee on migrant workers ('Standing up for
foreign workers', Sept 10).

They are expressions of corporate social responsibility of your
newspaper and are in line with the goals of major corporations,
business tycoons and religious leaders. Your publication is
world-class in promoting social responsibility in this part of the world.

It's time Singapore incorporates social responsibility in our culture.
We have read much about our necessity to import foreign talent so that
Singapore can become a financial, medical and research hub, and make
its contribution to the global society. While appreciating foreign
talent with great skills, we must not ignore foreign workers with less
skills who work among us here.

The construction industry is highly dependent upon workers in this
region who come here to work in tough, physically-demanding
conditions. They build our buildings, lay our roads, clean our
environment and yet find it so difficult to rest from their daily
labour with proper housing. Our domestic workers have left their own
homes and family to work in ours, looking after our children and aged
parents, and yet do not have a fair contract and time to rest.

People with different sexual orientations are being discriminated
socially and economically even though they are our own fellow citizens.

Foreign sex workers come here to secure an income to feed their
families in their poor rural societies. How do we show kindness, care
and concern when we turn a deaf ear to the cries of such people in our
midst?

Some corporations and a few churches are actively engaged in the
alleviation of poverty, elimination of HIV/Aids - especially in the
African countries - and reduction of global warming. Our own business
establishments need to exercise corporate social responsibility.

Each of us can make a difference and work together to build a kind,
caring and compassionate society.

Rev Dr Yap Kim Hao

TimeOut Singapore Listing of Pelangi Pride Centre

2008-09-14T23:43:00.001+08:00

PELANGI PRIDE CENTRE
The folks at Pelangi Pride Centre offer a neutral and friendly space to explore your sexuality. With regular talks, screenings and other group activities (we're not talking swinging parties here), they also operate a resource library devoted to HIV education and GLBTQ issues. Books may be borrowed for a small, returnable deposit. Newly relocated to DYMK (9 Kreta Ayer Road)!

For more information, email pelangipridecentre@yahoo.com.

Your FAQs answered :)

2008-09-14T21:26:00.000+08:00

Hi all

Thanks to everyone who has popped by PPC@DYMK the last 2 Saturdays to hang out and chill with us :) We are also glad that there have been new users of the library, we hope you have a good time exploring our collection!

To address some of your FAQs:

1) Does PPC loan books out?
YES! We do :) Just pass us your details and a $10 book deposit (you can take 2 books out for 2 weeks - so that's $20 book deposit) and when you return the books in 2 weeks time, we return you your $20 (in short, it's free if you return the books, PLEASE return the books so that our collection doesn't deplete!)

2) What if I return my books late?
Just a $2 fine (per book) for each week you are late. We use the funds to purchase plastic wrap, labels and to patch books. No, it doesn't come into our pockets!

3) Where can I find your library catalogue?
Visit http://pelangipridecentre.org/library/opac/ to navigate our library catalogue (yes just like a "regular" library).

4) What are PPC's operating hours?
Saturdays, 4-8pm, we would love to open during other hours but being volunteer- run it's hard to get the manpower to staff the library during the week.

5) How can I help?
Donate $ to help with the running of PPC, we take any amount of $! The $ will be used to purchase new books as well as to offset our operating costs such as patching books, upgrading our computer system and so on, we are also always on the lookout for volunteers so if you can spare a Saturday a month, please let us know!

6) How can I contact PPC?
Email us at pelangipridecentre@yahoo.com

Take care everyone and see you on the 20th!
The PPC Team

PS: Don't forget to sign up for our upcoming event on the 2nd Saturday of October - Leona Lo will be at PPC!

"Our Sexualities, Our Genders, Our Bodies ~ Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender RIGHTS!"

2008-09-14T19:12:00.000+08:00

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is inviting you and your group to be part of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign from November 29 to December 10 to celebrate,

"Our Sexualities, Our Genders, Our Bodies ~ Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender RIGHTS!"

IGLHRC is partnering with LBT groups from the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia to plan this campaign. Our goal is to defend the right to sexual and gender diversity by highlighting lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) activism and linking the 16 Days to launches of Yogyakarta Principles (YyP) in Asia, which will culminate on December 10 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. On this day we will also be commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR60).

This will be a wonderful opportunity to network and collaborate with seasoned and new LBT groups and individual activists across the region.

HOW TO JOIN?
Your group can be part of this event in numerous ways.

1. CREATE A PANEL FOR THE ASIAN LBT BANNER.
The 16 Days of Activism Campaign will produce an LBT banner to celebrate Asian LBTs' struggles, victories and aspirations in reclaiming and defending LBT rights. The LBT banner will consist of a central image of the dandelion dispersing rainbow seeds in the air. Colorful and creative banner panels from participating LBT groups in Asia will surround the dandelion forming a vibrant banner that truly represents Asian LBT activism.

Panel contributors will be given the freedom to produce a panel that represents issues and/or images of LBTs in their country—be it about your organization, your local advocacy campaign, or issues you face. The more creative, the better – write a poem, a song, make a photo montage, or paint a message. The possibilities are endless.

A two-person video team will document the linking of the banner panels and the journey of the Asian LBT banner through countries in Asia before reaching its final destination in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

2. BE PART OF THE ASIAN LBT VIDEO DOCUMENTARY.
The 16 Days of Activism Campaign will produce a video that will showcase the various activities and images of Asian LBTs in their respective countries.

The Asian LBT video documentary will be a collection of footages of LBT activism in the region - launches of the Yogyakarta Principle (YyP), anti-discrimination campaigns, images and interviews of LBT activists regarding their experiences in fighting violence, homophobia and discrimination, and comments from LGBT-supportive allies from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government institutions, and human rights commissioners about struggles, successes and plans in defending LGBTI rights in Asia.

Snippets of the video and the LBT banner journey will be screened during the festivities on December 10 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The final video documentary will be available in time for screenings during the 2009 International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO).

3. GATHER IN YOGYAKARTA ON DEC. 10 FOR UDHR60
December 10, 2008 is a day to remember for it marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism and the day to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Spearheaded by Indonesian LGBTI activists, the December 10 festivities scheduled to take place in Yogyakarta will combine activism, creative performances and fun in one event.

JOIN US!!!
Come to Yogyakarta — March and join the parade along with other LGBTI activists, mingle and connect with old and new LGBT co-activists and invited representatives from the United Nations, human rights defenders and representatives of friendly Human Rights Commissions.

Please don't hesitate to contact us so that we can plan together and make this a truly regional event!

In Solidarity,
Ging Cristobal
Project Coordinator, Asia Pacific Islander Region
gcristobal@iglhrc. org / www.iglhrc.org Campaign from

Ging Cristobal
Project Coordinator, Asia Pacific Islander Region
International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
U.P. PO Box 333, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1123
TF: +632.441.0283 . mobile #: +63.926.684. 3831
email: gcristobal@iglhrc. org . www.iglhrc.org

KKMC and TRAC Board of Outreach and Social Concern presents "Churches Living with HIV/AIDS

2008-09-14T18:40:00.002+08:00

Greetings!

Kampng Kapor Methodist Church (KKMC) and the TRAC Board of Outreach and Social Concern will be organizing an HIV Awareness Seminar entitled “Churches Living with HIV/AIDS” on 25 Oct.2008 from 2 to 5.30pm at KKMC.

On that day, KKMC will launch a book entitled “Overlooking the Overlooked” mainly based on the papers delivered at our HIV/AIDS Seminar with the same title, organized on 29 September 2007. The publication of the book was sponsored by the Chen Su Lan Trust and will be a gift to the Christian Community to raise consciousness of the issue of HIV/AIDS. Dr Yap Kim Hao‘s “compassionate outreach to people living with HIV” will be acknowledged in the foreword of the book.

We have put together exciting topics and speakers for the coming HIV/ AIDS seminar, “Churches Living with HIV/AIDS” – 25 Oct. 2008:

1) From Breaking The Conspiracy of Silence to Sharing a Spirituality of Life
Rev Dr Donald Messer,
Executive Director

2) Spiritual and Holistic Approaches to
the HIV/AIDS Crisis
Centre for the Church and Global AIDS

3) How A Church Without Walls
Embraces the Outcasts
Mr Jeremy Choy,
Board member of City Harvest
Community Services

4) Hospitality and Acceptance
for the marginalised
Ms Geraldine Subramaniam, Administrator
Ministry of Catholic Aids Response Effort (C.A.R.E.)

5) How to Care for People
Living with HIV
Ms Ho Lai Peng,
Principal Medical Social Worker,
Communicable Disease Centre
Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Thank you.

Still in One Peace
Gabriel Liew
http://www.kkmc. org.sg

latimes.com: California's top Episcopal bishops oppose gay marriage ban

2008-09-13T17:43:00.000+08:00

California's top Episcopal bishops oppose gay marriage ban

The state's six highest bishops go on the record against Prop. 8, the fall ballot measure that would reverse the California Supreme Court's decision to allow same-sex couples to marry.
By Duke Helfand, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

September 11, 2008

California's six most senior Episcopal bishops Wednesday unanimously declared their opposition to a constitutional amendment on the statewide November ballot that would ban same-sex marriage.

The bishops argued that preserving the right of gays and lesbians to marry would enhance the "Christian values" of monogamy, love and commitment

"We believe that continued access to civil marriage for all, regardless of sexual orientation, is consistent with the best principles of our constitutional rights," said the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

Bruno, flanked at a news conference by fellow clergy members and gay and straight couples, added: "We do not believe that marriage of heterosexuals is threatened by same-sex marriage."

By going on the record against Proposition 8, which would reverse the California Supreme Court's decision in May to legalize same-sex marriage, the bishops waded into a volatile political and religious controversy.

Gay marriage has strained the Episcopalians' international body, the Anglican Communion, with hundreds of bishops from Africa and elsewhere threatening to break away over attempts to change church doctrine and practice.

The issue has created theological fissures in other Protestant denominations, including Presbyterians and United Methodists, with some Methodist ministers in California pledging to perform wedding ceremonies in defiance of their national church.

Proposition 8 supporters, intent on protecting what they call a 5,000-year-old tradition codified in the Bible, are mobilizing forces across several religious groups.

The Protect Marriage Coalition announced plans last month for 1 million Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Muslims, evangelical Christians, Sikhs and Hindus to plant 1 million "Yes on Proposition 8" lawn signs in their frontyards. In addition, the coalition is sending volunteers door to door to speak with voters and planning an advertising campaign, to begin as early as the end of this month.

"Marriage is an institution for a man and a woman," said Jeff Flint, the campaign's co-chairman. "The institution of marriage around which society is constructed means less when it's not the traditional definition."

But in a joint statement, issued Wednesday at the diocesan headquarters in Echo Park, the six bishops said that "society is strengthened when two people who love each other choose to enter into marriage, engaged in a lifetime of disciplined relationship building that serves as a witness to the importance of love and commitment."

The statement was signed by Bruno and Bishops Marc Handley Andrus, Barry L. Beisner, Mary Gray-Reeves, Jerry A. Lamb and James R. Mathes. (Three assistant bishops -- Chester L. Talton, Sergio Carranza and Steven Charleston -- also signed.)

The bishops concluded: "We believe that this continued access [to marriage] promotes Jesus' ethic of love, giving and hope."

While the Episcopal leaders agreed on the need to preserve the right of gay and lesbian couples to wed, they disagreed over how, and if, to conduct weddings, in light of the church's Book of Common Prayer, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

According to the joint statement, some of the six bishops believe it is appropriate to allow priests to officiate at marriage ceremonies and pronounce blessings, while others want to wait to hear from the Episcopal Church's governing body, the General Convention. It meets next in Anaheim in July 2009. (At its 2006 meeting, the General Convention passed a resolution opposing state or federal constitutional amendments that prohibit same-sex civil marriage.)

Mathes, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, said the Episcopal Church must alter language on same-sex marriage before priests begin officiating.

"I just don't believe we have been authorized to do them," Mathes said. "I am not keen on unilateral action."

Andrus, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California, said he encourages couples -- straight or gay -- to marry in civil ceremonies and then receive a blessing in church. The compromise stops short of priests performing the rites of marriage for same-sex couples.

Andrus, whose diocese covers the Bay Area, said this practice allows him to honor the rights of gay and lesbian couples while keeping his diocese tethered to the Anglican fold. "We have recognized that we as a global body need each other," he said. "This diocese, by its faithfulness to the larger body, could serve as a catalyst for change."

The conflict over Proposition 8 is unfolding amid a wrenching dispute over homosexuality in the Anglican Communion, which has 80 million members worldwide.

Conservative bishops from Africa and other regions have balked at reform efforts by more liberal leaders, primarily from North America. The election of an openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson, to the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire in 2003 intensified the conflict.

Several hundred conservative bishops and archbishops boycotted the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference of Anglicans, held in July.

A month before that meeting in England, the conservatives met in Jerusalem. They decided to remain within the global communion but proposed a new council with the authority to create alternative provinces in places where church authorities failed, in the conservatives' opinion, to follow the Gospel.

Episcopal leaders in California believe that acknowledging the rights of homosexuals to marry does follow the Gospel.

"We're talking about our friends, our neighbors," Abel Lopez, a priest with All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, said at the news conference with Bruno. "These are people in our own families . . . people who deserve the [same] rights as anyone else."

duke.helfand@

latimes.com

FCC Sunday Service (Sept 14 2008) Speaker: Rev Dirk Davenport

2008-09-12T18:12:00.000+08:00

SUNDAY SERVICE (ENGLISH)
14 Sep 2008 (Sun) - 10.30am
FCC Main Hall
56 Geylang Lor 23
Level 3, Century Technology Building
All are welcome!

Speaker
REV DIRK DAVENPORT
Face(t)s of God Series

Worship Leader - KENNY ONG
Vocals - NATHAN GOH, ELSA TAY
Keyboards - GARY CHAN, NICHOLAS LEOW
Guitars - NATHAN GOH
Strings - RAYMOND WONG
Drums - JIN YU TANG
Audio - QING LONG LUO
Video - FOO KEONG YAP
Prayer - DAN LOH
Communion - JULIA SOH
Service Pastor - MARK CHIA

Please note that Children Sunday School will start at 10.30am in the Reading Room.

Response to TNP Article by Leona Lo

2008-09-12T18:10:00.000+08:00

Gender confused kids? Who's confused?

I read with concern The New Paper's front-page article on MOE's ongoing
efforts to train teachers to counsel gender-confused kids (TNP. 11 Sep 08).
My question is - do the counselling sessions aim to help the child find
his/her true gender identity or influence transgender youth to conform to
social norms?

It has long been established internationally that one's gender identity is
distinct from one's sex at birth. When the two do not match, the individual
experiences the medical condition known as "transsexualism". While I
recognise that a sex change operation is not a one-size-fits-all solution
for all transsexuals, it is certainly a "natural" and valid recourse for the
majority of transsexuals, contrary to the sentiments expressed by Professor
Tsoi. And contrary to what Ms Sarah S, a counsellor from NuLife Care and
Counselling Services says, male to female transgender children do not
necessarily behave the way they do because they lack a masculine father
figure in their lives. Has she done a nationwide survey to substantiate her
claims? Or is she commenting based on two to three individuals she has
counselled? A more important question in light of MOE's initiative - is she
one of their trained counsellors?

I myself was a victim of the lack of support in my childhood years. There
were lots of well-intentioned but misguided individuals - including a
prominent leader of the religious group mentionned in your article - who
tried to convince me that being transsexual was "wrong". This compounded my
loneliness and sense of alienation, leading to a suicide attempt in my late
teens. It was only when I fled to the United Kingdom for my studies in a
more tolerant and welcoming environment that I flourished academically and
socially.

I have remained in Singapore because I feel I still have lots to contribute
to this beautiful society of ours - a society founded on secular,
meritocratic principles and love and respect for racial and religious
diversity. I hope MOE will adopt the same open-minded, enlightened approach
when conducting its training sessions - and when selecting the service
providers.

Yours Sincerely
Leona Lo
Author, From Leonard to Leona, A Singapore Transsexual's Journey to
Womanhood
http://www.wo-manly.blogspot.com/

TNP: Taught to spot problem when they're young (Sept 12 2008)

2008-09-12T18:07:00.000+08:00

Taught to spot problem when they're young

Counsellors take courses to handle
gender-confused kids WHILE his classmates were interested in playing soccer,
9-year-old John was more keen on being a mother-figure to them.
By Andre Yeo

12 September 2008

WHILE his classmates were interested in playing soccer, 9-year-old John was
more keen on being a mother-figure to them.

Cases like his are rare among primary school kids.

But since last year, school counsellors have been taught to spot kids with
gender identity problems early.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has been conducting 'Managing gender
identity issues' courses for full-time school counsellors (FTSCs) from
primary school level onwards.

And last month, the MOE put out a tender on the government tender website,
Gebiz, for the course's third run.

The course objectives include understanding gender identity disorder (GID),
its causes, and how to deal with students with this condition.

Counsellors, up to tertiary level, would be taught the common misconceptions
of GID, warning signs, what is transvestism and how to discuss the problem
with parents and teachers.

John's case was seen by Dr Carol Balhetchet, director of youth services at
the Singapore Children's Society, several years ago.

The psychologist-counsellor with 18 years' experience said John was the
youngest person she had seen with gender identity problems.

She said: 'He would say, 'I will let my male friends play, and I will clean
up after them.'

'He was like a mother-figure to them and had very effeminate behaviour.'

She declined to reveal more on John's case and added there were not many
children in primary school like him.

She said she was not aware MOE had been conducting this course and added
that kids would start experimenting when they were in Primary 4 to 6.

Said Dr Balhetchet: 'That's when peer pressure becomes stronger than the
family (influence). That's the time when counsellors in primary schools can
help students before they become delinquents and start experimenting.'

Ms Sarah S, 26, a counsellor from NuLife Care and Counselling Services, said
she had seen two primary school boys - one late last year, and one earlier
this year - with gender identity issues.

She said both liked to dress up, look in the mirror, and stay out of the
sun. One of them even carries an umbrella wherever he goes.

She said: 'They are both from single-parent families and their fathers are
absent. They do not have a male figure at home to be involved in masculine
activities with. I think that's the main reason why they behave this way.'

In an e-mail reply, a spokesman for MOE told The New Paper gender identity
was among the range of challenging issues which may confront some students
in their adolescent years.

The spokesman said gender identity referred to a person's own sense of
identification as male or female beings.

She said: 'Those struggling with gender identity issues would feel that they
are of one gender, but trapped in another gender's body.

'Learning how to manage students faced with gender identity issues is part
of MOE's total training plan for school counsellors.'

She confirmed that the course was started last year, and was currently into
its third run.

The MOE hopes that with this course, school counsellors would be better
equipped to understand the emotional struggles students were going through
when confronted with gender identity issues and identify the possible
causes.

Counsellors will also learn how to apply the right strategies to help
students struggling with such issues.

The two-day course, lasting 16 hours in total, is slated to begin from 30
Mar next year.

MOE, however, declined to reveal figures as to how many primary school
children, if any, had approached counsellors for help concerning GID and if
they were seeing a spike in these numbers. It also declined to elaborate on
what some of the challenges students with GID faced in school.

A counsellor in a primary school, who declined to be named, said she was
informed of the course at the beginning of the year and has signed up for
it.

She said she has not come across any students with GID but felt having
additional skills would help prepare her for such cases in future.

She said: 'All counsellors should know what's happening. We may be
transferred to secondary schools in future.

'It's good to know the strategies, intervention skills and what causes
certain children to have certain behaviours.'

The principal of First Toa Payoh Primary School, Ms Rosalind Chia, said such
a course would benefit her FTSC.

She said: 'If she has knowledge of gender confusion, it would benefit her if
such cases arise. We have not come across such cases, so far.'

Choices, the counselling division of the Church of Our Saviour, an Anglican
church, helps people struggling with gender issues.

They told The New Paper they could not comment for this story as they may be
responding to MOE's tender for the course.

Regret

An expert on GID, Dr Tsoi Wing Foo, 75, a psychiatrist in private practice,
said he supported MOE's decision to have such a course as extra knowledge
for counsellors was good.

Dr Tsoi, co-author of Cries From Within, a medical book on transsexuals, has
been seeing patients with gender identity issues since 1971.

He was unaware MOE was conducting such a course.

Said Dr Tsoi: 'They probably want to stop this condition from developing
among primary school kids. It's not surprising they are doing this because
they may think they can prevent this condition by counselling when they are
young.'

He added he has never seen a patient from primary school. The youngest was
17 years old.

Dr Tsoi added it was difficult to explain why people suffered from this
condition.

He said: 'They just feel uncomfortable being who they are.'

He said those who wanted to go for sex change operations would be sent to
him by their surgeons for an evaluation to see if they were ready for it.

But Dr Tsoi said he would often try to convince patients not to go for such
operations.

He said: 'It's not a natural thing. They have to understand the
implications. If they do it on impulse, some of them may regret it because
they can't adjust to a new life.'

ST Forum: Transsexuals: More Understanding Needed (Sept 12 2008)

2008-09-12T17:58:00.000+08:00

Sep 12, 2008

Transsexuals: More understanding needed

KUDOS to the transsexuals in Mr Wong Kim Hoh's Special Report last
Saturday, 'When Papa became Mama'. Having had enough just trying to
understand themselves, they have come forward to help the rest of us
understand our problem with them. And indeed the problem lies with us.
I read with sadness of the rejection, discrimination and struggles the
transsexual community has had to endure, and realise it is our
under-developed understanding of the diversity and complexity of human
genders, our immature stereotyping of those who are different, and our
lack of acceptance and compassion for the unique individuality of our
children, that have caused their plight. They are just as much a part
of our family. What has happened to our focus on family values? Values
of unconditional love, support and commitment?

How can we undo the damage we have done?

Could the answer lie in the poignant reply of the 10-year old daughter
of male-to-female transsexual Fanny Ler? When asked what it was like
to have two mothers, she said: 'It's okay to have two mummies. I can
still enjoy both their love.' This turns the family-values argument on
its head. It is not non-traditional family structures that constitute
a threat to families, but the shame and stigma society attaches to
families that undermine it. It is perhaps true then, that 'a little
child shall lead us' to truly pledge ourselves to be one united
people, regardless of race, language, religion, gender identity or
sexual orientation. A society based on justice and true equality for all.

Susan Tang (Mrs)

Founding member

SAFE (a support group of straight people aimed at accepting gay,
lesbians and people of other sexual orientations)

ST: Transsexuals: More Understanding Needed (Sept 12)

2008-09-12T00:18:00.000+08:00

Sep 12, 2008
Transsexuals: More understanding needed
KUDOS to the transsexuals in Mr Wong Kim Hoh's Special Report last
Saturday, 'When Papa became Mama'. Having had enough just trying to
understand themselves, they have come forward to help the rest of us
understand our problem with them. And indeed the problem lies with us.

I read with sadness of the rejection, discrimination and struggles the
transsexual community has had to endure, and realise it is our
under-developed understanding of the diversity and complexity of human
genders, our immature stereotyping of those who are different, and our
lack of acceptance and compassion for the unique individuality of our
children, that have caused their plight. They are just as much a part
of our family. What has happened to our focus on family values? Values
of unconditional love, support and commitment?

How can we undo the damage we have done?

Could the answer lie in the poignant reply of the 10-year old daughter
of male-to-female transsexual Fanny Ler? When asked what it was like
to have two mothers, she said: 'It's okay to have two mummies. I can
still enjoy both their love.' This turns the family-values argument on
its head. It is not non-traditional family structures that constitute
a threat to families, but the shame and stigma society attaches to
families that undermine it. It is perhaps true then, that 'a little
child shall lead us' to truly pledge ourselves to be one united
people, regardless of race, language, religion, gender identity or
sexual orientation. A society based on justice and true equality for all.

Susan Tang (Mrs)

Founding member

SAFE (a support group of straight people aimed at accepting gay,
lesbians and people of other sexual orientations)

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_277552.html

Freedom Film Fest 2008

2008-09-11T18:13:00.000+08:00

The KOMAS Freedom Film Festival (FFF) is the first film event of its kind in Malaysia. FFF adopts the themes encompassed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which express our aspirations for genuine justice, peace, equality and democracy.

Through an annual film contest, workshops and screenings, FFF creates an annual showcase of outstanding films and documentaries focusing on social issues that affect ordinary people like HIV/AIDS, human rights, poverty and the environment; alternative films which, due to a lack of commercial backing and because of the tyranny of popular mainstream media, are out of the reach to most Malaysians.

FFF is a vital event, providing a venue for the Malaysian public to use the video medium as a tool for social documentation and filmmaking. Technological advances have brought about a democratising effect to filmmaking in recent years. With a video camera in hand, almost any person on the street, and even entire communities, can share their story in the way they want to tell it. Filmmakers are better equipped now to explore and express their skills and passion to produce socially relevant films.

For more information, visit http://freedomfilmfest.komas.org/

Herstory@ZOUK (Sept 11)

2008-09-10T01:04:00.000+08:00

Herstory @ZOUK
11 Sept 2008
St. Herstorian’s, the infamous all-girls school known for their dominant lesbian study body is facing a dire crisis. Despite sky-high grades and astounding school ranking, the Ministry is threatening the school with closure due to the students’ unorthodox practices. But the St. Herstorians girls are in a league of their own. Smart and fearless, they are determined to defend the school they love till the end. Sassy Head Girl Gemma will have to unite the warring girl gang cliques and join forces with newcomer student and teacher, Gillyn and Mr. Ash Trey to fight the authorities.

But can they put their differences aside and win the day before the Ministry closes them down for good? Find out for yourself LIVE @ZOUK on September 11, 2008 when the story reveal. Featuring winners of Femme Quest 2008, Butch Hunt 2007 and Butch Hunt 2001. Plus spot a few of the never been seen before performers. Don't miss the yearly musical production presented by Herstory. See you @classroom ZOUK.

Sign up for 1 Year of Herstory BLACK to receive:
Privilege online surfing @www.herstory.ws
Herstory Black Membership Card valid for 1 year
1 FREE Party Entry Pass
Roxy beach bag
LePride's Car Decal

Don't miss Herstory Grrls Only Party happening at ZOUK and The BOILER ROOM at St James Power Station on 2nd Thursday of every month.
Whether you want to sit and chat or dance and cruise, you're guaranteed to find something you'll like at Herstory Party. See ya..

Showtime
St Herstorian's - The 'High School' Musical starts at 11pm

Party Theme
Back to High School. What do you wear to high school? Your school uniform or your favourite pick from your wardrobe? We leave that to you. Every student who comes in party theme will receive a FREE Cotton Candy. Yeah!!!

Programme Highlights
Chillout 9pm-10pm
Showtime St Herstorian's - The 'High School' Musical 11pm
Chart Topping Hip Hop and Sexy R&B Dance Music 11.45pm-2.30am (by Zouk resident DJ)
Pop Hits Dance Music till 3am (by Zouk resident DJ)

Drinks Promotion
One for One on all standard housepour 9pm-10pm

Admission
No Cover Charge
Applies to all members/non members
Herstory Members - $5
Non Herstory Members - $10
Entry for men - Subject to Approval at Door ($15)
POLICY : Mainly womyn with men as guests

Door Gift
Free tanning voucher worth $39 by Fabulous Tan
(No purchase terms)
(Limit to 1 voucher per guest)

Table Reservations
Email: party@herstory.ws
SMS: +65 91700517

LOCATION
17 Jiak Kim Street Singapore 169420

MRT / BUS
Bus 16

OPENING HOUR
9pm - 3am
Every 2nd Thursday Monthly

TodayOnline: There is a reason for the law, Homosexuality is anti-social (Sept 10)

2008-09-10T00:48:00.000+08:00

There is a reason for the law

Homosexuality is anti-social

Wednesday • September 10, 2008

Letter from Heikel Bafana

I REFER to "Stop making a mockery of Rule of Law: Let's accept gays"
(Sept 8). I must disagree with the assertions of Mr Ho Kwon Ping.

Mr Ho calls for homosexual behaviour to be decriminalised. Whatever
perception he has gleaned from the official attitude, the views of
large segments of our society against the homosexual lifestyle are
neither ambiguous, ambivalent nor schizophrenic.

Whether due to religious belief or personal family values,
homosexuality is widely seen in Singapore society as aberrant
behaviour. I concede, of course, that this view is not shared by
members of the gay community.

Mr Ho's assertion that only "the most fervently fundamentalist
Christians or Muslims" in Singapore care about making gay sex a
criminal act is baseless, and indeed, false.

The Penal Code provision represents the manner in which the law
expresses our society's commonality of understanding as to what is to
be allowed and what is not.

Encouraging a family unit that is able to procreate and rear children
who will contribute to the future of this country is the prime
imperative of our society, and legislating against any behaviour —
including accepting widespread homosexual behaviour, which attacks the
sacrosanct nature of the family unit — is perfectly acceptable.

The Rule of Law constitutes the sum total of the social contract which
we, as citizens, agree to live by. In a multi-racial and multi-faith
society like Singapore, the Rule of Law is a delicate alchemy of
competing racial, cultural and religious demands. It cannot be subject
to change merely because of the high-pitched calls of a small segment
of our society.

I concede that in the context of the prevailing practice of the
criminal justice system here, the belief may arise that homosexual
acts are not subject to criminal prosecution. However, this belief is
not entirely accurate.

Similar non-prosecutions by the authorities are also the norm, for
example, in cases of mischief or of assault involving simple hurt.

However — and this is the critical distinction — the victim still has
the right to lodge a Magistrate's Complaint and undertake a
prosecution himself. From this perspective, why should a person who
feels aggrieved as a victim of homosexual behaviour be deprived of
such a right to prosecute an assailant?

To achieve acceptance, tolerance or respect, perhaps it is more
effective for the gay community to address in substance the issues
which lead society to frown upon homosexuality. Such engagement would
be more effective than getting tied up in knots about the law.

Mr Ho calls for an act of boldness to allow gays to "realise their
dreams". To believe that changing a piece of legislation will attain
this result is misconceived.

TodayOnline: There is simply no need for anti-gay law (Sept 10)

2008-09-10T00:46:00.000+08:00

There is simply no need for anti-gay law

Wednesday • September 10, 2008

Letter from Tang Li

I REFER to Mr Ho Kwon Ping's "Stop making a mockery of Rule of Law:
Let's accept gays" (Sept 8), and I would like to applaud him.

Like Mr Ho, I have to ask myself if there is any justification for
keeping a private act between consenting adults, criminal.

During last year's debate on the repealing of Section 377A, Nominated
Member of Parliament Thio Li-Ann argued passionately that repealing
the act was bad for public morality. In her address, she noted that
"Diversity is not license for perversity".

The majority of Parliament agreed with this and the result was the
retention of 377A, but with a promise from the Government that the law
would not be enforced.

Mr Ho rightly pointed out that the idea of having a law that the
Government has no intention of enforcing makes a mockery of the Rule
of Law, something which is central to the heart of Singapore's
rules-based society. The proponents of the ban on homosexual
intercourse spoke passionately about the need to defend public
morality, but they failed to provide a logically-sound reason for
their case.

At best, Professor Thio argued that private acts would have public
repercussions as in the area of public health. She pointed out that
HIV/Aids was spread most efficiently by anal sex.

What she failed to prove was how anal sex between two consenting men
was more conducive to the spread of HIV/Aids than anal sex between
heterosexuals.

The Ministry of Health's statistics on HIV found that in 2007 there
were 255 heterosexuals infected, versus 145 homosexual and bisexual
infections, something that nobody seemed to have taken note of.

Furthermore, the defenders of public morality didn't seem too troubled
by the fact that the greatest rise in HIV among women was from
loyally-married women who were infected by their husbands.

So, where is the premise for having a law against consensual
homosexualactivity? Singapore is socially-conservative, but does that
mean it is necessary to have laws — albeit non-enforced ones — that
discriminate against one group without protecting another?

Ministry of Health statistics on HIV show that anal sex between
consenting adult men is no less of a threat to public health than sex
between heterosexuals. So, why then do we need laws if there is no
threat to public health or security? Is it because the majority of
people disapprove of it? Surely, the people who disapprove of such
acts would continue to disapprove of them regardless of whether laws
against them exist or not?

There is no rational premise for laws against homosexuality, so why do
we need them? More importantly, why do we have such laws if we have no
intention of enforcing them? Is it because we know that such laws have
no benefit to society? I may not like homosexuals or homosexuality,
but I can see no reason for laws against what consenting adults do in
the privacy of their bedroom.

I salute Mr Ho for taking a stand against the current mockery of the
Rule of Law.

TodayOnline: Sexual orientation not a 'right'

2008-09-10T00:45:00.000+08:00

Sexual orientation not a `right':

Just because the rest of the world allows it, doesn't mean Singapore
should

Wednesday • September 10, 2008

Letter from Koo Xun Zhao

I REFER to "Stop making a mockery of Rule of Law: Let's accept gays"
(Sept 8) and would like to point out several fallacies in Mr Ho Kwon
Ping's reasoning.

First, contrary to what he says, the Government has not said it would
not prosecute those who breach the law — just that it would not pursue
those who breach it.

This is a fundamental difference which does not result in what he
calls "a mockery of the Rule of Law". It can be just as easily argued
that we can avoid what Mr Ho calls our current "schizophrenic"
situation by actually enforcing the law on gay sex.

After all, it was the Rule of Law before the Government decided to be
more open to gays.

Mr Ho also compares the so-called "persecution" of gays with racial
discrimination. Sexual orientation or preferences, however, are not
"rights".

Hence the question of discrimination does not arise. Mr Ho also cites
proponents of the Rule of Law advocating the decriminalisation of gay
sex, "something which the rest of the world has long decriminalised".

Using what the rest of the world does as the basis for establishing or
repealing a law has no grounds in law-making.

The same goes for the argument that Victorian laws be removed as there
are important laws in our books today that exist from those times that
are still relevant: For example, the law against incest.

Mr Ho claims that it is only "the most feverishly fundamentalist
Christians or Muslims" and the "homophobic" who care about whether the
law against gay sex is kept. In this, he is misinformed since there
are even gays who feel that the statute should be kept.

Moreover, The Straits Times reported on Sept 20 last year that a
survey by Nanyang Technological University found that seven in 10
Singaporeans frown on homosexuality.

I urge Mr Ho to speak to non-gays who are also knowledgeable, if not
experts, in the law and who are for criminalising gay sex to get their
perpectives on the issue.

TodayOnline: If double standards can apply to gays, what about to Hota?

2008-09-10T00:39:00.000+08:00

If double standards can apply to gays, what about to Hota?

Wednesday • September 10, 2008

Letter from Tan Yen Ling

LAST year, there was campaigning by both the pro-repeal gay community
and the anti-repeal Christian camp.

As a result of this, Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State
for Law and HomeAffairs, said that Singapore will keep the ban
although the authorities would continue to not actively enforce
the provision banning gay sexbetween consensual adults.

Such an arrangement would be akin to the authorities allowing
"consensual" organ trading while the Human Organ Transplant Act
explicitly forbids it. Surely, such an arrangement would make a
mockery of the Rule of Law.

And as it now stands, men who have same-sex sexual relations are
committing a crime but are "above the law" as they will not be
prosecuted — as assured by the authorities.

Freedom Film Festival in Malaysia

2008-09-10T00:17:00.000+08:00

Malaysia's Freedom Film Festival features a Queer Cinema component as
well as a film about the struggles of a transsexual sex worker. It has
finished its run in KL last week; the films will be screened in JB
from Fri to Sun (12-14 Sep) followed by Kuching (19-21 Sep) and Penang
(26-28 Sep).

Sunday, 11am-1pm
Queer Cinema

Sambal Belachan in San Francisco (Madeleine Lim / 1997 / 25mins)
Sambal Belachan in San Francisco contains intimate interviews with
three Singaporean women who emigrated to live openly as lesbians share
their feelings of exclusion both from their families and culture of
origin and the United States. This rich film raises provocative
questions about the nature of home and belonging, and speaks
compellingly for a community whose voices are seldom heard.

Pang Yau (Amir Muhammad / 2003 / 13mins)
Against the bustling backdrop of Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown, a
Malay-Muslim narrator reminisces about a teenage relationship between
himself and an ethnic Chinese classmate. "Pangyau," the Cantonese word
for friend, is not just the story of a close friendship, but a prism
through which the writer gets to examine his feelings about the the
ways in which race and religion have been used in the national
socio-political discourse.

It's Over (Lee Jung-a / 2006 / 13mins)
A love triangle between three Korean high school students leads to a
surprise ending, at least for one of them.

Sat, 8pm-9:30pm
Pecah Lobang (Poh Si Teng / 2008 / 30mins)
Pecah Lobang explores what it's like to be a Muslim transsexual sex
worker in Malaysia. Shot in the Chow Kit red light district, the
documentary revolves around Natasha, a Muslim Mak Nyah, who refuses to
live life as a man. Unable to secure employment because of
discrimination, Natasha turns to sex work and lives in constant fear
of the police and religious authorities. Crossdressing is a crime
under the Syariah court system for Muslims and the penalties are
severe. But it wasn't always so. How did Malaysia become so
heavy-handed on the transsexual community?

Almost 30 films will be shown from Fri - Sun, details here:
http://freedomfilmfest.komas.org/about/screenings

TodayOnline.com: If Double Standards Can Apply to Gays, What about to HOTA? (Sept 10)

2008-09-10T00:14:00.000+08:00

If double standards can apply to gays, what about to Hota?

Wednesday • September 10, 2008

Letter from Tan Yen Ling

LAST year, there was campaigning by both the pro-repeal gay community
and the anti-repeal Christian camp.

As a result of this, Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State
for Law and Home Affairs, said that Singapore will keep the ban
although the authorities would continue to not actively enforce
the provision banning gay sex between consensual adults.

Such an arrangement would be akin to the authorities allowing
"consensual" organ trading while the Human Organ Transplant Act
explicitly forbids it. Surely, such an arrangement would make a
mockery of the Rule of Law.

And as it now stands, men who have same-sex sexual relations are
committing a crime but are "above the law" as they will not be
prosecuted — as assured by the authorities.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/275027print.asp

TodayOnline.com: Sexual Orientation Not a "Right" (Sept 10)

2008-09-10T00:13:00.000+08:00

Sexual orientation not a `right':

Just because the rest of the world allows it, doesn't mean Singapore
should

Wednesday • September 10, 2008

Letter from Koo Xun Zhao

I REFER to "Stop making a mockery of Rule of Law: Let's accept gays"
(Sept 8) and would like to point out several fallacies inMr Ho Kwon
Ping's reasoning.

First, contrary to what he says, the Government has not said it would
not prosecute those who breach the law — just that it would not pursue
those who breach it.

This is a fundamental difference which does not result in what he
calls "a mockery of the Rule of Law". It can be just as easily argued
that we can avoid what Mr Ho calls our current "schizophrenic"
situation by actually enforcing the law on gay sex.

After all, it was the Rule of Law before the Government decided to be
more open to gays.

Mr Ho also compares the so-called "persecution" of gays with racial
discrimination. Sexual orientation or preferences, however, are not
"rights".

Hence the question of discrimination does not arise. Mr Ho also cites
proponents of the Rule of Law advocating the decriminalisation of gay
sex, "something which the rest of the world has longdecriminalised".

Using what the rest of the world does as the basis for establishing or
repealing a law has no grounds in law-making.

The same goes for the argument that Victorian laws be removed as there
are important laws in our books today that exist from those times that
are still relevant: For example, the law against incest.

Mr Ho claims that it is only "the most feverishly fundamentalist
Christians or Muslims" and the "homophobic" who care about whether the
law against gay sex is kept. In this, he is misinformed since there
are even gays who feel that the statute should be kept.

Moreover, The Straits Times reported on Sept 20 last year that a
survey by Nanyang Technological University found that seven in 10
Singaporeans frown on homosexuality.

I urge Mr Ho to speak to non-gays who are also knowledgeable, if not
experts, in the law and who are for criminalising gay sex to get their
perpectives on the issue.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/275026print.asp

TodayOnline.com: There Is Simply No Need for Anti-Gay Law (Sept 10)

2008-09-10T00:12:00.001+08:00

TodayOnline.com: There Is A Reason for the Law (Sept 10)

2008-09-10T00:11:00.000+08:00

TodayOnline: Don't send mixed signals (Sept 9)

2008-09-09T00:52:00.000+08:00

Don't send mixed signals

Tuesday • September 9, 2008

Letter from Felicia Tan Ying Yi

I REFER to the commentary "Stop making a mockery of rule of law: Let's
accept gays" (Sept 8). I fully agree with Mr Ho Kwon Ping.

The Government's stand on homosexuality in Singapore seems to pander
to religious fundamentalists who are vocal.

Such an attempt to pacify those who believe that it is their place to
impose their value system on others should not happen in a country
that prides itself on openness, secularism and pluralism.

It is all too convenient for the Government to "appease" the gay
community by not taking action against them, while at the same time
continue to pacify the conservatives by keeping the law in name.

However, this merely cheapens what the rule of law means. Laws should
not be made or retained to reflect the views of a vocal minority; in
fact, their purpose should not even be to reflect the views of the
majority.

Instead, they are there to protect the rights of the citizens. In this
way, section 377A of the Penal Code achieves nothing.

I feel that the Government should be courageous enough to finally
decide that everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race
or religion, has an equal right to privacy, and this right should
never be superseded by the moral posturing of any group, regardless of
how vocal or influential.

Or, if the Government should still choose to retain this archaic law,
then it should enforce it instead of sending mixed signals.

But it should also be ready to expect the exodus of not only the gay
community, but also of liberal, tolerant people like me, who refuse to
settle down and start families in such a country.

TodayOnline: What's next? Same sex marriages? (Sept 9)

2008-09-09T00:51:00.001+08:00

What's next? Same sex marriages?

Tuesday • September 9, 2008

Letter from Anton Chan

MR HO Kwon Ping is wrong to propose the acceptance of gays into
Singapore society because accepting a gay lifestyle would have a
tremendous impact on society as a whole in terms of religious beliefs,
social well-being and families.

As a Christian, I oppose legalising a gay lifestyle in Singapore
because it's against my beliefs. As a father of three teenagers, I
care because I don't want my children to be affected by such a lifestyle.

Imagine if we allow the acceptance of such a lifestyle in Singapore.
What next? Legalise same sex marriages? Legalise adoption of children
for gays?

Where are we as a socially-conservative society heading towards?

Soon gays will claim the right for social acceptance in all areas
including education, welfare et cetera. What effect will this have on
the next generation of children and parents who wish that their
children will grow up normally and produce children in the normal
course of their being?

The only strong contention in Mr Ho's proposal is the so-called gay
leading edge in the "creative class". Doesn't our society have many
other people to develop and nurture? Why are we so eager to promote
creative class talent in Singapore? So that we can become a more
tolerant society to accept whatever lifestyle these bring? Definitely no.

I would like to borrow a similar argument by Attorney-General Walter
Woon regarding the Human Organ Transplant Act (Hota). In "None above
the law" (Sept 8), he said: "If Dr Lee (Wei Ling) disagrees with Hota,
she is at perfect liberty to campaign to have it amended ... But until
Parliament amends or repeals the Hota and the Oaths and Declarations
Act, they remain the law of Singapore."

If anyone disagrees with the law for gays as enacted by Parliament,
he/she is at perfect liberty to campaign to have it amended ... But
until Parliament amends or repeals the law of Singapore for gays, it
remains the law of Singapore.

TodayOnline.com: What's Next? Same Sex Marriage? (Sept 9)

2008-09-09T00:09:00.000+08:00

TodayOnline.com: Don't Send Mixed Signals (Sept 9)

2008-09-09T00:08:00.000+08:00

AsiaOne: When Papa became Mama (Sept 8 2008)

2008-09-08T18:17:00.000+08:00

When Papa became Mama

When Frankie first told his friends that he was changing his name to Fanny, most were stunned that he was going to change his sex.
Wong Kim Hoh

Mon, Sep 08, 2008
The Straits Times

TWO months ago, a former first sergeant who served 10 years in the Singapore navy sent a mass SMS to all his friends.

It said: 'Dear friends, I have changed my name from Frankie to Fanny.'

Some laughed it off as a prank. Others called up Frankie Ler, 34, and were stunned when he told them he had decided to become a woman.

The divorcee and father of a 10-year-old girl told them he had started 'transitioning': He had grown his hair, was taking female hormone pills, and had begun wearing women's clothes.

'I didn't want them to get a shock if they bumped into me on the street,' said the administrative assistant, sitting in a Rowell Road Cafe with her daughter.

Her face is powdered, and she is wearing light eyeshadow and lipstick. Her broad shoulders fill out a conservative black blouse which she complements with a knee-length patterned skirt and sensible pumps.

Half an hour earlier, Fanny was the main 'attraction' at My Wife, My Kids, one of several events in this year's IndigNation - the local gay community's annual pride season.

Facing an inquisitive audience of more than 60 people, she explained why she had to change sex so late in life, after marriage and fatherhood.

Fanny - who has a younger sister - claims her transsexualism surfaced only last year. Her late father was a factory worker, her mother, now 56, is a retired washerwoman.

'I never thought I had any problems, I just thought I had an abnormal hobby,' she says in a mixture of English and Mandarin. That hobby was a penchant for dressing in women's clothes. She discovered she liked it while trying on her mother's clothes at 10, and continued to furtively cross-dress until she got married at 23.

The Yio Chu Kang Secondary School alumnus - who signed up with the navy after a brief stint as a security guard - met and fell in love with her wife on an Internet chatline.

They got married three months later. Their daughter was born the following year. 'Just before I got married, I threw out all the shoes and dresses I had bought over the years. We were a very normal couple during our marriage. I was not gay and I did not have any interest in men,' says Fanny.

The marriage broke up seven years later in 2004. The couple have joint custody of their daughter.

'We just drifted apart. It had nothing to do with cross-dressing,' she says.

One day in June last year, she typed 'men who love to dress up as women' in Google. The search engine threw up many links, one of which led to sgbutterfly.org - a resource site for local transsexuals.

She trawled through the site's many articles and discussion threads, and even posted questions, on transsexual issues - from identity struggles to hormone treatments and make-up tips. 'I was so happy. I finally found the answers to so many of the questions in my head,' she says.

Two months later, after she was convinced that she was a woman trapped in a man's body, she spoke to the person closest to her: her daughter.

'I wanted to be a woman but I had to be sure it wouldn't hurt my daughter. So I decided to ask, not tell, her if I should transit. If she had said no, I wouldn't have done this.'

The Primary 4 pupil (whom we are not naming to protect her identity) says she was 'a little bit surprised that he should ask this question'. Fanny carefully explained what she was going through and why she felt the way she did.

The precocious little girl gave her approval. 'His physical looks will change but he is still my father. He has always been very caring, and is always teaching me to be brave,' she says, adding that she has told two of her closest friends but sworn them to secrecy.

Fanny felt a big load taken off her shoulders. 'My mind was very clear. I was divorced and I've been given a second chance to live my life right.'

She went for psychiatric evaluation which confirmed she had gender identity disorder (GID). She started her hormonal therapy late last year. Her sister, parents and friends were told next. They were shocked but took it well save for just one friend who has cut off all contact.

The last to know was her former wife.

'She was very upset but I explained that I found it hardest to tell her because we had such a close relationship,' says Fanny who plans to have her operation in Singapore next year.

'To her credit, she joined sgbutterfly to try and understand why I had to do this,' says Fanny, who adds that the former spouse occasionally takes her shopping for women's clothes.

Fanny happily lets on that she recently found a job in a construction firm. Her boss and her colleagues are aware of her status.

She does not harbour grand plans such as marriage for the future. 'I just want to focus on my daughter.'

The latter ponders when asked what it's like to have two mothers. 'It's okay to have two mummies. I can still enjoy both their love.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Sept 6, 2008.

TodayOnline: Stop making a mockery of rule of law: Let's accept gays (Sept 8)

2008-09-08T00:53:00.000+08:00

Stop making A mockery of rule of law: Let's accept gays

Why keep such an archaic statute when there's no intention to prosecute?
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/274653.asp

Monday • September 8, 2008

HO KWON PING

news@newstoday.com.sg

SINGAPORE is known to be economically liberal, but socially
conservative. It is a rules-governed society with clear parameters for
behaviour, whether political, economic, or social. And within the "OB
markers" (out-of-bounds markers) of these do's and don'ts, it is a
transparent and fair social order, with no favouritism for anyone
operating outside the parameters.

This state of affairs governed the issue of homosexuality in Singapore
for many years. Not only was gay sex illegal, but every manifestation
was openly discouraged — some would say suppressed — and
discrimination against gays in the public domain (the civil service,
the military, the police, schools, and so on) was commonly accepted.
Indeed, because it was public policy to promote heterosexual family
life as the only norm, any other lifestyle was considered deviant and
handled accordingly. Repressive though it certainly was to gays, it
was at least very predictable.

Today, official attitudes towards homosexuality in Singapore are quite
different. They are certainly ambivalent and ambiguous — some would
even say, schizophrenic. On the one hand, many gay Singaporeans are
feted and lauded for their creative contributions to Singapore, and
warmly accepted by even senior figures of the establishment. On the
other hand, gay sex remains a criminal activity, even after much
public debate on the issue, and any kind of activity which is seen to
promote a gay lifestyle remains off-limits.

To those who believe that the non-persecution of gays is already
something to be grateful for, one could argue that allowing a black
person to sit in the front of the bus while legally forbidding it, is
something to be grateful for. Or, in an analogy closer to home for the
supposedly homophobic heartlanders, should a Chinese person be
grateful if the edict forbidding Chinese and dogs to enter parks in
Shanghai in the '20s were relaxed in reality, but maintained in the
law?

At another level, my gay friends argue cogently that non-prosecution
(or non-persecution, for that matter) signals, at the most, simple
tolerance of them, and nothing more. There is a difference between
being tolerated because gays are seen to be at the leading edge of the
"creative class" — which Singapore is trying to develop as part of its
new knowledge-based, creativity-oriented economy — and being accepted
because of the recognition that fundamental human rights and the
dignity of the individual extends to gays as much as to anyone else.

The somewhat schizophrenic decision to not prosecute an illegal
activity has ramifications beyond the gay community, and has disturbed
some sections of the larger community, which is not particularly
interested in gay issues.

To many thoughtful citizens, Singapore has always openly claimed that
the Rule of Law, possibly even more than the formal mechanisms of
democracy, is a vital component of good governance. Yet, to
criminalise gay sex and, in the same breath, state that anyone
breaching this law will not be prosecuted, makes a mockery of the Rule
of Law.

Minor though this violation of the principle may be, the proponents of
the concept that the Rule of Law is a sacrosanct pillar of the
Singapore ethos lament that the Government did not take the bold step
to simply decriminalise something which the rest of the developed
world has long decriminalised; which most Singaporeans (except,
perhaps, the most fervently fundamentalist Christians or Muslims)
don't care that much about one way or the other; which the police,
courts, and legal community would welcome simply to remove an archaic,
Victorian-era statute; and finally, which the gay community would
embrace as an important signal that their right to privacy — a
fundamental human right — is considered to be more important than the
right of anti-gay groups to proselytise about morality.

Optimists hope that the decriminalisation of gay sex — a yawn to
anyone except the homophobic and the gays themselves — will eventually
occur. In reality, rather than in law, gays in Singapore today have
never had it so good, and should within a short time, become
fully-accepted — not just tolerated — members of an increasingly
diverse, and therefore vibrant, Singapore community.

But if we pat ourselves on the back for being so "bold" as to accept
casinos and Formula 1 events into staid Singapore, why can't the
boldness extend to a simple act to enable gays to realise their dream
— indeed, their simple right — to be normal Singaporeans like anyone
else, no more and no less.

The writer is chairman ofSingapore Management University,executive
chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings and chairman of MediaCorp.

TodayOnline.com: Stop Making A Mockery of Rule of Law: Let's Accept Gays (Sept 8)

2008-09-08T00:07:00.000+08:00

Stop making A mockery of rule of law: Let's accept gays

Why keep such an archaic statute when there's no intention to prosecute?
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/274653.asp

Monday • September 8, 2008

HO KWON PING

news@newstoday.com.sg

SINGAPORE is known to be economically liberal, but socially
conservative. It is a rules-governed society with clear parameters for
behaviour, whether political, economic, or social. And within the "OB
markers" (out-of-bounds markers) of these do's and don'ts, it is a
transparent and fair social order, with no favouritism for anyone
operating outside the parameters.

This state of affairs governed the issue of homosexuality in Singapore
for many years. Not only was gay sex illegal, but every manifestation
was openly discouraged — some would say suppressed — and
discrimination against gays in the public domain (the civil service,
the military, the police, schools, and so on) was commonly accepted.
Indeed, because it was public policy to promote heterosexual family
life as the only norm, any other lifestyle was considered deviant and
handled accordingly. Repressive though it certainly was to gays, it
was at least very predictable.

Today, official attitudes towards homosexuality in Singapore are quite
different. They are certainly ambivalent and ambiguous — some would
even say, schizophrenic. On the one hand, many gay Singaporeans are
feted and lauded for their creative contributions to Singapore, and
warmly accepted by even senior figures of the establishment. On the
other hand, gay sex remains a criminal activity, even after much
public debate on the issue, and any kind of activity which is seen to
promote a gay lifestyle remains off-limits.

To those who believe that the non-persecution of gays is already
something to be grateful for, one could argue that allowing a black
person to sit in the front of the bus while legally forbidding it, is
something to be grateful for. Or, in an analogy closer to home for the
supposedly homophobic heartlanders, should a Chinese person be
grateful if the edict forbidding Chinese and dogs to enter parks in
Shanghai in the '20s were relaxed in reality, but maintained in the
law?

At another level, my gay friends argue cogently that non-prosecution
(or non-persecution, for that matter) signals, at the most, simple
tolerance of them, and nothing more. There is a difference between
being tolerated because gays are seen to be at the leading edge of the
"creative class" — which Singapore is trying to develop as part of its
new knowledge-based, creativity-oriented economy — and being accepted
because of the recognition that fundamental human rights and the
dignity of the individual extends to gays as much as to anyone else.

The somewhat schizophrenic decision to not prosecute an illegal
activity has ramifications beyond the gay community, and has disturbed
some sections of the larger community, which is not particularly
interested in gay issues.

To many thoughtful citizens, Singapore has always openly claimed that
the Rule of Law, possibly even more than the formal mechanisms of
democracy, is a vital component of good governance. Yet, to
criminalise gay sex and, in the same breath, state that anyone
breaching this law will not be prosecuted, makes a mockery of the Rule
of Law.

Minor though this violation of the principle may be, the proponents of
the concept that the Rule of Law is a sacrosanct pillar of the
Singapore ethos lament that the Government did not take the bold step
to simply decriminalise something which the rest of the developed
world has long decriminalised; which most Singaporeans (except,
perhaps, the most fervently fundamentalist Christians or Muslims)
don't care that much about one way or the other; which the police,
courts, and legal community would welcome simply to remove an archaic,
Victorian-era statute; and finally, which the gay community would
embrace as an important signal that their right to privacy — a
fundamental human right — is considered to be more important than the
right of anti-gay groups to proselytise about morality.

Optimists hope that the decriminalisation of gay sex — a yawn to
anyone except the homophobic and the gays themselves — will eventually
occur. In reality, rather than in law, gays in Singapore today have
never had it so good, and should within a short time, become
fully-accepted — not just tolerated — members of an increasingly
diverse, and therefore vibrant, Singapore community.

But if we pat ourselves on the back for being so "bold" as to accept
casinos and Formula 1 events into staid Singapore, why can't the
boldness extend to a simple act to enable gays to realise their dream
— indeed, their simple right — to be normal Singaporeans like anyone
else, no more and no less.

The writer is chairman of Singapore Management University,executive
chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings and chairman of MediaCorp.

FCC Sunday Service (Sept 7 2008), Speaker: Joshua Tan

2008-09-07T18:22:00.000+08:00

SUNDAY SERVICE (ENGLISH)
7 Sep 2008 (Sun) - 10.30am
FCC Main Hall
56 Geylang Lor 23
Level 3, Century Technology Building
All are welcome!

Speaker
JOSHUA TAN
Face(t)s of God Series

Worship Leader - PAUL WANG
Vocals - LIONG WAILING, SHANE LOO
Keyboards - GARY CHAN, VICTOR LEE
Guitars - RICK PRICE, PAUL B
Drums - JIMMY TAN
Audio - QING LONG LUO
Video - VERON TAN
Prayer - JORG DIETZEL
Communion - JONATHAN FOONG
Service Pastor - SUSAN TANG
Children Sunday School will start at 10.30am inside the reading room.

Project Sista Magdalene

2008-09-07T18:20:00.000+08:00

A repost from the FCC Mailing List...

Just to reiterate the details for the upcoming pre-project Sista Magdalene mentioned in church this morning. Please note the changed venue for the doc screening & discussion.

1. Sat, 20 September * 4pm * Post Museum, 107 Rowell Road.
This short documentary will highlight pertinent issues and raise important questions regarding the Sex Workers industry. It will be followed by a discussion on the topic. This will be very useful for clarifying our own understanding on "why/how/should we" reach out to the sex workers.

2) Fri, 26 September * 9pm * meet at FCC
Geylang Walk-About
This will give us a first-hand feel of the circumstances and conditions of sex work in Geylang. This will most likely raise more questions which we will discuss at church after the walkabout.

3) Wed, 1 October (Hari Raya Puasa) * 12 noon * FCC
Makan and Mingling
Women who currently frequent the Womens' Care Centre at Lor20 will be invited along with their friends to a simple friendly lunch get-together.

4) 7 Mondays, 13 October – 24 November * 2.30-3.30pm * FCC
Conversational English lessons led by Yock Leng
Si

ST Saturday Special Report - Once a Tourist Attraction, She is Now a Tai Tai (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T23:57:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
transformed
Once a tourist attraction, she is now a tai-tai
FACE TO FACE WITH... SELVI WIDMER, ex-Bugis Street transsexual
By Wong Kim Hoh
HER long tresses are swept up in a stately bun and threaded with
elaborate hairpins and strands of jasmine.

She wears a silk sari in a majestic shade of jade and an aubergine
blouse with gold trimmings.

On her neck hang three necklaces - her thick gold wedding thali, a
string of pearls, and a $42,000 choker studded with pearls, rubies and
diamonds.

It may be an outing to the temple but it is also an opportunity for
Selvi Widmer, 49, to mark her standing as a respected elder in the
Indian transsexual community.

She has come a long way from her dancing days in the 1970s and 1980s.
Then, the ebony-skinned, long-limbed transsexual was - along with
scores of exotic transwomen - a tourist attraction at the infamous
Bugis Street.

The exotic nightspot was torn down to make way for urban redevelopment
in the mid-1980s.

'They used to call me Miss Black Beauty. I would dress up in mini
skirts and hot pants, wear high heels and tourists - ang moh, Japanese
- would pay $20 to take a picture with me,' she recalls coquettishly.

'Eh, we were famous, you know, long before the Thais,' she says,
lamenting how Thailand's transwomen have since superseded their
Singaporean counterparts in the fame stakes.

Selvi was born the only son of a Public Works Department foreman and a
housewife, who had three daughters.

Selvi says that from young, she knew Mother Nature had made a mistake
with her. Her late father would hit her to make her mend her feminine
ways.

After completing Primary 6 at Newton Boys' Primary School, she ran
away from home.

'I wanted to be a woman but since I couldn't be one at home, I decided
I would live on my own,' she says.

She bunked in with other transsexuals in a room in Little India,
paying the $3 daily rent with money she earned as a worker in sari
shops and factories.

From her group of 'sisters', she learnt how to take hormone pills,
grow out her hair, dress up and apply make-up.

Visits to several psychiatrists when she was 17 confirmed for her that
she was indeed a woman born with the wrong body.

She started dancing in Bugis Street to earn money for the operation.
The money was easy.

She claims she did not need to sleep with men then.

'I could make $200 a night, just dancing and posing for photos. That
was nearly $6,000 a month, a lot of money in those days,' says Selvi,
adding that she often helped her family out with her earnings.

A German tourist told her she could make a lot of money dancing in
Europe. Being young and fearless, she did just that.

She worked as an exotic dancer in many European cities, and at 19, she
had saved enough for her operation - which cost her $19,000 at
Gleneagles Hospital.

'My mother had to sign the form for me, I was underaged then. She also
looked after me when I was recuperating,' she says, adding that she
reconciled with her estranged father two years before he died in 1981.

She continued performing in Europe for many years after her operation.

It was while dancing in a club in Locarno, Switzerland, that she met
her realtor husband, now retired, in 1988.

'I told him only three years after meeting him. I thought I had better
tell him, especially since he has a gun, a real gun,' she says with a
loud cackle.

He took it well. 'He told me not to talk about the past. He also said
I didn't look like a transsexual.

'He's a simple man who loves my traditional ways and only insists that
I dress up in saris and carry myself well,' says Selvi, who now speaks
German fluently.

Now 78, Mr Hans Walter Widmer also paid for his wife to attend several
make-up and beauty courses, and even opened a boutique for her in
Singapore. Unfortunately, the business did not take off.

The couple have three homes - one in Wintherthur (a bustling city just
18 minutes by train from Zurich), one in Locarno and one up in the
Alps. They also have a three-room HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio, where she
stays when she comes home for her annual holidays.

'What more can a woman want? I have seen the world three times,' says
Selvi, showing pictures of her with her husband in Egypt, Paris and
other exotic locations.

Brassy, well-spoken and charismatic, she also makes yearly pilgrimages
to India where she has many friends in the hijra or transgendered
community.

Quite the tai-tai, but she has not forgotten her local sisters.

In 1986, she set up an association called the Hijadah Pan with a
fellow transsexual from Malaysia.

Functioning like a social network, it rallies members - who number
several hundreds in both countries - for both happy and sad occasions
like weddings, operations and funerals.

'We are all blood sisters, we need to help each other.'

kimhoh@sph.com.sg

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275763.html

ST Saturday Special Report - Face to Face (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T23:55:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
transformed
He decided against operation
FACE TO FACE WITH... KRIS H, counsellor
FOR six years in the 1990s, Kris H, 39 walked the streets, offering
sex while dressed in women's clothes.

He charged between $30 and $300 during the 1990s in red light areas in
Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The sixth of nine children of a railway officer and a housewife, he
used to endure beatings as a child from his father and two elder
brothers for being effeminate.

At 12, he was sexually abused by an adult he knew.

He befriended a group of transsexual and transvestite sex workers
while doing an electrical engineering course after his O levels.

Before long, he was taking hormones and wearing dresses. When they
found out, his brothers threw him out of the house.

Left to fend for himself, he became a sex worker. In his 20s and known
as Sheela, he started saving up to go for sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

He also had a three-year relationship which ended when the man left
him for a woman. Heartbroken, he decided to go for the sex operation,
but a friend hauled him to a counsellor instead.

The counsellor asked him if he was sure, telling him that a sex
operation would not magically change his life.

Dr Calvin Fones, consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre,
says he has seen several patients who have regretted changing sex.

'Quite often, these are people who have experienced failed
relationships. They latch on to the idea that the operation would
totally change their lives and solve all their relationship woes.

'It won't. And they can't go back; SRS is totally irreversible.'

Indeed, research has shown that many transsexuals become depressed and
suicidal because they cannot cope with many post-operative challenges.
In Malaysia, where Kris lives, these include the inability to change
their civil status, to marry a person of the opposite sex or to adopt
a child.

After several soul-searching sessions, Kris abandoned the idea.

Determined to leave his old world behind, he took up a course in
counselling and became a coordinator with Wake, the Women and Health
Association of Kuala Lumpur.

He now presents himself as a male and counsels people afflicted with
Aids, as well as transsexuals.

Having come from the streets himself, he is passionate about steering
transwomen from the sex trade.

Kris says: 'Some do it for survival, others because they like sex and
that's the only way they can meet men who want them and make money at
the same time.'

And there are also those who want to cling to their boyfriends or
husbands who are their pimps.

'Unfortunately, at least 80 per cent of these relationships never last
because these men just want their money and will leave them for real
women.'

In private, Kris still occasionally puts on dresses and make up. 'I am
who I am,' he says resignedly.

WONG KIM HOH

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275762.html

ST Saturday Special Report - When Papa Became Mama (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T23:54:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
transformed
When Papa became Mama
FACE TO FACE WITH... FANNY LER, ex-navy sergeant
TWO months ago, a former first sergeant who served 10 years in the
Singapore navy sent a mass SMS to all his friends.

It said: 'Dear friends, I have changed my name from Frankie to Fanny.'

Some laughed it off as a prank. Others called up Frankie Ler, 34, and
were stunned when he told them he had decided to become a woman.

The divorcee and father of a 10-year-old girl told them he had started
'transitioning': He had grown his hair, was taking female hormone
pills, and had begun wearing women's clothes.

'I didn't want them to get a shock if they bumped into me on the
street,' said the administrative assistant, sitting in a Rowell Road
Cafe with her daughter.

Her face is powdered, and she is wearing light eyeshadow and lipstick.
Her broad shoulders fill out a conservative black blouse which she
complements with a knee-length patterned skirt and sensible pumps.

Half an hour earlier, Fanny was the main 'attraction' at My Wife, My
Kids, one of several events in this year's IndigNation - the local gay
community's annual pride season.

Facing an inquisitive audience of more than 60 people, she explained
why she had to change sex so late in life, after marriage and fatherhood.

Fanny - who has a younger sister - claims her transsexualism surfaced
only last year. Her late father was a factory worker, her mother, now
56, is a retired washerwoman.

'I never thought I had any problems, I just thought I had an abnormal
hobby,' she says in a mixture of English and Mandarin. That hobby was
a penchant for dressing in women's clothes. She discovered she liked
it while trying on her mother's clothes at 10, and continued to
furtively cross-dress until she got married at 23.

The Yio Chu Kang Secondary School alumnus - who signed up with the
navy after a brief stint as a security guard - met and fell in love
with her wife on an Internet chatline.

They got married three months later. Their daughter was born the
following year. 'Just before I got married, I threw out all the shoes
and dresses I had bought over the years. We were a very normal couple
during our marriage. I was not gay and I did not have any interest in
men,' says Fanny.

The marriage broke up seven years later in 2004. The couple have joint
custody of their daughter.

'We just drifted apart. It had nothing to do with cross-dressing,' she
says.

One day in June last year, she typed 'men who love to dress up as
women' in Google. The search engine threw up many links, one of which
led to sgbutterfly.org - a resource site for local transsexuals.

She trawled through the site's many articles and discussion threads,
and even posted questions, on transsexual issues - from identity
struggles to hormone treatments and make-up tips. 'I was so happy. I
finally found the answers to so many of the questions in my head,' she
says.

Two months later, after she was convinced that she was a woman trapped
in a man's body, she spoke to the person closest to her: her daughter.

'I wanted to be a woman but I had to be sure it wouldn't hurt my
daughter. So I decided to ask, not tell, her if I should transit. If
she had said no, I wouldn't have done this.'

The Primary 4 pupil (whom we are not naming to protect her identity)
says she was 'a little bit surprised that he should ask this
question'. Fanny carefully explained what she was going through and
why she felt the way she did.

The precocious little girl gave her approval. 'His physical looks will
change but he is still my father. He has always been very caring, and
is always teaching me to be brave,' she says, adding that she has told
two of her closest friends but sworn them to secrecy.

Fanny felt a big load taken off her shoulders. 'My mind was very
clear. I was divorced and I've been given a second chance to live my
life right.'

She went for psychiatric evaluation which confirmed she had gender
identity disorder (GID). She started her hormonal therapy late last
year. Her sister, parents and friends were told next. They were
shocked but took it well save for just one friend who has cut off all
contact.

The last to know was her former wife.

'She was very upset but I explained that I found it hardest to tell
her because we had such a close relationship,' says Fanny who plans to
have her operation in Singapore next year.

'To her credit, she joined sgbutterfly to try and understand why I had
to do this,' says Fanny, who adds that the former spouse occasionally
takes her shopping for women's clothes.

Fanny happily lets on that she recently found a job in a construction
firm. Her boss and her colleagues are aware of her status.

She does not harbour grand plans such as marriage for the future. 'I
just want to focus on my daughter.'

The latter ponders when asked what it's like to have two mothers.
'It's okay to have two mummies. I can still enjoy both their love.'

WONG KIM HOH

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275759.html

ST Saturday Special Report - Why He Set Up Portal For 'Sisters' (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T23:49:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
Why he set up portal for 'sisters'
No sleaze, please. Straight guy just wants to give transsexual
community a space for bonding
By Wong Kim Hoh
DANIEL Kaw deflates expectations of how a champion for Singapore's
transsexual community should look.

The 36-year-old assistant project manager with a water engineering
firm is stocky and burly. Not surprising, since he is a lion dancer
and a certified wushu instructor.

Despite the ponytail, he is also 100 per cent male, straight and
married. And a father to boot.

So why did he set up sgbutterfly.org, Singapore's only Web portal for
the transgendered community in Singapore?

He grins as he sips his iced coffee in an Orchard Road cafe.

'Why do you do charity?' he volleys back.

'People think it costs a lot of money to host a Web portal. It
doesn't, it costs me just $10 a month,' says Mr Kaw, who studied
industrial electronics at the Japan-Singapore Technical Institute.

However, the youngest of three children of a businessman and a
housewife forks out more than just money. He invests at least four
hours daily to make sure the portal - which will celebrate its third
anniversary next month - runs smoothly.

The portal has - among other features - news clippings, discussion
forums and resource lists on transgender issues.

Its membership has grown from about 500 in the first year to about
1,600 now, and the site attracts between 40,000 and 80,000 hits a month.

Mr Kaw - who works on the site with three other volunteer moderators -
also organises monthly outings for its members, as well as talks to
raise awareness of transsexual issues.

His first encounter with a transsexual took place on an IRC channel
called Singapore 30something more than 10 years ago.

'Her name was Victoria, and she was very open about who she was and
the issues she faced,' he recalls.

Intrigued, he started talking to others on the Internet. He even met
some of them.

He explains his fascination: 'They are human. Like everyone else, they
want to live a normal life.'

He is used to people questioning his intentions.

'Even my wife, who knows what I do, once asked me if I was transsexual
myself,' he says with a laugh.

'But she's supportive and has even met some of them,' adds Mr Kaw, who
declines to reveal more about his family in order to protect their
privacy.

The martial arts exponent decided that he would set up a Web portal
for his 'sisters', the way he did for wushu and lion dance fans a few
years earlier with sgwutan.com.

He started discussing the idea with his transsexual friends, including
outspoken activist Leona Lo.

While there are several sites frequented by transgendered prostitutes
for sexual hook-ups, there was none which properly addressed the
issues the community faces or gave its members a space to bond and
socialise.

'Before I set up the site, I spent at least four hours nightly over
three months reading up on transsexualism issues,' says Mr Kaw,
reeling off the names of world-renowned experts and researchers in the
area such as American computer scientist Lyn Conway, and Associate
Professor Sam Winter from the University of Hong Kong.

It was not all smooth sailing.

'I spent a lot of time initially throwing out and banning people who
thought it was a sleazy 'ladyboy' sex portal,' he recalls grimly.

The portal has settled into a smooth groove now. A visit to the forums
shows spirited, well-articulated discussions on issues such as whether
transsexuals should pursue activism.

The founder observes: 'The focus of the portal has changed. When we
started, we wanted to build awareness. Now, we want to reach out to
the community.'

That's why he started monthly outings.

'I hope these outings will send out the message that they are not alone.'

Held mostly at Newton Hawker Centre or coffee shops around town, these
excursions attract between five and 25 people.

'We occupied almost six tables at Starbucks in Plaza Singapura on one
such outing last year,' says Mr Kaw, adding that one member wrestling
with his sexual identity even took along his mother.

Mr Kaw and members of the portal will be celebrating its third
anniversary next month with a party at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue.

The unlikely activist is gratified to see more new members coming into
sgbutterfly.org to ask more questions.

As a moderator, there is one principle he abides by.

'I do not help them make decisions. I do not tell them if they should
go for sex reassignment surgery, I also do not tell them if they are
transsexuals or not.

'Those are issues they sort out with the experts.'

kimhoh@sph.com.sg

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275761.html

ST Saturday Special Report - What's The Difference (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T23:48:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
translate
What's the difference?
THE ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) is a coding of
signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances
and external causes of injury or diseases, as classified by the World
Health Organisation.

In the ICD-10, the definition of TRANSSEXUALISM (F64.0) has three
criteria:

1 The desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex,
usually accompanied by the wish to make his or her body as congruent
as possible with the preferred sex through surgery and hormone treatment.

2 The transsexual identity has been present persistently for at least
two years.

3 The disorder is not a symptom of another mental disorder or a
chromosomal abnormality.

Dual-role TRANSVESTISM (F64.1) has three criteria:

1 The individual wears clothes of the opposite sex in order to
experience temporary membership in the opposite sex.

2 There is no sexual motivation for the cross-dressing.

3 The individual has no desire for a permanent change to the opposite sex.

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275760.html

ST Saturday Special Report - Trans Singapore (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T23:47:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
Trans Singapore
A new study suggests that there are at least 1,500 transsexuals in
Singapore, higher than previously thought. They come from all kinds of
socio-economic backgrounds, and many - debunking stereotypes of lowly
educated sex workers - are high-earning professionals in both the
corporate and public sectors. The majority prefer to lead invisible
lives because transphobia is still very prevalent in Singapore.
By Wong Kim Hoh
A DEGREE from Curtin University, Western Australia, and a regional
management position in a large logistics organisation.

While laudable, Juliet's achievements are not likely to make most
people sit up and take notice.

Until, of course, the 40-year-old tells them she is a transsexual.

'When you say transsexual, a lot of people immediately think of Changi
Village and Desker Road,' she says, referring to two of Singapore's
most notorious vice haunts.

'People harbour so many stereotypes. Not all of us are prostitutes. In
fact, a lot of us lead and want to lead very normal lives,' says the
articulate professional whose company and colleagues know of her status.

Transsexuals - people who do not identify with the gender they are
born in and sometimes change their bodies through surgery or hormone
therapy - in Singapore have Bugis Street to blame for this albatross
hanging around their necks.

Before it made way for urban development in the mid-1980s, the street
- and nearby Johor Road - was world-famous for its transgendered
denizens peddling their bodies for profit.

The stereotype still dogs Juliet and members of her community,
although many hold down respectable jobs in law firms, engineering
companies and government departments.

They live with many other tags, including widely held beliefs that
they are mentally sick and sexually deviant.

Make-up artist Lynette Leong aka Ginger, in her 30s, says the
community has to put up with many derogatory names, including ah kwa
and bapok.

The Singapore Polytechnic graduate, who has a diploma in mechanical
engineering, says: 'Even the Chinese newspapers describe us as ren yao
(human monsters). How can society accept us when they perpetuate this
nonsense?'

Not surprisingly, many transsexuals choose to live their lives as
privately as possible. This makes it hard to determine how big the
community is.

In 1988, psychiatrist Tsoi Wing Foo - Singapore's foremost authority
on the subject - carried out a study on the prevalence of
transsexualism in the country.

That study suggested that the prevalence rate for male-to-female (MTF)
transsexuals was 1 in 2,900, and female-to-male (FTM) transsexuals, 1
in 8,300.

However, a new statistical study by two renowned researchers last year
indicated that the rates are higher.

Using data from Dr Tsoi's study, Professor Femke Olyslager from Ghent
University and Professor Lynn Conway from the University of Michigan
extrapolated that the MTF prevalence here is 1 in 2,000, and FTM, 1 in
4,000. This means the little red dot is home to at least 1,500
transsexuals.

Singapore was once famous for sex reassignment surgery (SRS), thanks
to the late Professor S.S. Ratnam who did the first one in the then
Kandang Kerbau Hospital in 1971.

About 1,000 SRS were performed here until 1987 when the authorities
asked hospitals to phase them out for fear that hospital staff might
be exposed to Aids. The objection was lifted in 2001. By then, cities
like Bangkok and Seoul had overtaken Singapore as an SRS hub.

Currently, the National University Hospital still offers such
operations. Professor A. Ilancheran, a senior consultant in the
department of obstetrics and gynaecology, says the hospital has
performed 15 in the last five years. It costs between $8,000 and
$9,000 for an MTF operation, and from $15,000 for an FTM one.

Compared to many other Asian countries such as Malaysia and Thailand,
Singapore has fairly enlightened laws about transsexualism. It has
allowed transsexuals - who have undergone SRS - to change their gender
on their identity cards since the 1970s, and to marry since 1997.

These legal provisions, however, have done little to banish
discrimination against transmen and transwomen.

In 2005, someone named Javier put up an online petition for SBS
Transit to ban transsexuals on buses the way they ban animals.

Last year, Singapore's most famous transsexual Leona Lo was denied
entry to a Clarke Quay nightspot which did not welcome 'ladyboys'.

Indeed, all the 15 or so transsexuals interviewed by The Straits Times
have experienced transphobia socially, at work and even in the family.
Almost all of them have attempted suicide because they cannot cope
with the rejection.

Mr Daniel Kaw, 36, who founded sgbutterfly.org, a resource portal for
transsexuals, says: 'I see scars on the wrists of many of the
transsexuals I know. They've gone through the kind of sadness that you
and I will never understand.'

Rare are the likes of Juliet, Ginger and Leona who have stepped
forward to dispel the 'culture of shame' enveloping their community.

Several of those who spoke to The Straits Times wanted to go public,
but were dissuaded by their families or fear that they would lose
their jobs.

Ignorance surrounding the condition is one of the main reasons why
transsexualism is a taboo subject in Singapore society. Dr Tsoi, 75,
who has counselled more than 700 transsexuals over three decades, says
many people do not know that transsexualism is a medical condition,
not a sexual perversion.

The main symptom is dysphoria, an intense feeling of anguish and
anxiety about having been assigned the wrong sex at birth. To seek
relief, many transsexual persons 'transition' - through surgery and/or
hormones - and begin to live their lives in their target genders.

Before SRS, transsexuals here have to be evaluated by two
psychiatrists, and undergo RLT (real-life testing) where they have to
live and dress as their target gender.

Almost all the transsexuals interviewed by The Straits Times say their
families reacted harshly when they outed themselves.

The father of civil servant Ivan (not his real name) threatened to
disown him and did not speak to the 24-year-old for over two years
after his SRS.

S.L., a 37-year-old MTF regional manager for a public-listed education
company, was thrown out of the family home. At least three other MTFs
were beaten up by brothers and/or fathers.

Many of them underwent their SRS without their family's blessings.
Ivan - who has two older sisters - did it in Bangkok last year,
accompanied by a friend.

After the operation, the surgeon handed him his removed womb. 'I
thought: 'I will never have children' and I remember feeling really
sad and alone.'

Psychiatrist Calvin Fones, 37, counsels about 30 transsexuals each
year. He says: 'Most parents have dreams for their kids, and normal
dreams include them having their own family and children.'

The working world is even more unforgiving.

Ivan, a National University of Singapore arts graduate, applied for a
teaching job last year. Even though he already had his gender changed
in his identity card, he came clean when asked why he did not do his
national service.

'They then asked if I would influence my students because of what I
am,' he says. He did not get the job, and is now an administrative
officer.

Leona, 33, says transsexuals often have to lie about their NS status,
or whether they have gone for operations, when filling up employment
forms.

'That's why I decided to strike out on my own. I am hired and can hire
on my own terms,' says the entrepreneur who owns a public relations
agency, Talk Sense.

Five years into her job as a regional manager, S.L., who holds a
master's degree in sociology from the University of Wollongong in
Australia, says her employer has no inkling she used to be a man.

'I've worked too hard to get where I am. I can't risk coming out
because I know it will jeopardise my career,' she says. Her paranoia
stems from an unpleasant experience. She used to be the operations
manager for a local restaurant and oversaw its expansion from one to
four outlets.

Her decision to 'transition', however, had dire consequences. 'One
day, when I was on leave, a letter was delivered to me, telling me I
need not report for work the next day,' she says.

Juliet, too, knows the odds that are stacked against transsexuals in
the marketplace. To get hired, she went for no fewer than 60 interviews.

'Many times, I could tell that the interviewers thought I was suitable
for the job.'

But when she told them about her sexuality at the end of each
interview, suddenly 'their faces would change'.

Fortunately, Fanny Ler, 34, fared better. Several months ago, the
administrative assistant sent out 60 resumes, all of which made clear
she was a transitioning MTF.

She got three interviews, and was offered a job by a construction
company which picked her over 50 others.

Her employer Betty Oh, 43, says: 'No one would want to do what she did
if they had a choice. I picked Fanny because she had the relevant
experience. I'm not paying her a free wage. She has to do her work,
which she has done very well.'

But Fanny, who was once married and has a daughter, is not too hopeful
that she would fare as well in love.

While they have heard of cases of happily married transsexuals, those
interviewed, particularly the MTFs, say finding a partner here is near
impossible.

Leona - who will be giving a talk on transsexualism at the Pelangi
Pride Centre at 9, Kreta Ayer Road on Oct 11 - says she has yet to
meet a local man who dared to date her publicly. Juliet, meanwhile,
echoes the sentiments of many when she says: 'Many men just want money
and sex from you.'

The FTM cases seem to fare better.

Dr Fones says: 'Women tend to look less at the physical and overtly
sexual attractions. Many can be happy with FTMs as emotional partners.'

The Straits Times knows of several FTM transsexuals who have become
happy husbands. But none was willing to give his real name or be
photographed.

'We've gone through too much to get here, we can't risk compromising
our happiness,' says businessman Andrew (not his real name), 45, who
has been married for over a decade.

Juliet understands. She says: 'Many transsexuals are afraid of losing
the comfort zone they fought so hard to get.'

The feisty woman adds: 'I was paranoid too, but now I guess I just
want to do what's right.'

kimhoh@sph.com.sg

http://www.straitstimes.com/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275758.html

Journal of Communication Inquiry: It's the Gays' Fault

2008-09-06T18:24:00.001+08:00

This version was published on October 1, 2008
Journal of Communication Inquiry, Vol. 32, No. 4, 383-399 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0196859908320295

It's the Gays' Fault

News and HIV as Weapons Against Homosexuality in Singapore

Debbie Goh
Indiana University, Bloomington, dgoh@indiana.edu

As homosexuality in Singapore is illegal and suffers from social stigmatization, the local media avoided the topic until recent acknowledgment by a top-ranking official of the presence of gays in Singapore opened the floodgates for media publicity. The flourishing underground gay scene triggered the international media to name Singapore as Asia's new "pink" capital. Although it acknowledges homosexuals, the Singapore government still does not condone their activity and public declaration of Singapore as a gay haven spooked the government, who sought a subtle approach to discipline and control the public behavior of homosexuals: through discourse about homosexuality in the national newspaper. Drawing from Foucault's repressive hypothesis on sexuality, this article examines news coverage of the government's blaming of homosexuals for the rise of HIV/AIDS cases in Singapore and argues that Singapore's national daily, in framing homosexuality as promiscuous and contrary to traditional values, served as a platform for the government to reestablish control and subvert homosexuality in Singapore.

Key Words: news framing • homosexuality • control • Singapore • Foucault

ST Saturday Special Report - Goddess of the Third Gender (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T00:05:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
Goddess of the third gender
IN INDIA, the Bahuchara Mataji is the patron goddess of the famed
hijras. Also known as the third gender, they include transsexuals,
transvestites, hermaphrodites and eunuchs.

Wikipedia and several websites such as TranSpiritual.com throw up many
myths surrounding the goddess' origins. One says she was a princess
who castrated her husband when she found out that he preferred
cross-dressing in the forest to jumping in their bed.

Another suggests she was a princess who jumped into a temple pond and
emerged a prince.

Yet another has her as a woman who, when threatened by rapists in the
forests of Gujarat, sliced off her breasts. She said she would offer
them to the attackers if they did not touch her.

She died, and was reincarnated as a goddess. She would appear before
impotent men and command them to cut off their genitals and become her
servant. If they did not, they would become impotent for their next
seven lives.

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275766.html

ST Saturday Special Report - Yearly Revelry to Worship Goddess (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T00:04:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
transfixed
Yearly revelry to worship goddess
By Wong Kim Hoh
THE muted sounds of animated chatter reverberate along the corridor on
the ninth floor of the Crystal Lodge Hotel in Port Klang.

The door of room 989 opens, letting out a heady scent of perfume,
incense and jasmine. A portly matron in a blue sari dashes out,
hairdryer in hand, and frantically races down the passageway.

Inside, confusion reigns.

Seven transsexuals in various states of undress create cacophony as
they beaver away at the business of making themselves beautiful. They
have enough gold and bling on them to light up Little India.

Saris in brilliant hues of red, yellow and green are laid out on the
two single beds and draped over chairs. Several big bags - containing
metres of jasmine garlands - sit on the vanity table, alongside an
assortment of make-up and beauty brushes.

In a corner, on a small makeshift altar, sit framed pictures of
several Hindu deities, including the elephant-headed Lord Ganesh and
Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth.

The scene is repeated in at least two other rooms along the corridor.

Indeed, for five days each year, the Crystal Lodge and other hotels in
Klang are invaded by hundreds of transwomen from Malaysia and Singapore.

Decked out in their finest, they gather to worship the goddess
Bahuchara Mataji, enshrined in a small temple in this bustling port
town, about 30km west of Kuala Lumpur.

The presiding deity for transsexuals and other members of the
transgendered community, the goddess is often depicted sitting on a
rooster. She has four hands - the upper right hand carries a sword,
the upper left, scriptures. She has a showering of blessings in her
lower right hand, and a trident in the left.

Many myths surround Bahuchara Mataji. One suggests that she was once a
princess who castrated her husband upon discovering that he preferred
dressing up as a woman and going to the forest instead of coming into
their conjugal bed.

In India, Bahuchara Mataji's original temple was built in 1783 in
Gujarat and attracts about 1.5 million pilgrims each year.

The shrine in Klang - situated in the compound of a house - was set up
about 11 years ago by Ms Asha Devi, matriarch of transsexuals in Malaysia.

The 65-year-old transwoman, who underwent traditional castration in
India in 1972, has been visiting the temple in Gujarat annually for at
least two decades.

She set up the shrine so that the closely-knit Indian transgendered
communities in Malaysia and Singapore would have their own place of
worship too.

The occasion is not only an opportunity for them to worship, but to
bond and celebrate their uniqueness.

The scale of the festival has grown over the years, and now draws even
Indian transsexuals who have settled abroad. This year, at least three
of the devotees returned from Switzerland and Germany for the
celebrations.

The festivities last five days but reach fever pitch on the fourth.

In the morning, a whip-wielding priest leads a procession of at least
100 transsexuals - dressed in green saris - from a nearby shrine to
the temple. They carry urns of milk and earthen pots of fire as
offerings for the goddess, walking in unison to the heady din from a
group of musicians working the tabla, cymbals and clarinet.

The rhythms hit a frenzy as the procession reaches the temple. Several
devotees start to go into a trance, prompting fellow worshippers to
restrain them.

Some manage to break free, yelping and rolling up their eyeballs
before throwing themselves to the floor. They writhe like serpents
with their tongues sticking out. Others bow before the shrine,
chanting prayers as priests start bathing the goddess with the urns of
milk.

More elaborate rituals take place in the evening. With much fanfare,
the deity is borne aloft in a gaily-lit float which winds its way
around the town centre. The four-hour procession, which attracts a
huge crowd of devotees and onlookers, is the highlight of the
festival. Half a dozen whistle-blowing security officers clear traffic
and maintain crowd control.

It is quite a spectacle: hundreds of elaborately made-up transsexuals,
dressed to the nines and dripping with jewellery.

Some walk with hands linked. Others break into feisty dances while
balancing pots on their heads, and yet others twirl their colourful
skirts as they execute nifty moves with wooden sticks.

More prayers, riotous dancing and singing take place after the
procession returns to the temple.

It's past midnight.

A gaggle of transwomen with damp hair, streaked mascara and sweat
patches on their saris troop along the corridor on the ninth floor of
the Crystal Lodge.

They open the door to room 989, throw off their dancing shoes, and
take off their make-up and finery to retire for the night.

kimhoh@sph.com.sg

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275768.html

ST Saturday Special Report - Crossover Celebrities (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T00:03:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
transformed: CROSSOVER CELEBRITIES
Making it in the mainstream
SINGAPOREAN transsexual activist Leona Lo has a dream: To become a TV
talk show host.

'If Eunice Olsen can have her own talk show on TV, why can't I?' says
the PR practitioner, referring to the former beauty queen and
Nominated Member of Parliament who currently hosts Rouge.

Leona thinks she is made of the right stuff for the job: decent looks,
gift of the gab and grey matter. After all, she has a degree in
English, as well as a master's in qualitative research from York
University in Britain.

But she is grounded enough to know that the dream is not likely to
come true, not if mindsets and discrimination do not change.

Which is a pity, she says, because transsexuals have made great
strides in showbusiness.

Indeed, they have. They include:

# Candis Cayne: She plays Carmelita, the transsexual mistress of New
York Attorney-General Patrick Darling (William Baldwin) in the TV
series Dirty Sexy Money.

Essentially, the role means that the 1.78m tall actress is the first
transsexual to play a transsexual in prime time.

Born Brendan McDaniel in Hawaii, the classically trained dancer gained
public attention as a female impersonator in popular gay bar Boy Bar
in New York City. She later landed roles in a number of movies
including To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything Julie Newmar; and Stonewall.

She transitioned in 1996 and has a boyfriend, DJ Marco.

# Jin Xing: A former army colonel who became a ballerina,
choreographer and now owner of a contemporary dance company Shanghai
Jin Xing Dance Theatre, in China.

Now 41, she joined the People's Liberation Army at nine, became a
member of the military's dance troupe and worked her way up to the
rank of colonel.

She left for New York to study modern dance in 1987, before travelling
and performing in Europe. She had her sex operation in 1996 when she
was 28, and later went to Shanghai to be a choreographer. She and her
German husband now have three adopted children.

# Rose: The first transgender TV host in India, Rose's talk show
Ippadikku Rose discusses contemporary social issues including
traditions, sexuality and taboos. It is watched by millions in Tamil
Naidu.

The former Ramesh Venkatesan started dressing up as a woman in her
early 20s. Now 28, she used to work as a Web designer in the United
States and has a master's in biomedical engineering from Louisiana
Tech University.

Her family has yet to come to terms with her sexuality.

# Nong Toom: Thailand's most famous kathoey (male-to-female
transgendered person) is a multi-hyphenate: a muay thai champion,
model and actress.

She started learning Thai boxing as a young boy, determined to win
matches to help support her poor parents and fund her sex change
operation.

She came into the public limelight when she was 16. Wearing make-up,
she floored a much bigger opponent in Bangkok's Lumpini Stadium.

She was to win many more matches before retiring in 1999, when she had
her sex operation. She became an actress, nabbing roles in plays and
movies such as Mercury Man.

Theatre and film director Ekachai Uekrongtham turned her life story
into a movie Beautiful Boxer in 2003.

# Abigail Chay: Born Caesar Chay Tuck Kwong, this Anglo-Chinese alumna
became Abigail Chay after sex reassignment surgery at the age of 22.

Her late mother Yau Chung Chii - beloved by Singaporeans as the
McDonald's granny - got the former tutor to audition for TV shows.
That's how she landed up as single, desperate and ugly Aunty Abigail
in the comedy Under One Roof.

Chay has since appeared in other TV series such as Maggi And Me and
The Legendary Swordsman on both Channel 5 and 8, and in movies such as
Money No Enough.

The reed-thin actress came out as a transsexual only in 2006, and
revealed that she got married in her early 20s, only to get divorced a
year later.

WONG KIM HOH

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275765.html

ST Saturday Special Report - A Life of Tribulations, but He Has No Regrets (Sept 6)

2008-09-06T00:02:00.000+08:00

Sep 6, 2008
transformed
A life of tribulations, but he has no regrets
FACE TO FACE WITH... JORDAN, branding manager
HIS colleagues and bosses know Jordan (not his real name) as a happily
married fellow with a pretty wife.

What they do not know is that the branding manager was born female. Or
that he and his wife went through many trials and tribulations to be
together.

He has kept his past secret not because he is embarrassed.

'There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I just don't want this to
have an impact on my career,' says the 38-year-old who works for a
training company.

Jordan - who became legally male after undergoing sex reassignment
surgery (SRS) more than 10 years ago - has run into people who know of
his past.

'But no one has exposed me,' he says with a big smile.

The elder of two children born to a civil servant and a housewife, he
knew very early on that he was different.

'The mirror and my body told me otherwise but in all my dreams, I was
always male, never female.'

In Primary 1, he confided in his best friend. Alas, it got back to his
mother who gave him 'the whacking of my life'.

'That was when I knew that what I was feeling was very taboo. From
then on, I learnt not to betray what or how I felt,' he says.

Puberty - with its attendant physical changes - was traumatic. So were
teenage infatuations. However, he never acted on them.

'I could not imagine having a physical relationship when I had the
body of a female,' he says.

When he made it to the National University of Singapore, he felt free
for the first time as he could live the life and wear the clothes that
he wanted.

'That was when the repression of being was lifted,' says the arts
graduate, adding that he took on many male roles in varsity musicals.

After graduating with his basic degree, he started work with a public
relations company.

'I guess it was a last-ditch attempt to be normal. I wore suits with
skirts and really went the whole hog but drew the line at make-up.'

His misery was compounded when a colleague proposed marriage. 'I
really didn't know where that came from,' says Jordan, who then
decided to go back to university to do his honours degree.

By then, he had read up enough on the subject and was convinced he
wanted to undergo SRS after graduating.

He then met his future wife on campus. He shocked himself by telling
her all about himself three days after knowing her.

'I was just drawn to her and I didn't want a relationship to develop
under false pretences.'

She decided to be his girlfriend although she had other suitors.

After graduation, Jordan had his transsexualism confirmed by two
psychiatrists. Not long after, he had his SRS done in Mount Elizabeth
Hospital for about $25,000.

His father was sad; his mother refused to talk to him for a long time.

More challenges loomed ahead.

When his wife's father found out, he hit the daughter he had never hit
in his life, and threatened to disown her and 'ruin' Jordan.

He even got the couple kicked out of the church they went to.

The couple stayed firm and got married, five years after meeting.

Attempts to get a pastor to solemnise their wedding failed. They
finally got married in a ceremony officiated by a Justice of the
Peace. They still go to church.

Jordan says: 'I don't think God makes mistakes. I think he has handled
me differently and he may have a purpose for me, one I don't know and
may not know while I am on this earth.'

Meanwhile, Jordan's father-in-law came around one year after the marriage.

'I think he's sometimes closer to me than to his daughter,' he says,
chuckling.

Life has happily settled now. Children are, however, not on the cards.
His wife told him: 'If they're not yours, I wouldn't want them.'

The branding manager says: 'I owe my wife a great debt of gratitude.'

And, he adds, with great satisfaction: 'We genuinely love each other.'

http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Saturday%2BSpecial%2BReport/Story/STIStory_275764.html

Women who Love Women Documentary: Screenings in September

2008-09-03T23:45:00.000+08:00

Sinema is bringing the documentary, Women who Love Women: Conversations in Singapore back for the month of September as part of their new series of featuring women directors every Friday.

Catch this documentary on lesbians in Singapore on:
- Friday, 5 September, 9.30 pm (no talkback)
- Friday, 12 September, 9.30 pm (talkback with Lim Mayling - director, & Gea Swee Jean - featured in docu)

Venue: Sinema @ Old School (11B Mt. Sophia Road)
Tickets: $8 each
Ticketing Hotline (Sinema): 63369707
[Tickets to be reserved over the ticketing hotline; payment and collection of tickets only at Sinema itself]
For more information: www.sinema.sg

For more information on the Documentary, visit our blogsite: womenwholovewomensingapore.blogspot.com

cheers, take care and please help spread the word around!

Come join us for our first Saturday at DYMK (6th September, 4-8pm)

2008-09-03T21:24:00.000+08:00

Hi all

PPC@DYMK will be open for our FIRST Saturday of operations this Saturday, 6th September from 4-8pm.

Come by to chill out and enjoy the collection of books whilst sipping fine teas/coffees and so on!

Special beverage/cake deals for PPC users (through the kindness of our friends at DYMK)

$2 for Soft Drinks (Normally $5)
$3 for Juice (Normally $6)
$5 a cup of Coffee (cos expensive beans) (Normally $8)
$5 a pot of Tea (cos expensive bag) (Normally $8)

Tea time special - Any cake with coffee/tea $8

The address of PPC@DYMK is 9 Kreta Ayer Road, Singapore 088985

To come by train, exit at Outram Park or Chinatown Station

To come by bus,
Neil Road - 166,197
Kreta Ayer Road - 80,145
New Bridge Road &
Eu Tong Sen Street - 2,12,33,54,63,124,143,147

See you on Saturday!
The PPC Team (Eileena, Nam Khim & Charm)

Patterns of Brain Activation during Visually Evoked Sexual Arousal Differ

2008-09-03T18:26:00.000+08:00

4: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2008 Sep 3; [Epub ahead of print]

Patterns of Brain Activation during Visually Evoked Sexual Arousal Differ
between Homosexual and Heterosexual Men.

Hu SH, Wei N, Wang QD, Yan LQ, Wei EQ, Zhang MM, Hu JB, Huang ML, Zhou WH, Xu Y.
Departments of Mental Health and Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, College
of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Virginia Harris Cockrell Cancer Research Center, University of Texas, Austin,
Tex; and Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University,
Hangzhou, China.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nowadays the mechanism of homosexuality is little known.
Few studies have been carried out to explore the brain functional changes of
homosexual men during sexual arousal. We used functional MR imaging (fMRI) to
determine whether the patterns of brain activation in homosexual and
heterosexual men differed during visually evoked sexual arousal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: To all the subjects (10 homosexual and 10 heterosexual), real-time
visual stimulation was provided by 3-minute exposure to 3 types of erotic film:
heterosexual couples (F-M), male homosexual couples (M-M), and female homosexual
couples (F-F) engaged in sexual activity, during which time fMRI was used to
determine the patterns of brain activation. Self-reports of level of sexual
arousal were collected immediately afterward. RESULTS: Statistical parametric
mapping showed that viewing erotic film excerpts that induced sexual arousal was
associated, in both groups, with activation of the middle prefrontal gyrus,
bilateral temporal lobe and postcentral gyrus, thalamus, insula, vermis, left
precuneus, occipital cortex, parietal cortex, and cerebellum. In homosexual men,
the left angular gyrus, left caudate nucleus, and right pallidum were activated;
in contrast, heterosexual men showed no activation in these regions. However,
heterosexual men showed activation in the bilateral lingual gyrus, right
hippocampus, and right parahippocampal gyrus, areas not activated in homosexual
men. In both groups, region-of-interest analysis revealed no correlation between
the magnitude of amygdala or thalamus activation and the reported level of
sexual arousal.

CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that different neural circuits
are active during sexual arousal in homosexual and heterosexual men and may
contribute to a better understanding of the neural basis of male sexual
orientation.

PMID: 18768725 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Sinema bringing back Women who love Women: Conversations in Singapore in September

2008-09-03T00:55:00.001+08:00

TodayOnline: Softly spoken at the Corner (Sept 2 2008)

2008-09-02T18:32:00.000+08:00

Softly spoken at the Corner

Tuesday • September 2, 2008

Tan Hui Leng

huileng@mediacorp.com.sg

THUS was a milestone in free expression marked: A lone businessman putting up posters to draw attention to failed overseas investments, and a group staging an express demonstration on the plight of abused maids.

But if such fledgling efforts at public demonstrations were disappointing to some who turned up expecting far more fire, at least, it was not the no-show that had been expected originally.

At about 9am yesterday — the first day that rules were relaxed at Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park — 52-year-old businessman Teng Liang Huat registered to put up an exhibition that afternoon.

And at the last minute, non-profit group Hearers of Cries, which had earlier registered its evening event as a speech, decided to change this into a demonstration instead, complete with banners.

Much fanfare had led up to the liberalisation of rules: A police permit was no longer needed to speak at the park, visual aids were allowed as were sound amplifiers. Scenarios such as the burning of political effigies or a gay pride parade had seemed real possibilities, with authorities not objecting when these were suggested to them.

So it was that many, like retiree Roger Poh, 61, dropped by in keen anticipation yesterday evening, to see what would take place.

Mr Poh, who came all the way from Jalan Kayu, felt short-changed by the 22-minute ‘demonstration’ from Hearer of Cries – it began with founder Mike Goh appealing for whistle-blowers on maid abuses, after which a volunteer dressed up as an abused maid (complete with paint-on bruises and neck brace) appealed for help.

The speeches lasted less than three minutes in all.

“I’m very disappointed, I expected more,” Mr Poh told TODAY. “I was hoping for demonstrations at the last minute on more controversial topics such as ERP, ministerial salaries and cost of living. This (maid abuse) issue is innocuous. It’s an anti-climax.”

Alan Tan bemoaned the turnout of about 30 to 40 persons. “I though all of Singapore knew, why are they not here?” asked the 50-year-old teacher. “It’s Teacher’s Day today – we should see more students and teachers. Are they scared or are they just not interested?”

And where was the opposition, or other local activists, some wondered.

As Mr Poh said: “It’s the first day and all the media is here; it’s the perfect opportunity to be heard.”

SUBHD: ‘Hopefully someone can help me’

Some expressed pessimism over whether interest in Hong Lim Park could be sustained.

One or two in the crowd were heard mumbling that it would likely “die a natural death” – the same way that Speaker’s Corner had opened on Sept 1, 2000 with a bang that quickly sizzled out, some said largely due to its out-of-the-way location.

Architect Foo Siew Mun, for one, believes that the Internet is now the focal point as a new-age discussion forum and real live demonstrations have become less effective in pushing causes.

But for individuals like Mr Teng – who literally put his name in the record books when he registered to put up posters yesterday – it was a way to vent his frustrations.

Between 1pm and 5pm, he put up hundreds of notices in Chinese typeface, expounding on Singapore businessmen’s misadventures overseas and the bureaucratic red-tape faced. He had apparently run into legal issues when investing in a property overseas.

“I’m using this as a platform to voice my concerns about issues and hopefully, somebody can help me out,” said Mr Teng, who had learnt about the looser rules at Speakers’ Corner only the day before.

He was approached by members of the media, curious tourists and other passers-by, like law student Kerushnan who had dropped by with friends to see if there was “any action”.

Mr Kerushnan, 38, was upbeat about the opportunity for the man in the street to voice his opinions and concerns. Unfortunately, the second event of the day ended too early for the student who had classes in the evening – Hearer of Cries had registered for their demonstration to end at 9pm, but started packing up before 7.25pm.

The seven-member group, which set up a website in 2002, encourages the public to report maid abuse and offers vouchers as rewards. Founder Mr Goh appeared a tad overwhelmed by the keen media attention and declined to elaborate much on the organisation, refering reporters instead to its website.

“Everyone of us here can play apart to prevent maid abuse,” he said, and yesterday’s demonstration was a small start – the group intends to use Speakers’ Corner as a regular platform to spread its message.

After all, as architect Mr Foo put it succintly: “It’s a start.”

And a soft one at that.

FCC Sunday Service (Aug 31 2008), Speaker: Clarence Singam

2008-08-30T18:54:00.000+08:00

SUNDAY SERVICE (ENGLISH)
31 Aug 2008 (Sun) - 10.30am
FCC Main Hall
56 Geylang Lor 23
Level 3, Century Technology Building
All are welcome!

Speaker
CLARENCE SINGAM
Face(t)s of God Series

Worship Leader - WAILING LIONG
Vocals - SHANE LOO, SEAN LEE
Keyboards - GARY CHAN, VICTOR LEE
Guitars - NATHAN GOH
Drums - CEPHAS YEO
Audio - QING LONG LUO
Video - FOO KEONG YAP
Prayer - MARK CHIA
Communion - CYRUS HO
Service Pastor - JORG DIETZEL

Click here for instructions on how to get to church
____________ _________ _________ _________ ____

Next Women's Nite 30th August 2008: When The Words Don't Come Easy‏

2008-08-29T23:39:00.000+08:00

ST: Sleepy, oops Speakers' Corner (Aug 29)

2008-08-29T01:01:00.000+08:00

Aug 29, 2008
Sleepy, oops, Speakers' Corner
It's now up to citizens to respond to the chance given by Government
By Chua Mui Hoong
SO SPEAKERS' Corner is set to become Demo Corner.

At least, if activists and citizens make use of the space.

The Government's move this month to allow outdoor demonstrations at
Speakers' Corner without the need to get a prior permit, has drawn
mixed reactions.

The 'half-full' camp hail the move as the latest in a series of small
steps of political liberalisation taken by the politically risk-averse
People's Action Party Government.

Other recent moves along this line include the 2000 decision to
designate Hong Lim Park as a venue where public speeches can be made
without a permit. Then there was the decision to allow indoor events
to proceed without a permit in 2004.

The 'half-empty' camp say the change is too little, too late, and is
in fact an insult to the spirit of the Constitution which guarantees
free speech.

Some in this camp say the latest move confines activists' zeal and
cramps their style by limiting protests to one venue.

People are of course entitled to their view of the issue. But it would
be a real pity if those in the 'half-empty' camp chose to disdain the
relaxation of rules, and never make use of the extra space - both
physical and political - given by the state.

In the end, whether Speakers' Corner remains a Sleepy Corner as it is
now - or whether it becomes a Sparkling Corner where sparks fly -
depends entirely on activists and citizens.

In the eight years since Hong Lim Park in the Chinatown area was
designated Speakers' Corner, little has changed in the area on the
surface.

The first year of its operation did see some public and media
interest. When it was launched in September 2000, 25 people registered
to speak. In the first year, one man, Mr Tan Kim Chuang, spoke 88 times.

The early years saw some testing of the rules and innovative use of
the space.

A group wanted to organise a run to mark International Human Rights
Day in December 2000 but this was turned down. In the end, local
activist group Think Centre and the Open Singapore Centre held a
protest to mark the day, chanting slogans and displaying banners
calling for an abolition of the Internal Security Act. This was deemed
an 'illegal assembly' and the organisers questioned, but let off with
a warning.

The venue was also used for a book launch and an advertising campaign
for a magazine, among other things.

Again applying the half-full or half-empty test, it is tempting to say
that Speakers' Corner has had little impact. Fiery speeches are few.
Most days, Hong Lim Park remains the haunt of the birds and elderly
folk who congregate there, especially on weekend evenings when the
outdoor stage of the Kreta Ayer Hong Lim Community Club in the park is
used for Chinese opera shows.

In fact, the impact of Speakers' Corner lies precisely in its
unremarkableness.

Eight years on, it has been established clearly that allowing free
speech, unpoliced, in one venue did not cause riots either in Hong Lim
Park or anywhere else in Singapore.

In the give-and-take tussle between the state and citizens, activists
learnt to use the space without disruption while the state -
especially the folk at the neighbourhood police post in the park -
learnt that relaxing free speech rules does not invite chaos if
citizens are responsible.

The most interesting and little-remarked aspect about the change, is
the decision to put the administration of the corner under the purview
of the National Parks Board (NParks), not the Singapore Police Force.

Hong Lim Park after all is one of the chains of parks under NParks and
came under the police only because of law and order concerns over
Speakers' Corner.

Moving it back to NParks' charge hints at the comfort level of the
police with citizens' ability to organise themselves peacefully. It is
a calculated risk for law enforcers - one they are prepared to take
only because of the eight years of calm at Speakers' Corner.

With the decision to allow protests at Speakers' Corner, the state has
thrown down the gauntlet to citizens, especially activists clamouring
for the right to hold demonstrations and protests.

We can debate whether the move was a rearguard or vanguard measure -
whether it is too little, too late, or whether it is in fact an astute
move to satisfy the vocal minority, ahead of the comfort level of the
silent majority of citizens.

What is more critical is how the space is used, and whether citizens
test the ground there.

For a start, will activists make use of the space for protests? Some
including Think Centre's Sinapan Samydorai have said they will.

Second, will citizens turn out in force to support these demonstrations?

Third, how will they conduct themselves? And fourth, how will
enforcement agencies respond to mass demonstration turnouts which may
be peaceful but provocative?

Unless these are tested on the ground, via actual demonstrations, the
rules will never be spelt out.

I am confident demonstrations will be organised and that Singaporeans
will support these, at least in the initial months. The momentum can
be sustained if activists seize the imagination of the public.

As for the state, the rhetoric so far from NParks suggests the
Government is more concerned about the state of the shrubbery than
with law and order concerns.

This remains to be seen.

Will police stand idly by if large crowds turn out to demonstrate
against rising costs or the Electronic Road Pricing hikes? What if a
fledgling Gay Pride March comes up against a rival protest organised
by Christians who are against homosexual activity?

Only with experimentation can activist groups and the state come to an
understanding of just where the limits of peaceable protest are in
Singapore.

Whether peaceful protests will take place in Orchard Road one day,
depends entirely on how citizens and enforcement officers square off
in Speakers' Corner in the years ahead.

Action for AIDS (Singapore) looking for Programme Manager

2008-08-28T18:55:00.000+08:00

Action for AIDS (Singapore)

Formed in 1988, Action for AIDS (AfA) is a voluntary community based organization and a registered charity. We are also a registered IPC under the Ministry of Health. Our objectives are to provide support and assistance to persons living with HIV and AIDS (PWAs); to increase awareness, education and understanding of AIDS and HIV infection; to combat discrimination and stigmatisation of (PWAs) and their loved ones; and to encourage AIDS-related research activities in Singapo

Designation: Programme Manager

Requirements:

- Minimum A level or Diploma

- Keen interests in MSM (men who have sex with men) issues and HIV/AIDS

- Open-mindedness, Integrity & respect for diversity is necessary for this role

- Articulate and confident

- Proactive, possess a strong sense of responsibility & great efficiency

- Can do attitude, resilient, hardworking and fully hands-on

- Excellent command of English and good working knowledge of a local second language will be an asset

- Good in Microsoft Office especially Excel and PowerPoin

Job Description:

Reporting to the President, the person is expected to:

- Manage the MSM Programme

- Operationalised planned outreach activities

- In-charge of collating data from various research initiatives

- Any other administrative and logistical duties as and when required to fulfill the objectives of the organization

What to do next:

If you think the role suits you, you are invited to write in to us with a cover letter, stating your motivation for applying along with your CV. Please also indicate your salary expectation including your last drawn salary. Send your application to: daniel.tung@ afa.org.sg.

The Phnom Penh Post: Opening up to gay tourists (Aug 28 2008)

2008-08-28T18:43:00.000+08:00

Opening up to gay tourists
Written by Dean Williams
THURSDAY, 28 AUGUST 2008

Bars and boutique hotels are tapping into a growing, multimillion-dollar niche market by putting out the welcome mat for gay and lesbian travellers

PETER OLSZEWSKI
Linga Bar owner Martin Dishman says he’s proud to have opened Cambodia’s first gay bar.
SIEM Reap is successfully tapping into the substantial revenue generated by the gay travel market, as an increasing number of travel agents, hotels, and tour and promotions companies target what's known as the "pink dollar".

According to a 2006 US Travel Industry Association survey, nearly half of gay and lesbian tourists seek a destination that is "gay-friendly", and Siem Reap has seen a surge in businesses marketing themselves as gay-friendly.

Dirk De Graaff and his partner Tum Hantitipart have been managing the gay-friendly Golden Banana Guest House and Boutique Hotel for two years. De Graaff said it's difficult to assess the increase in gay guests, but he estimates it to be about 40 percent.

"The gay-friendly label means that when tourists arrive they know that we will not look at them strangely if two guys book in, or two girls book a room and want to sleep together. In many other hotels, if two guys come in, they are offered two beds because they are presumed to be friends instead of partners," he said.

Discretionary income
Gay tourism has become a substantial global market. A Tourism Intelligence International report in 2000 said 10 percent of international tourists were gay or lesbians, accounting for more than 70 million arrivals worldwide.

This segment has few family responsibilities and often has large pools of discretionary cash for travelling. American gay and lesbian tourists are estimated to generate US$55 billion a year, about 10 percent of the total US travel industry.

Popular gay internet Asian accommodation guides list at least ten gay-friendly Siem businesses, and De Graff said many Siem Reap hotels are now jumping on the gay-friendly marketing bandwagon.

"We are gay-owned, some staff are gay, the management is gay, and I think that makes a difference. But, if a five-star hotel wants to market themselves as gay-friendly, then that's good because it signals that there is nothing weird about being gay."

We won’t look at them strangely if two girls book in and want to sleep together.

Nick Downing, general manager of Hotel de la Paix, said the hotel is gay-friendly. "We see it as a small but important market for us, and it's growing, especially in the context of Siem Reap."

He has also noticed an increase in gay travel operators.

"We have had two tour operators come through in the last month specialising in gay tourism, from Singapore in particular, but there are also more independent gay travellers staying with us now."

Downing attributes this to cultural attitudes in Siem Reap and Cambodia in general. "The people are very accepting, I don't feel a sense of prejudice here," he said.

At Siem Reap's popular Linga Bar, owner Martin Dishman said he's proud that when he opened the bar four years ago, it was Cambodia's first gay bar.

Dishman has since opened the boutique The One Hotel, Hotel Be and a spa for men. He said he can't quantify the increase in gay tourism in actual numbers, but revenues at the Linga Bar have increased annually.

"In the first year, 60 percent of our business was straight and 40 percent gay. The business has increased but now we have more gay customers than straight, and that leads me to believe there are more gay visitors coming to Siem Reap," Dishman said.

He added that opening the Linga Bar and The One Hotel was a business decision based on his being gay and targeting a market, and that a lot of his success is due to location and timing.

"There were no gay bars in Siem Reap, and I was only the fourth business on this street," Dishman said.

He said he also wanted to be a role model in the community. "That is why the place is very open, accessible to everyone. We are not here to hide anything in dark rooms."

Like De Graff from Golden Banana, Dishman also sees the increase in marketing toward gay clientele.

All things to all people
"What I think gets overdone is where huge chain hotels adapt their marketing strategies, when you see an advertisement for a Hyatt with a male couple embracing in the pool. It puts me off," Dishman said. "To me it's wrong; they're trying to be all things to all people."

De Graff also sees a difference in the gay market attracted to Siem Reap. The party crowd might come to Siem Reap for a few days, but they behave differently because they want to see the temples, "I think the interesting thing about Siem Reap is that it's a cultural destination, which draws a different crowd of more culturally-minded people. There are less of the people that want to dance all night and sleep all day," De Graff said.

"The guests in this hotel generally want to get up early to see the temples and in the evening they want a nice drink or a nice dinner and that's about it."

Dishman agreed. "People are coming here to see temples. Siem Reap's gay bars are usually closed by midnight, and it's not typically a party place."

Siem Reap may never boast an annual gay pride celebration, as in many other tourist-oriented cities, but gay business is here to stay.

DISCLAIMER: DEAN WILLIAMS RECENTLY TOOK OVER THE LEASE OF THE GAY-FRIENDLY BAR BLUE CHILLI TOO.

ST: No gay Anglican bishops, if new plan gets backing (Jul 28)

2008-08-28T01:16:00.000+08:00

July 28, 2008
No gay Anglican bishops, if new plan gets backing
LONDON - HOMOSEXUAL clergy will be barred from becoming bishops in the
Anglican communion under controversial new plans backed by the
Archbishop of Canterbury.

Liberals will be warned that they face expulsion from the heart of
Anglicanism unless they respect the ban, London's The Sunday Telegraph
reported yesterday.

An American church caused deep divisions between conservatives and
liberals when it consecrated Mr Gene Robinson as the first openly gay
Anglican bishop in 2003. There have been reports that it is prepared
to consecrate more homosexual bishops.

The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, told the Telegraph that he
would be willing to do the same.

The proposal to ban future consecrations is the most significant move
yet over the issue.

A paper on the issue, commissioned by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan
Williams, will be debated by 650 bishops today at the ongoing Lambeth
conference, the once-a-decade gathering of the Anglican Communion.

The debate is set to start the first real clash of the conference,
with liberal bishops expected to fight any attempt to curb their
autonomy, said the report.

However, Dr Williams is determined to impose tighter governance of the
77-million-member Anglican Communion to try and hold it together.

The paper, titled How Do We Get From Here To There?, says it is vital
that an Anglican Covenant be agreed so that churches around the world
will be mutually accountable and united by a common set of beliefs.

This must happen as soon as possible, it says, to prevent further
haemorrhaging of the Anglican Communion over the issue of homosexual
clergy. And until a consensus is reached, American and Canadian
churches must refrain from consecrating more homosexual bishops and
carrying out blessing services for same-sex couples, it says.

If the conference agrees to the recommendations, it will give Dr
Williams a mandate to exclude rebel churches.

Liberals in the Church of England who have stood by the American
church will be dismayed by this return to a conservative position.

Dr John Saxbee, the Bishop of Lincoln, said that while he supported
dialogue, he was opposed to the idea of a covenant. 'We need to be a
broad Church offering hospitality to everyone,' he told the Telegraph.

AWARE Beauty Redefined Photo Competition

2008-08-28T01:06:00.000+08:00

*AWARE Beauty Redefined Photo Competition*

an initiative for budding photographers that encourages them to challenge
and redefine interpretations of beauty.

Young women and men are requested to *submit photos* of a person/people that
they consider beautiful. Creative, new interpretations of beauty are
encouraged. Each entry should include a 100-word statement on why the
photographer considers the subject beautiful.

Top photographs will be featured in the AWARE Beauty Redefined
Travelling *Photo
Exhibition* at the public libraries, in a *Zo Cards* campaign, and in the
AWARE *2009 calendar*! *Prizes* will also be awarded to the top three
entries. Top photos will be selected based on the artistic and technical
expertise of the photograph, as well as the impact of the 100-word
statement. Entries should be submitted to redefined@aware.org.sg.

This is a great opportunity for budding photographers to gain *national
recognition* and *win prizes*.

This project was developed in response to growing concerns among young women
and men over body image. Recent reports have found that over 1 in 2
Singaporean teens feel they are too fat; over 8 in 10 want to change the way
they look; and 1 in 5 would consider plastic surgery. (Singapore Medical
Journal) As this is an issue that affects our young people, AWARE believes
we should all work towards improving the self-esteem of ourselves and those
in our society.

We kindly ask for your assistance to *help publicize our photo competition*.
We hope you may endorse the program by

1) printing and displaying our poster;

2) encouraging your members to participate;

3) emailing competition info to your members.

Feel free to contact me with questions at 6779-7137. We thank you for your
support in challenging the limited definition of beauty and improving the
self esteems of young women and men.

With Gratitude,

Tenley

Tenley D Peterson
Manager of Public Education & Public Relations

*AWARE
*Block 5 Dover Crescent #01-22
Singapore 130005

Tel: 6779 7137 | Fax: 6777 0318 | URL: www.aware.org.sg
Helpline: 1 800 774 5935 (3pm-9:30pm; M-F, except public holidays)

AWARE is Singapore's leading advocacy group dedicated to promoting gender
equality and understanding. Since its inception in 1985, AWARE has brought
women's perspectives to national issues and has focused on Research &
Advocacy, Public Education, and Direct Services. Our mission is to identify
areas for improvement in gender equality, encourage positive change, and
support women in realising their highest potential. We believe that gains
made by women are not gains made at the expense of men. Rather, they are
gains which benefit families and society as a whole. AWARE is a
not-for-profit non-government organisation and is funded solely by
donations, grants, and member subscriptions.

TodayOnline: A more open field (Aug 26 2008)

2008-08-26T18:59:00.000+08:00

A more open field

S’poreans can now stage demos using loud hailers, placards, and hold overnight candlelight vigils

Tuesday • August 26, 2008

derrick A paulo
deputy news editor
derrick@mediacorp.com.sg

BURN an effigy of a Singapore political leader? Organise a gay pride event outdoors? From next week, protests like these will have a place in Singapore.

These were some of the scenarios put to the Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the National Parks Board (NParks) yesterday when they announced the details on liberalising the use of Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park to allow public protests. None of the agencies objected.

“We want to be as open as possible,” said MHA senior director (policy and operations) Tai Wei Shyong at the press conference yesterday.

He did concede that because of the many possible scenarios that could arise, the liberalisation of Speakers’ Corner will be a “work in evolution”.

Come Sept 1, Singaporeans can organise and participate in any demonstration at Speakers’ Corner — except those that involve race and religion — without having to obtain a police permit.

Permanent residents (PRs) can also participate in these demonstrations, in recognition of the stake they have in Singapore. But they have to apply for a permit if they wish to give a speech or organise a protest themselves.

Foreigners will have to apply for a permit to conduct or participate in any activity — to make the distinction that the political rights of citizens are different from those of non-citizens. Which raises this possible scenario: What happens if a foreigner joins the protest without the organiser’s knowledge?

“The rules will be interpreted reasonably ... If there’s no way to stop him, we’ll look at that,” said Mr Tai. The rules will be administered by the NParks. Its chief operating officer, Dr Leong Chee Chiew, said he was not anticipating “worst-case scenarios”.

Since Speakers’ Corner was set up on Sept 1, 2000, there has not been any breach of the rules, according to Singapore Police Force director (operations) Wong Hong Kuan. During this time, there was a total of 2,144 registrations involving 508 speakers.

With the liberalisation, the 7am-to-7pm restriction will be abolished, thereby allowing all-night vigils. Any form of banners, placards, posters and other visual aids can be used for speeches or demonstrations, as long as they do not contain violent or obscene messages or any that pertain to race or religion.

And on top of making a scene, NParks will allow the use of loud hailers and other amplification equipment between 9am and 10.30pm in Hong Lim Park, which can hold 3,000 to 4,000 people.

A point to note: A group of protesters may have to share the park with other protesters. NParks’ new online registration allows you to head down to Hong Lim Park immediately after you register — there is no booking system.

“We work very much on the basis of trust. We are not going to do screening and make sure you speak on what you said you will speak on. But if you give information, you must know you’re accountable for it,” said Dr Leong.

The mandatory registration information includes your personal details, the date and nature of the event and the topic.

Would the police have any knowledge of the registrations with NParks? They would not rule it out yesterday.

“What if someone puts on the website that he’s going to do bad things?” Mr Wong offered as a scenario.

But he wanted to “dispel the perception that there’s a preponderance of police presence” at Speakers’ Corner, which is located next to Kreta Ayer Police Station.

He said that police presence would be kept “minimal”. But the police will intervene to enforce law and order or if there are complaints from the public.

“There are no limits (to the protests) subject to public safety ... for example, the crowd is so big that it obstructs the public,” said Mr Wong.

An agitated crowd is fine – demonstrations are designed as such, noted Mr Wong – but he suggested that organisers choose “some calming words” or call the protests off if they cannot control the crowd.

Lawyer and activist Chia Ti Lik believes this step to open up is “an attempt to return control over something (the government) won’t be able to control”.

“Their stand against demonstrations won’t hold up in real democracies,” he said.

So, will there be any takers for public protests come September?

Gay rights activist Alex Au does not plan to “dignify tokenism”, but the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society is in discussions to organise a demonstration, its executive director Louis Ng told Channel NewsAsia.

NParks is ready to take on this new role.

“Our primary motivation is to keep Speakers’ Corner for use in as well-maintained conditions as possible ... If there’s a need to make good on anything, we can follow up,” said Dr Leong.

“So, don’t damage our shrubs.”

Which means effigies can be burnt – but with care. - Additional reporting by Esther Ng

Pelangi Pride Centre Re-Opens at DYMK on 6th September 2008 (4-8pm)

2008-08-25T21:22:00.000+08:00

Hi all

YES! We are BACK! :) Please pencil this in your diaries, PDAs, blackberry, whatever.. :P that PPC@DYMK will be open on the first Saturday of September - 6th September from 4-8pm.

For those who have borrowed books when we were at Rowell Road, Mox and so on, it's a chance to see the library in the new space and to chill out in the rather nice and lil cosy cafe. (Got [nice] coffee/tea and non-alcoholic drinks too!!!)

Our friends at DYMK have also worked out a special beverage/cake deal for PPC users so that everything is a lil cheaper during Saturdays, 4-8pm.

$2 for Soft Drinks (Normally $5)
$3 for Juice (Normally $6)
$5 a cup of Coffee (cos expensive beans) (Normally $8)
$5 a pot of Tea (cos expensive bag) (Normally $8)

Tea time special - Any cake with coffee/tea $8

We will also be open for the rest of the Saturdays in September so if you don't get a chance to say hello on 6th September, there are other opportunities!

See you soon!
The PPC Team (Eileena, Nam Khim & Charm)

DYMK is located at 9 Kreta Ayer Road - http://www.pelangipridecentre.org/contact/contact.htm

FCC Sunday Service (Aug 24 2008), Speaker: Fong Chee Meng

2008-08-24T19:08:00.000+08:00

SUNDAY SERVICE (ENGLISH)
24 Aug 2008 (Sun) - 10.30am
FCC Main Hall
56 Geylang Lor 23
Level 3, Century Technology Building
All are welcome!

Speaker
FONG CHEE MENG
The Heart of God

Worship Leader - VICTOR LEE
Vocals - GORDON TAN, PAUL WANG
Keyboards - GARY CHAN, NICHOLAS LEOW
Guitars - KELVIN NG, PAUL B
Drums - JIMMY TAN
Audio - QING LONG LUO
Video - FOO KEONG YAP
Prayer - JAIME LOW
Communion - JONATHAN FOONG
Service Pastor - JOSHUA TAN

San Francisco Chronicle: Beijing's homosexuals live in the shadows (Aug 22 2008)

2008-08-22T19:02:00.000+08:00

Beijing's homosexuals live in the shadows
Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, August 22, 2008

(08-22) 04:00 PDT Beijing -- The Beijing Olympics have not changed anything for Benjamin Han. He is still gay, still single and still compelled to hide his orientation from public view.

The 28-year-old employee of a large international public relations firm is one of an estimated 5 million to 10 million gay men in China who live, for the most part, in the shadows.

Homosexuality has only been legal for 11 years in China. Although the Chinese Psychiatric Association took it off the list of psychiatric disorders in 2001, same-sex unions are still considered immoral by the authorities.

The modernization of Beijing in preparation for the Olympics actually made things worse for gays. Several gay clubs were bulldozed during the frenzy of street-widening and high-rise building during the run-up to the games.

"It's probably more restricted in Beijing than in other cities in the country," said Han, sitting in a fashionable bar near his home in east Beijing. "In general, it is still very much a taboo topic. You don't talk about it at work, you don't talk about it with your family. You only talk about it when the other person knows something about it already and you really trust them."

The government-controlled media in China sometimes hints about the subject, but it is never openly discussed. Han said he knows several Chinese journalists through his work who have told him there have been written notices from the propaganda department telling them not to bring up the subject.

Han was born in suburban Guangzhou. He was an only child, which is standard in China, and both of his parents worked, so a nanny took him to school. He said his mother and father were not like most other Chinese parents, who make most decisions for their children.

"I was growing up on my own most of the time," he said. "It is not that they didn't care. It is that they just couldn't understand what I was up to."

He came to Beijing in 2000 to study English and American literature and culture at the Beijing Institute of Technology. He continued his studies for one year in the United Kingdom, which opened his eyes to a wider world.

"There is a degree of choice and freedom that does not exist here," Han said. "It was more or less a surprise."

But Han, who goes by a Chinese name with his family and friends in China, never told his parents that he is gay and does not plan to do so. Only a few of his friends know the truth.

His mother has been pressuring him to get married and have children, and he keeps putting her off.

"I actually tried to have a girlfriend to please my parents," he said of a two-year relationship he had with a childhood friend that ended three years ago. "It was difficult in the sense that I didn't want it to get too far."

Han tells his mother now that he doesn't want to get married because he wants to concentrate on his career.

Despite these pressures, he sees himself as lucky that his work allows him to travel, meet people and stay informed, whereas most gay men and lesbians in China live lonely, secretive lives, in which finding partners can be an ordeal.

The only gay club left in Beijing is a place called Destination, a gray concrete block near several glamorous heterosexual night spots near the west gate of Workers' Stadium in eastern Beijing's Chaoyang area. On weekend nights, it is packed with trendy young Chinese residents, corporate mavericks, Olympic tourists and expatriates. Han said many call it "Desperation."

Lesbians are not much better off. There is just one club, West Wing, that caters to them.

There is a group called Pro Men, which hooks up professionals who are gay, Han said, and gay-themed Web sites featuring local chat rooms. There is even a chat room for gay Buddhists. But, for the most part, the gay scene in Beijing is restricted to clandestine Internet affairs. No one is openly hostile, according to Han, but the community is ignored, passed off as a Western problem.

"I would like to see a more liberal media environment where people could comment on the subject and have a discussion," Han said. "You see that in places like Hong Kong and Thailand. Singapore is also closed, but they have at least opened up discussion."

There were promising signs a few years ago when several new gay clubs opened and some of the trendy night spots began holding gay- and lesbian-friendly nights. In 2005, there was an International Gay and Lesbian film festival in Beijing. But tourists can no longer expect to learn about the gay life of emperors on a tour of the Forbidden City.

"Things could change in China in the next 10 years, but I'm not looking forward to the wait," Han said. "This is a Confucian society, and these values are not going to go away."

E-mail Peter Fimrite at pfimrite@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/22/MNGB12CRTC.DTL

This article appeared on page A - 12 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Summary Analysis of Lambeth Conference 2008

2008-08-21T19:09:00.000+08:00

LAMBETH CONFERENCE: Summary Analysis of Lambeth Conference 2008

Date 2008/8/21 14:20:00 | Topic: Theology, Research ...

LAMBETH CONFERENCE: Summary Analysis of Lambeth Conference 2008

From the American Anglican Council
August 21, 2008

Executive Summary

1) Before it began, the 2008 Lambeth Conference was designed to not have any resolutions or votes. The conference was centered on dialogue. While bishops discussed important matters, no formal conclusions, resolutions, or positions were produced by the conference. Instead, organizers developed reflection and observation documents that merely illustrated what the bishops discussed.

2) Archbishop Rowan Williams gave three main addresses at the conference. In them, he advocated for a communion covenant and urged the bishops to seek what he called true Christian unity. The Archbishop also set out an agenda that, among other items, included: a) Calling a Primates meeting in early 2009. b) Seeking detail on a proposed .pastoral forum.. This forum is similar to those called for by the Dar Es Salaam Communiqué and Windsor Report. c) Building .bridges. with the GAFCON primates. d) Continuing the development of the Covenant which is expected to be finalized and sent to the provinces after the ACC meeting in May, 2009.

3) Other than the bishops, there were three main groups contributing to the Lambeth Conference.

a) Windsor Continuation Group - Appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, this group brought few original ideas to the conference. The WCG reaffirmed all three moratoria recommended by the Windsor Report and clarified that the moratorium on same-sex blessings included all celebrations and not just the creation of official liturgies. Their .observations. document did call for a .faith and order commission. that, if implemented, would be a fifth instrument of communion.

b) Listening Group - Made up of 16 bishops from the conference, this group created a .narrative. that described the discussions and thoughts of the bishops at Lambeth. The .reflections document. was not put before the conference for a vote of approval.

c) Covenant Design Group - This group met during two days of the conference and held hearings at which bishops gave input and commentary on the Covenant design process and current draft. The group did not make a revision to the current .St. Andrew's. draft but is expected to meet in September of 2009.

4) The Episcopal Church was highly invested in shaping the conference's outcome and media coverage. TEC urged its bishops to publically minimize the conflict and disunity in the Communion and instead focus on the church working together in mission as the key means of unity. Additionally, in their indaba groups some TEC bishops misrepresented the facts surrounding litigation in the U.S., falsely claiming TEC was the defendant in the many lawsuits that have been filed against former TEC churches. 5) In remarks after the conclusion of Lambeth, Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada leadership and LGBT advocates are claiming they will not stop their advance toward .full inclusion..

SUPPORTING FACTS & OTHER NOTES

1) Attendance

a) "...the total number of Anglican bishops who pre-registered was only 617, and not all of them were present. ...Conference organizers included all of the ecumenical bishops in attendance to arrive at the total of 670 present when registration closed on July 21.... (Source: The Living Church, August 3, 2008)

2) Agenda a) ....Instead of the classic communiqué or resolutions style of communication this year's conference will produce a reflections document... Among the desired outcomes anticipated by this diverse group from across the Communion was not so much debates, position papers, votes and resolutions but participation on an equal footing, listening as well as speaking and the emergence of wisdom and a common mind. The answer to the question how do we achieve that end was indaba. .... (Source: Kenneth Kearon in an email to Lambeth attendees. STAND FIRM)

b) ....And our hope is that we shall end up with a Reflection' from the Conference that is not a set of resolutions and decisions, but which does genuinely change the situation and take us forward. It's a difficult balance to achieve. All of us are involved in making it work..... (Source: Archbishop Williams' first Presidential Address)

c) The Episcopal Church was highly invested in shaping the conference's outcome and media coverage. Ruth Gledhill of the London Times discovered TEC hired a public relations firm that developed .talking points. for its Bishops to aid their efforts. The goal of the .talking points. was to craft a message of unity and downplay the division in the Anglican Communion. (Source: Ruth Gledhill, London Times and the Anglican Communion Institute's analysis)

d) LGBT activists also sought to influence Lambeth. In spite of TEC's pleas to include him, Bishop Gene Robinson was not invited to Lambeth, but he maintained a visible presence in the Marketplace and at various fringe events. A large contingent of well- funded gay activists was present, according to a report by Anglicans United.

3) Three Main Committees a) Windsor Continuation Group - formed by the Archbishop of Canterbury in February, 2008, the Windsor Continuation Group (WCG) was asked to .address outstanding questions arising from the Windsor Report and the various formal responses from provinces and instruments of the Anglican Communion..

i) The members of the group are: The Most Revd Clive Handford, former Primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East (chair) The Most Revd John Chew, Primate of South East Asia The Right Revd Gary Lillibridge, Bishop of West Texas The Right Revd Victoria Matthews, former Bishop of Edmonton The Very Revd John Moses, former dean of St Paul's, London

The Most Revd Donald Mtetemela, Former Primate of Tanzania Consultants: Dame Mary Tanner, Co-president of the World Council of Churches Canon Andrew Norman of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Staff Canon Gregory Cameron of the Anglican Communion Office (Source: Anglican Communion News Service)

ii) Contributions/Observations - The WCG presented its .observations. to the conference in three sections with the following disclaimer: .This document is NOT a report by the Windsor Continuation Group. It constitutes their preliminary observations on the life of the Communion and of the current state of responses to the recommendations of the Windsor Report, and offering some suggestions about the way forward. These observations are offered to the Lambeth Conference for conversation and testing. Are they an accurate description of the current state of our life together?. (Source: Windsor Continuation Group)

(1) Titled. Where we are: the severity of the situation," the first section of the observations candidly described the status of the Anglican Communion. Some of the descriptions are as follows:

(a) There are competing value systems at work and a lack of clarity about a shared value framework.

(b) There is inconsistency between what has been agreed, and what has been done.

(c) Suspicions have been raised about the purpose, timing and outcomes of the Global Anglicanism Future Conference; there is some perplexity about the establishment of the GAFCON Primates' Council and of FOCA which, with withdrawal from participation at the Lambeth Conference, has further damaged trust.

(d) The symptoms of this breakdown of trust are common to all parties in the current situation - felt and expressed by conservative and liberal alike

(e) Parties within the Episcopal Church have sought allies within the wider Communion, who are seen as only too willing to respond.

(f) All this amounts to a diminishing sense of Communion and impoverishing our witness to Christ, placing huge strains on the functioning of the Instruments of Communion.

(2) Titled. Where would we like to be: Towards a Way Forward," the second set of .observations. advocated the timely creation of a covenant, critiqued the instruments of communion, and suggested the furthering of four processes that would lead toward reflection and thus common understanding in the communion. Those four processes are: (a) The Listening Process
(b) The Hermeneutics Project - The Bible in the Church
(c) The Principles of Canon Law Project
(d) A Faith & Order Commission These last two processes are linked. During the conference, the Principles of Canon Law Project was presented to the conference in the form of a book. The book was written by the Anglican Communion Network of Legal Advisors. Canon Lawyer John Reece said the project aims to describe general principals found in various Anglican Communion provinces.

Using the work done by the Network of Legal Advisors, the WCG recommended a .Faith & Order Commission. that would .give guidance on the ecclesiological issues raised by our current crisis'. . Some claim the .Faith & Order Commission would become a fifth instrument of communion. When asked to comment on the proposed .Faith & Order Commission,. Archbishop Williams had this to say: .'...there is a very strong feeling that we need another level of structure to have a clearing house for some of these issues.' He added: 'I don't want to say anything about the detail because it's a flag raised to see who salutes it.' He said the proposal was being discussed by bishops in their indaba groups today. We'll see how it flies.'. (Source: Anglican Journal, July 25, 2008)

(3) Titled .How do we get from here to there," the third set of .observations. brought two issues that .need addressing.. Those issues are:
(a) Moratoria - .the celebration of blessings for same-sex unions,
(b) consecrations of those living in openly gay relationships, and
(c) all cross border interventions and inter-provincial claims of jurisdiction.. NOTE: the WCG attempted to clarify what .moratorium. meant by saying, .Our understanding is that moratorium refers to both future actions and is also retrospective: that is that it requires the cessation of activity. This necessarily applies to practices that may have already been authorised as well as proposed for authorisation in the future.. However, spokesperson Archbishop Clive Handford said at a press conference that the WCG was not recommending that Gene Robinson resign.
(b) Pastoral Forum - .the swift formation of a 'Pastoral Forum' at Communion level to engage theologically and practically with situations of controversy as they arise or divisive actions that may be taken around the Communion.. NOTE: while it did say that the Archbishop of Canterbury would preside over the forum, the WCG did not provide any further detail on how the forum should operate.

b) Listening Group - made of up one representative from each of the 16 indaba groups, assisted by Canon Gregory Cameron of the Anglican Communion Office, and chaired by Archbishop Roger Herft of Perth, Australia the Listening Group was charged to generate the conference's .Reflections Document.. (Source: Anglican Communion News Service) NOTE: While the 16 representatives of the Listening Group were elected by their peers, the group's final document/reflection was not set before the conference for a vote of approval or disapproval. One description of what the final document would represent called it .an account of what has transpired at this gathering of Anglican bishops.. Also, the first page of the final reflections documents reads, .This document is not the primary outcome of this Conference...The status of the document is that of a narrative. It seeks to describe our lived experience and the open and honest discussions we have had together on the daily themes of the conference..
i) The members of the Listening Group were: Roger Herft, Australia Andrew Proud, Jerusalem & the Middle East Alan Abernethy, Ireland Howard Gregory, West Indies Sue Moxley, Canada KG Daniel,South India Peter Lee, Southern Africa James Ochiel,Kenya Jo Seoka, Southern Africa Ezekiel Kondo,Sudan Neil Alexander, United States Roger Chung Po Chuen,Indian Ocean Gerry Wolf, United States David Njovu, Central Africa Bill Godfrey, Southern Cone Michael Perham, England Thomas Soo, Hong Kong Gregory K Cameron, ACO (Staffing) ii) The following are some excerpts from the 44-page Lambeth Indaba reflections document. NOTE: The document was replete with ambiguous and/or contradictory statements. (Source: Anglican Communion News Service)

31. We affirm that the Church is called to be faithful in the exercise of its mission in the context within which it is located with due regard to culture... The Bible must be taken as authoritative guiding principle in our proclamation of the gospel.

41. ...The Communion must recognize the individual Provinces as self- determining Provinces... At the same time the Communion must help the Provinces, Dioceses and local churches to recognize the value of the gifts they bring to the whole Communion...

58. ...We commit ourselves to discerning and interpreting local needs in a way that leads to action, because this is being prophetic. Taking due regard of local contexts, we commit ourselves to advocating and lobbying ...on the many issues of social justice we find in our world.

60. ...Environment is the top priority for some provinces and must be a high priority for all of us.

73. ....Churches should act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately.... we have to recognise that what affects one affects all, and that it behoves each Church to live in accountability to the rest of the oikumene.

89. The purpose of dialogue is not compromise, but growth in trust and understanding of each other's faith and traditions.

111. ... For some, the new teaching cannot be acceptable on biblical grounds as they consider all homosexual activity as intrinsically sinful. Tension has arisen when those who hold the traditional teaching are faced with changes in the Church's life or teaching without being able to understand or engage with a clear presentation of how people have come to a new understanding of scripture and pastoral theology.

112. ...In some parts of the Communion, homosexual relations are a taboo while in others they have become a human rights issue.

119. It was also reported that there has been positive effects in parts of ... the world when homosexual people are accepted as God's children, are treated with dignity and choose to give their lives to Christ and to live in the community of faith as disciples of Jesus Christ with fidelity and commitment.

133. ...We are clear that the Word of God does not change from place to place and its light and truth applies throughout the whole of God's world. At the same time we acknowledge that our ability to hear God's Word is profoundly affected by the context in which we listen for it.

c) Covenant Design Group - The Covenant Design Group met during the conference. The group's chairman, Archbishop Drexel Gomes, said the Lambeth bishops were .invited to commend or to challenge what has been produced and to respond in a way that will inform the debate about the Covenant in the Communion at large.. At a press conference, Archbishop Gomes said the Covenant would not steer the communion towards legalism but that it depended on .mutual cooperation.. According to a Lambeth press release, .All presenters agreed that at this stage in the design process, there is no clarity about what will happen to provinces who feel they cannot sign a Covenant, and noted that such consequences will be determined as the process unfolds. They also agreed, however, that the design group was not in a hurry and that it would need to allow time and space for provinces to reflect on how they might respond.. i) The members of the Covenant Design Group are:

The Most Rev. Drexel Gomez, West Indies

The Rev. Victor Atta-Baffoe, West Africa

The Most Rev. Dr. John Chew, South East Asia

Sriyanganie Fernando, Ceylon

The Rev. Dr. Kathy Grieb, USA

The Rt Rev. Santosh Marray, Indian Ocean

The Most Rev. John Neill, Ireland

The Rev. Canon Andrew Norman, Archbishop of Canterbury's representative

Chancellor Rubie Nottage, West Indies, Consultan

The Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner, USA

Nomfundo Walaza, Southern Africa

The Rev. Canon Gregory Cameron, Anglican Communion Office, Secretary While no official revisions or changes were made to the current draft, the next steps of the design process were outlined. Those steps are:

ii) The Covenant Design Group will meet in September, 2009 in Singapore.

iii) .A =Lambeth Commentary' would be compiled after the Conference and would feed into Provincial discernment in 2008 and 2009.. (NOTE: It appears that this will be a document reflecting various Lambeth Bishops' thoughts on the process and current draft.)

iv) .In April 2009, the Group would meet to draft a third version of the Covenant for presentation to the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Jamaica.. (Source: Anglican Communion News Service and Lambeth News)

4) Rowan Williams - The Archbishop of Canterbury gave several addresses to the bishops including three main .presidential. addresses. In each address, Archbishop Williams attempted to further reveal his strategy and thinking on the Lambeth Conference and the future direction of the Communion. The following are some excerpts of those addresses: a) First Presidential Address: July 20 - Opening of Conference i) ....And our hope is that we shall end up with a =Reflection' from the Conference that is not a set of resolutions and decisions, but which does genuinely change the situation and take us forward. It's a difficult balance to achieve. All of us are involved in making it work.....

ii) ....It's my conviction that the option to which we are being led is one whose keywords are of council and covenant. It is the vision of an Anglicanism whose diversity is limited not by centralised control but by consent - consent based on a serious common assessment of the implications of local change....

b) Second Presidential Address: July 29 i) ....I spoke about council and covenant as the shape of the way forward as I see it. And by this I meant, first, that we needed a bit more of a structure in our international affairs to be able to give clear guidance on what would and would not be a grave and lasting divisive course of action by a local church.... ii) ....Properly understood, a covenant is an expression of mutual generosity - indeed, =generous love'... part of what this means is finding out what the other person or group really means and really needs.... iii) ....To the innovator, can we say, =Don't isolate yourself; don't create facts on the ground that make the invitation to debate ring a bit hollow'? Can we say to the traditionalist, =Don't invest everything in a church of pure and likeminded souls; try to understand the pastoral and human and theological issues that are urgent for those you are opposing, even if you think them deeply wrong'? I think we perhaps can.... iv) ....We need to speak life to each other; and that means change. I've made no secret of what I think that change should be - a Covenant that recognizes the need to grow towards each other (and also recognizes that not all may choose that way). I find it hard at present to see another way forward that would avoid further disintegration....

c) Third Presidential Address: August 3 - Concluding Address i) ....What I am saying, in effect, is that every association of Christian individuals and groups makes some sort of =covenant' for the sake of mutual recognition, mutual gratitude and mutual learning.... ii) ....A fellow-Christian may believe they have a profound fresh insight. They seek to persuade others about it. A healthy church gives space for such exchanges. But the Christian with the new insight can't claim straight away that this is now what the Church of GOD believes or intends; and it quite rightly takes a long time before any novelty can begin to find a way into the public liturgy, even if it has been widely agreed.... iii) ....To say that the would-be innovator must be heard gratefully and respectfully is simply to acknowledge the debt we always owe to those who ask unfamiliar questions, because they prompt us to explore our tradition more deeply.

It's worth adding, too, that the call for a moratorium on interventions across provinces belongs in the same theological framework. Such interventions often imply that nothing within a province, no provision made or pastoral care offered, can be recognizably and adequately Christian; and this is a claim not lightly to be made by any Christian community regarding any other without grave breach of charity. And it seems to be widely agreed in this Conference that internal pastoral and liturgical care, strengthened by arrangements like the suggested Communion Partners initiative in the USA and the proposed Pastoral Forum we have been discussing, are the way we should go if we want to avoid further ecclesial confusion.... iv) ....We have quite a strong degree of support for a Pastoral Forum to support minorities, a strong consensus on the need to examine how the Instruments of Communion will best work, and a recognition - though still with many questions - that a Covenant is needed. We have a strongly expressed intention to place our international development work on a firmer and more co- ordinated footing. Where will the work be done? Before the ACC meeting next year - which will be a significant element in implementing our vision - I intend to convene a Primates' Meeting as early as possible in 2009. I shall look within the next two months for a clear and detailed specification for the task and composition of a Pastoral Forum, and I shall ensure that the perspectives of various groups looking at the Covenant and the Windsor process, as well as the Design Group for this Conference help to shape the implementation of the agenda outlined in the Reflections document, and are fed into the special meeting in November of the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and the

ACC. We may not have put an end to all our problems - but the pieces are on the board. And in the months ahead it will be important to invite those absent from Lambeth to be involved in these next stages. Much in the GAFCON documents is consonant with much of what we have sought to say and do, and we need to look for the best ways of building bridges here.... (Emphasis Added)

d) In his final presidential address, Archbishop Williams described an .agenda. that the reflections document presented. He also gave more detail on this .agenda. at the final press conference. Williams claims the following items are part of this agenda: i) Almost everyone wants the three moratoria on SSBs, homosexuals in the episcopate, and border crossings to actually happen. ii) There is .a strong consensus on the need to examine how the Instruments of Communion will best work.. iii) Some sort of covenant is desired, although the extent of its power is still to be determined. iv) Most think that a Pastoral Forum would help the situation and he is looking for detail on how it will be formed. (1) The WCG, Lambeth Design Team, and Covenant Design Group will have input on the composition and description of the Pastoral forum. v) There is already scheduled a meeting of the JSC and ACC in November. (1) This meeting may address the creation of a Pastoral Forum vi) He will call a Primates meeting in early 2009 before the ACC meets. vii) He would like to .build bridges. and connect with the GAFCON primates and ask them their take on the covenant.

5) Post-Lambeth a) Episcopal bishop will ordain gays Source: The Boston Globe August 7, 2008 ....Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, said in an interview upon his return from London that he will continue to ordain gay clergy, which he called "pastorally important." He also said that local priests will continue to bless same-sex marriages, although Shaw said that those priests are doing so on their own and that "I haven't authorized anybody to do anything." As for whether he would follow up on his earlier intention to push for ending the moratorium on gay bishops and allowing church recognition of same-sex marriage when the Episcopal Church meets at its General Convention next year, Shaw said he would now wait until he meets with all the American bishops next month to decide how he will proceed....

b) Episcopal priest "not going to change" Source: London Telegraph Date: August 4, 2008 ....The Rev Susan Russell, the head of the pro-gay Integrity USA group, said: It's not going to change anything on the ground in California. We bless same-sex unions and will continue to do so.'.
c) Bishop of California cannot abide by moratoria Source: Bishop Marc Andrus Blog ....Archbishop Rowan in his final presidential address, given just after we received the reflections document noted that, .There will be some who cannot abide by these moratoria, and in this they signal that there are steps to deeper unity they cannot take; or it may be that they conceive of deeper unity in other ways.. I take this to be a profound and generous idea. In not abiding by the moratorium on same-sex blessings I take it as incumbent on me and on us in the Diocese to actively labor to both understand the position of those to whom that moratorium is important, and to convey the reality of our life together to the world. I must redouble my efforts at inhabiting a deeper unity....
d) Bishop of Los Angeles, Jon Bruno: "inclusion is a reality" Source: Episcopal Cafe ....And finally, a clear statement that at least one bishop is not in favor of a moratorium on gay blessings: The Rt. Rev. Jon Bruno, Bishop of Los Angles, on how the proposals for the suggestion that the Episcopal and Canadian churches stop blessing same-sex relationships would be received in his diocese: .With fear and trepidation for some of us. It's important we remember it isn't even a report. It is a reflection. .I can only say that inclusion is a reality in our diocese and will continue to be. For people who think that this is going to lead us to disenfranchise any gay or lesbian person, they are sadly mistaken..
e) New Jersey Bishop reaffirms support of same-sex couples Source: North Jersey The spiritual leader for North Jersey Episcopalians said Thursday he will continue supporting the blessing of same-sex couples. There have been recent calls for a moratorium on the ceremonies from fellow bishops in the Anglican Communion - a global Protestant body that's threatening to break apart over homosexuality. "We in this diocese and I as bishop are continuing to support relationships of fidelity and commitment and give them the full blessing of the church," Bishop Mark M. Beckwith, of the Diocese of Newark, said Thursday in an interview. ...Beckwith, a strong Robinson supporter, acknowledged that the continuing dispute throws into question whether the American church can elect another gay bishop in the future. "That doesn't sit well with me," Beckwith said. "I hope we could do this again and raise up another gay or lesbian, but there are a lot of things in play, and it is unclear." The Diocese of Newark, which represents about 27,000 Episcopalians, is one of the most liberal dioceses in the nation and was among the first to ordain homosexuals to the priesthood. That will continue, Beckwith added.

"That's not an issue as far as I'm concerned," Beckwith said. "We continue to ordain anyone who has a passion for ministry."... f) Church Already Showing „Restraint. with Blessings SOURCE: LIVING CHURCH AUGUST 8, 2008 Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said The Episcopal Church already has been in a .season of gracious restraint. regarding the blessing of same-sex unions and consecrating partnered homosexuals to the episcopate, and said she doesn't expect that to change before next summer's General Convention. .I don't see there is any church-wide push to end that in the coming months,. Bishop Jefferts Schori said. .General Convention is the only body that really can decide to do anything significant related to [these issues]. Individual bishops have always made their own decisions within the canonical responsibilities of their dioceses..

Bishop Jefferts Schori made her remarks during an internet webcast Aug. 7, where she was joined by New York Bishop Mark Sisk in discussing the recently completed Lambeth Conference. Asked how Lambeth's proceedings will affect the status of gay and lesbian Episcopalians, Bishop Jefferts Schori said, .we were very clear for an overwhelming majority of the bishops of this church that the well being and adequate and appropriate pastoral care of gay and lesbian members of the church is a significant mission issue for us. We have been having conversations and debate for more than 40 years,. she continued. .Even though other parts of the Communion may not understand that, we have been working at this for a long time. Our conversations are not going to end. One bishop came up to me and said, =What you're doing is making it very difficult for me, but your job is not to make my life easier. You need to be paying attention to the pastoral realities in your own context as I need to be in mine',. the Presiding Bishop noted. Bishop Sisk asserted that for The Episcopal Church .there is only =us,' not a =them and us'.. He said the roles of gay and lesbian people have been .affirmed time and time again.. Both bishops said they were struck by what they characterized as a lack of understanding in other parts of the world about The Episcopal Church. .I was surprised at questions about basic theological tenets and whether we really believe them or not,. Bishop Jefferts Schori said. .It's a reminder that even though we may think all Anglicans believe the basics of the faith, not everybody believes that we believe them.. In regard to the development of an Anglican covenant, Bishop Jefferts Schori said .there was great willingness to think about a covenant that spoke positively about what we do share as members of the Communion.. She said she saw .really no interest in producing a covenant that defined who could be excluded.. g) Some Canada Anglicans may reject same-sex moratorium

Source: Reuters August 6, 2008

OTTAWA (Reuters) - There seems little chance that all Canadian Anglican clergy will honor the moratorium on blessing same-sex unions requested by the worldwide Anglican communion.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, leader of the global Anglican church, warned on Sunday that the 80-million-member church would be "in grave peril" if the U.S. and Canadian branches did not agree to moratoriums on same-sex blessings and on the ordination of gay bishops.

But the head of the Canadian church, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, told Reuters in a phone interview on Wednesday it would be especially tough for Bishop Michael Ingham of the British Columbia diocese of New Westminster to halt the homosexual blessings altogether.

h) Archbishop of Canterbury compares gay relationships to marriage Source: The Telegraph August 7, 2008 By Jonathan Wynne-Jones and Martin Beckford

(NOTE: The private correspondence referenced below was written over a two-year period from 2000 to 2001.)

In private correspondence, seen by the Daily Telegraph, Dr Rowan Williams, refutes the Anglican Communion's traditional teaching that homosexuality is sinful. Furthermore, he expresses his hope that the Church will change its position to be more accepting of gay partnerships... "...The Bible does not address the matter of appropriate behaviour for those who are, for whatever reason, homosexual by instinct or nature," Dr Williams writes. "By the end of the 80s I had definitely come to the conclusion that scripture was not dealing with the predicament of persons whom we should recognise as homosexual by nature.

"I concluded that an active sexual relationship between two people of the same sex might therefore reflect the love of God in a way comparable to marriage, if and only if it had the about it the same character of absolute covenanted faithfulness..."

i) TEC Bishops Claim they are being Sued Source: Bishop of Lichfield .In the discussion afterwards we are told that the US House of Bishops has regretted for the hurt it has caused and its lack of consultation and has issued a public apology - though no one has the exact wording. We are also told that the Canadians have voted against same-sex blessings - though two dioceses are pressing their bishops to change that. We are told that in the lawsuits in America between parishes and their dioceses it is the dioceses who are the defendants and the conservative parishes who are the accusers.. NOTE: In reality, TEC dioceses are responsible for initiating many law-suits. Some examples are:

i) Christ Anglican Church in Mobile, AL (plaintiff was the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast---the suit settled before trial);

ii) St. John's Episcopal Church in Fallbrook, CA; St. Anne's, in Oceanside CA; and Holy Trinity, in Ocean Beach, CA (plaintiff in all three cases is the Diocese of San Diego--- apparently after not being allowed to amend an older suit, the Diocese simply filed a new one)

iii) Against St. James Anglican Church and two others in Newport Beach, CA (Diocese of Los Angeles is plaintiff---the case is now being reviewed by the California Supreme Court)

iv) St. John's Anglican Church in Petaluma, CA (Diocese of Northern California is plaintiff)

v) Against Bishop Schofield and the diocesan investment fund in the Diocese of San Joaquin, CA (for an update on that suit, see this post, as well as earlier ones you can find in the Guide)

vi) Trinity Anglican Church in Bristol, CT (recently settled)

vii) Rector and former vestry of Bishop Seabury Church in Groton, CT

viii) Redeemer Anglican Church in Jacksonville, FL (plaintiff was the Diocese of Florida)

ix) Christ Church in Savannah, GA (plaintiff is the Diocese of Georgia)

x) All Saints Church in Attleboro, MA (plaintiff was the Diocese of Massachusetts; the case settled in 2007)

xi) St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Morehead City, NC (plaintiff was the Diocese of East Carolina and those members of the parish who had not voted to join AMiA; following a jury mistrial, plaintiffs obtained summary judgment which was affirmed on appeal)

xii) Church of the Good Shepherd in Binghamton, NY (The information above was compiled by Allen Halley. Please click on the link to view more examples of law-suits filed by TEC dioceses.)

END

Independent: Homosexuals are being courted by employers - from spooks to the city

2008-08-19T19:19:00.000+08:00

Homosexuals are being courted by employers – from spooks to the city

By Jerome Taylor
Tuesday, 19 August 2008

When Angela Mason began her 10-year directorship of the Stonewall gay
lobby group in 1992, she had a friend in the corporate world who had
two phones in his house. One he used to take personal calls for him
and his partner. The other was for the office. When it came to being
out and proud in the workplace, few and far between was the employee
who would happily step out of the closet and declare: "I'm gay, let's
do business."

When Angela Mason began her 10-year directorship of the Stonewall gay
lobby group in 1992, she had a friend in the corporate world who had
two phones in his house. One he used to take personal calls for him
and his partner. The other was for the office. When it came to being
out and proud in the workplace, few and far between was the employee
who would happily step out of the closet and declare: "I'm gay, let's
do business."

"People used to genuinely fear that they would lose their jobs if they
were outed, and many did," Mason remembers. "If you were found out it
was absolutely the end."

It was with some sense of satisfaction, therefore, that Ms Mason read
the news this week that MI5 was finally going to step out of the
closet itself and begin openly recruiting people from within the gay
community.

One of the last bastions of the British establishment, a place that,
until the early 1990s, had actually banned hiring gays because of
fears that outed spies could be blackmailed, had finally capitulated
and realised that if you want to hire the best talent, you have to
look at all sections of society. The days of the Oxbridge don giving
white, male graduates a tap on the shoulder and a nod towards Thames
House were truly over.

The domestic intelligence service is now not only going to start
actively employing openly gay recruits, it is also hiring Stonewall (a
group once associated with, and run by, former radicals such as Ms
Mason) to advise the security services on how to encourage its spies
to be more open about their sexuality and how to persuade more gay
applicants to apply for jobs there.

But as dramatic as MI5's announcement seems, it is part of a much
wider silent revolution that Stonewall has been pursuing for much of
the past decade – persuading the corporate world to love gays. And in
the past few years it finally seems to be working.

In the late 1970s, Ms Mason, a young member of the anarchist Angry
Brigades group, was tried and acquitted for planting bombs on the
doorsteps of Conservative politicians. She divorced in the 1980s to
live with her lesbian lover and, by 1992, had been appointed director
of Stonewall.

With such an anti-establishment figure heading Britain's foremost gay
lobby group, Stonewall might have been expected to continue with the
sort of tactics that had made its new director so notorious. Instead,
Ms Mason, and Ben Summerskill, her successor as chief executive, did
something far more radical – they took Stonewall mainstream and began
charming, rather than confronting, the corporate world.

The outcome of that tactic is that MI5 has now joined more than 430
companies, representing more than four million employees, who have
signed up to Stonewall's list of "gay-friendly employers". Those on
the list actively recruit gay people and monitor the sexual
orientation of their staff to ensure against silent discrimination.

Many encourage their gay and lesbian staff to take part in Pride
events as well as supporting the events financially. They are also
expected to have clear and publicised policies for dealing with cases
of sexual discrimination and encourage the promotion of openly gay
staff on to the board or senior management team.

With 15,000 gay students leaving university every year and an
estimated 1.7 million gay men and women of working age, Stonewall
began persuading companies that discriminating against gay employees
was simply bad for business.

The corporate world began to see sense. Where once people were fired
for their sexual orientation, major corporations now jostle with each
other to prove their equalitarian credentials.

To provide an incentive, Stonewall began producing an annual list of
"top gay employers". Local authorities, charities and the voluntary
sector all scored well but, every year, more and more mainstream
corporations began appearing on the list.

By 2007, IBM, LloydsTSB, KPMG and Goldman and Sachs all came in the
top 10 and the pro-pink feeling is spreading. This year, Pinsent Mason
became the first law firm to be included in the Top 100 gay employers
and next year Stonewall expects to have at least 16 more.

"The trick is to present the business case to corporate employers,"
says David Shields, director of workplace programmes at Stonewall and
the man who has spearheaded their campaigning in the corporate world.

"It simply doesn't make good business sense to have a reputation for
being a workplace that is not open to gay and lesbian employers.
Graduates who were out and proud at university are simply not willing
to hide away once they get into the workforce. They'll simply take
their skills to another company."

For Mr Summerskill, persuading MI5 to become a gay-friendly employer
was proof that even those organisations not historically thought to be
friendly towards the gay rights movement are, in fact, coming in from
the cold.

"I think what's really interesting about our corporate approach in the
past three years is the sheer variety of companies we have attracted,"
he says. "Many of them are not the usual suspects you would have
signing up, and I think what we did with MI5 is an example of that.
These are very counter-intuitive organisations. Even though the ban on
recruiting gay spies was lifted more than a decade ago, the message
had trouble sinking in.

"But MI5 is so focused on recruiting the very best talent that they
realised it was critically important to hire staff from all walks of
life."

Ashley Steel is the only known lesbian on the board of a Square Mile
company. She came out five years ago after spending some time working
for KPMG's offices in San Francisco.

"I think once I'd fully come out I knew I couldn't go back in," she
says. "I've been at KPMG for more than 23 years now and it is a
completely different place to what it used to be."

She says major corporations are so keen to harness the best talent
that former prejudices have had to be dropped.

"If there is a war of talent going on, then why on earth would you
want to put people off who are gay or black or female? It simply
doesn't make business sense. And I think clients want to see a diverse
workforce."

She believes there is still some way to go – after all, there is no
openly gay person on the board of a FTSE 100 company. "Groups like
Stonewall were originally set up to change the law and they did. We
have thing like the equalities bill and civil partnerships. But
changing a law doesn't change a person's behaviour, and that is what
they are trying to do with the corporate sector."

Angela Eagle, the first lesbian MP to come out while still in the
House of Commons, agrees. "What we have is legal equality in theory,
but that does not necessarily eliminate the discrimination that
continues to exist," she says.

But for Ms Mason, who now works at the heart of government advising
local authorities on equalities and cohesion with the Improvement and
Development Agency, the corporate change of heart could hardly be more
stark.

"Those companies that have positive employment practices do it
precisely because it signifies modernity," she says. "It's cutting
edge and glamorous. There's still lots to do but when I look back, we
have come miles and miles."

Six pioneers in the corporate world

Ashley Steel, KPMG

A vocal and openly gay director at KPMG, Ashley Steel is the only
known lesbian on the board of a Square Mile company. She has regularly
spoken out about how the corporate world needs to do more to promote
gay people in the workplace. She came out only after working for KPMG
in San Francisco. In 2005, she became KPMG's first board champion on
sexual orientation.

Paul Tanner, 90TEN

The owner of the PR agency 90TEN, Paul Tanner specialises in public
relations for the gay and lesbian communities. He has launched
numerous health initiatives to encourage gay men to vaccinate
themselves against hepatitis A and hepatitis B as well as being hired
by a number of prominent NHS trusts to improve their sexual health
services.

Sir Michael Bishop, BMI

A former baggage handler at Manchester airport, Sir Michael, above,
turned BMI into the UK's second largest airline after BA. Not known
for speaking out about gay rights, his presence at the head of BMI
proves being out and gay shouldn't stop you getting ahead in business.

Robert Taylor, Kleinwort Benson Private Bank

One of the City's best known openly gay movers and shakers, he earnt
his stripes at Coutts & Co where he was head of private banking. Is
now chief executive of Kleinwort Benson Private Bank.

Angela Mason, activist

Radical campaigner turned government insider, Angela Mason began her
political career as an anarchist with the Angry Brigades in the 1970s
before coming out in the 1980s and taking up the gay rights cause.
Served as director of Stonewall throughout the 1990s, making it more
mainstream, charming corporations and leading the fight for the repeal
of Section 28. She now chairs the Fawcett Society, a women's rights
campaigning organisation

Charles Allen, Global Radio

A former chief executive of ITV, the openly gay Charles Allen is now
one of the most powerful figures in the world of radio. His company,
Global Radio, is the UK's largest radio provider and includes the
popular Heart, LBC and Galaxy radio stations.

Pelangi Pride Centre has Moved! (August 17)

2008-08-17T21:21:00.000+08:00

Dear all,

A big "Thank You" to all the volunteers, the dragon boaters and the 3 drivers (who volunteered the lorry and the 2 cars), who helped out with the big move on Saturday 16 August 2008.

Our thanks also to Dr Kaan Sheung Kin (affectionately known to all of us as Sheung) for generously housing PPC in his home and opening his home to the community every saturday since March 08.

Pelangi Pride Centre will be closed for the next 2 weeks for us to settle down in our new home.

We will re-open on the 6th of September 2008.

Please watch this space for more info about future activities in our new home.

With thanks,

Charm, Nam Khim and Eileena.

My bit of earth in the sun by Christine Suchen Lim

2008-08-15T19:24:00.000+08:00

My bit of earth in the sun 10 min
Three writers share their hopes for Singapore this National Day
By Christine Suchen Lim

*I believe I first learnt to love Singapore when I walked by the sea under
the angsana trees every morning. That quiet place touched me somewhere
beyond my rational brain. It reached into my soul.*

*S'pore may now be a gleaming jewel, but it is her ancient voice and
earthy quality that I love*

Neither the People's Action Party Government nor my parents could claim her
for me. It was the sea and the trees that did it. And an ancient voice
beneath Singapore's skin of modernity.

I was 14 and miserable when I first stepped off the train at the railway
station in Keppel Road. Singapore was not the smart little red dot and
global city that she is today. She was a frowsy woman with unkempt hair
infested with lice. An urban, brown sprawl of shophouses.

Everywhere I looked, there were houses, and no trees. Decrepit shophouses
crowded Tanjong Pagar and Chinatown, crammed with people, spilling out onto
the pavements and covered walkways. Mothers and grandmothers - with babies
and toddlers strapped to their backs - washed, cooked, ate, quarrelled and
cursed the world, the Government and one another.

The covered walkways of Chinatown were noisy public rooms by day, and
dormitories by night when homeless old folk and unmarried males slept on
makeshift beds of planks and cardboard. Large brown rats scuttled along the
drains, inches away from the feet of diners having supper.

Besides the rats, stray cats, dogs and gangsters ruled Chinatown. Each time
my stepfather parked his car there, he had to pay an urchin to guard it if
he didn't want it vandalised. I did not feel safe. In my teenage
imagination, Singapore was a city of rats and gangsters.

Her physical geography was also unimpressive. There were no hills in the
city's skyline. Having grown up on the green isle of Penang in the shadow of
Penang Hill, I missed the pale view of blue hills on the horizon.

Fortunately, I was sent to Katong Convent, which was by the sea then. My
daily morning walk along the beach, from the former Odeon cinema to the back
gate of the school, pulled me out of misery. Trees shaded the beach. Wild
grass, creepers and bushes grew haphazardly. The winding sandy path did not
hurry me to my destination, the way a straight concrete path tends to do.

As the sun rose over the sea, Malay fishermen trawled the shallow waters
with hand-held nets for shrimp and fish. The peace and quiet of that daily
scene comforted a confused and rebellious 14-year-old who had to adapt to a
new family, a new school and a new country.

Looking back, I believe I first learnt to love Singapore when I walked by
the sea under the angsana trees every morning. That quiet place touched me
somewhere beyond my rational brain. It reached into my soul, perhaps it was
my intuition, I don't know, but it spoke to me. That quiet place became my
bit of earth in the sun when I was 14, and hated this island.

*Feelings take form *

Quiet places and nature can shape our feelings for land and country, far
more than national campaigns and national education policies. Far more than
even our national favourite hawker food. If there were no more Hainanese
chicken rice, laksa or char kway teow, would you still come back if you and
your family were living overseas?

Let's do a striptease. Strip Singapore of her jewellery. First, remove her
shopping malls and places of civic pride. Remove everything lauded 'world
class' by the mass media. Next, remove all her 'M's - MM, SM, PM and the
entire Cabinet of ministers. Then, strip her of her prosperity. Clothe her
in poverty. So poor that she could not afford to stage National Day Parades.
Would you still love her then? Would you?

I would, because I have heard her ancient voice in the quiet places like
that sea and that beach along the East Coast 46 years ago. And that ancient
voice was not the voice of Stamford Raffles or Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

It was the voice of an ancient island once known as Temasek and Singapura,
once a part of the ancient kingdoms of Majapahit and Sri Vijaya, once the
bit of rock on which our forefathers found a foothold and hammered out a
living.

That voice has been muted for years by the pressure of our modernity. That
shallow sea and beach have since become the bustling neighbourhood of Marine
Parade, and Katong Convent is no longer by the sea. The sea has been filled
and reclaimed.

The two pictures of urban mess and rustic peace that I have painted above
encapsulate the gains and losses we have experienced as a people. The urban
mess is gone. In its place, we have gained a gleaming city, but lost our
quiet places, lost the spontaneity of our greenery and our sense of the
ancient and sacred in nature.

Our children see nature in neat grids, rows of trees and bushes planted at
regular intervals. Sometimes, I wonder if this planned orderliness was
designed to reflect our political control or whether it was an unplanned
by-product of it. Grids remind us of boundaries.

In the 1970s, I lived in Ang Mo Kio. From my window on the 10th floor, I
looked down on a path of beaten earth, zigzagging across the open space of
neatly planted grass. That crooked path gave me hope at a time when many of
my friends had left Singapore because they could not stand the tight
political control then.

I, who did not leave, clung to the hope that this crooked path gave me. A
path of beaten earth, made by anonymous feet that quietly went off tangent;
feet that refused to follow the straight-as- the-crow- flies concrete path
built by the authorities.

That path taught me a lesson. An authority can dictate a path, but it does
not necessarily mean that we can't walk off tangent and create our own path.
And sing our own song.

In the 1980s, at the height of the Speak Mandarin campaign, I overheard two
cleaners, an Indian woman and a Chinese woman, sitting in a quiet corner of
the Bukit Timah campus. They were sharing bread and feeding the birds,
chatting in a mix of pasar Malay and the Hokkien and Teochew dialects.

Formal education does not encourage this inter-language mixing. And yet, it
is often this willingness to mix (or campur-campur) languages that helps us
bridge race, language and culture to connect with others.

The two cleaners showed me that, if hearts were willing, words would be
forged in the smithy of willing hearts to connect regardless of campaigns.

We, Singaporeans, are creative in mixing words from different languages.
Just listen to our street lingo be it Singlish, pasar Malay or pasar
Mandarin. Our linguistic mix-and-match creativity is spontaneous, often
mischievous. No law can outlaw our people's creative tongues.

A quiet place, a crooked path and two cleaners make me proud of the earthy
Singapore beneath the one adorned with 'world class' jewellery.

She is the one I love when I speak of land and country. Hers is the voice
that our writers and poets hear in quiet places, when we listen not to the
news, but to the songs and stories embedded in this bit of earth.

For what is homeland
In which we planted
Our hopes, lives,
Dreams and memories?
But a bit of earth.

*The writer is the author of Fistful Of Colours, which won the Singapore
Literature Prize, and A Bit Of Earth, a novel shortlisted for the same
prize. Her latest book is The Lies That Build A Marriage. *

Women's Nite August 2008

2008-08-14T18:50:00.000+08:00

Your hands are sweaty, your mouth dry, and your heart is hammering in your
chest. Yet you still can't seem to find the right words to say: I'm
attracted to women.

"I'll wait for the right time," you tell yourself.
"I'll lose the friendship," you say.
"My parents will never accept it," you think, and hurt, inside.

But will the right time come? How do you know how your friends will react?
And what if, just what if, your parents do accept it, over time?

Join us this Women's Nite for a heart-to-heart talk about what it takes to
share that special part of yourself.

***

*Women's Nite August 2008
Saturday 30th August, 7pm *
Venue (in Singapore) will be disclosed upon registration.

Limited to 30 invites, so please register with your full name, contact
number, the full name/s of your guests, if any, and the type of halal food
or drink you would be contributing to the potluck.

Although Women's Nite is open to women of all orientations, please let us
know if you are straight, or are bringing along straight guests, so that we
can be sensitive to the needs of all women present.

Please send your details to women.snite@gmail.com [women dot snite at gmail
dot com]

Registration closes at midnight 29th August 2008

***

About Women's Nite

Women's Nite provides a safe, neutral and alcohol-free space for lesbians
and bisexual women in Singapore to discuss the issues relevant to their
lives.

The event, held on the last Saturday of every month, was started in December
2003. Over a potluck dinner, we hold discussions on wide ranging topics like
self acceptance, homophobia, relationships and identity. We also invite
special guests to field questions on legal rights and sexual health, and
conduct art and dance therapy nights.

To check out the past months' events, or find out more, please go to
http://women_snite.livejournal.com
To get email updates on each month's event, please visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/women_snite to join our mailing list.

As far as possible, we would like to keep this space commercial free. To
advertise events and projects, please email us at
women.snite@gmail.com