Financial Times: Cool repception for Asia's gay workers (Jan 14)

Cool reception for Asia’s gay workers

By Raphael Minder

Published: January 14 2008 22:06 | Last updated: January 14 2008 22:06

Lehman Brothers, the US investment bank, recently held an unusual recruitment event at Hong Kong university. Lehman’s invitation was specifically aimed at gay and lesbian students who aspire to be bankers.

Encouraged by the success of the presentation and buffet dinner for 50 students, Lehman is planning to extend its initiatives targeting the gay community this year. It will include the bank’s first pro-gay activities in Singapore, the city-state that has become one of Asia’s leading financial centres but where sex between men is illegal.

Lehman Brothers is not the only bank seeking to recruit from Asia’s gay community. Such is the enthusiasm among investment banks that some have banded together to give their Asian events a higher profile, taking it in turn to organise lectures, dinners and other events around a gay or lesbian theme. In November, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Lehman, Merrill Lynch and UBS co-sponsored a cinema evening in Hong Kong which featured The Bubble, a 2006 film about the gay relationship between a Palestinian and an Israeli soldier.

Investment banks’ efforts to recruit more gays and lesbians is partly an attempt to attract the most talented employees. At a time when Asia has become the world’s biggest region for deals such as initial public offerings, investment banks are struggling to fill the new positions on offer. And the intense hiring competition makes it crucial to ensure talented gay people are not deterred from applying because of a combination of Asian intolerance and western macho behaviour on trading floors.

Cheryl de Souza, Lehman’s Asia director of diversity and inclusion, says: “Walking across some of the floors in Hong Kong, you will find that we now have people who feel comfortable about having a picture of their [same-sex] partner on their desk and that’s huge in terms of progress.”

Furthermore, banks are increasingly committed to corporate social responsibility and best practice, which also helps explain why some US executives argue that they are ahead of their peers in pushing for sexual diversity. Christopher Jackson, a senior vice-president for Lehman in Tokyo, says: “The way we’re tackling this in Asia certainly emanates to some extent from the fact that we’re a US firm based in New York.”

What Lehman and some other investment banks are trying to achieve in Singapore and other parts in Asia runs counter to the region’s cultural and legal environment. Homosexual people are broadly accepted in some countries, notably Thailand, the Philippines and Hong Kong, where gay sex was only decriminalised in 1991. But in most of Asia, gay people still face discrimination and censure – both in and out of the workplace – amid a blend of religious intolerance, family conservatism and legal bans, often inherited directly from British colonial rule. For instance gay sex is a criminal offence across the Indian subcontinent.

In Malaysia, a Muslim country where sodomy is a crime, police in November broke up a gay sex party in a fitness club on Penang and arrested 37 men aged between 20 and 45. The evidence gathered against them included used condoms found on the floor as well as six boxes of new condoms – which in many countries would probably be construed as a sign of responsible sexual behaviour.

Richard Welford, a director of CSR Asia, a consultancy focused on corporate social responsibility, says: “In the vast majority of cases in Asia, gays and lesbians have to stay hidden. Sometimes they will even make up boyfriends or girlfriends . . . But it does seem that in some sectors such as investment banking, businesses are taking the lead [in improving the situation for gay people]. You could say that they are ahead of Asian society there.”

This has not been the case in Asian retail banking. Unlike retail banks that have countrywide branch networks, investment banks are also in a better position to push for change because they generally operate only in a country’s biggest city, where the population is usually most diverse and conservative attitudes are less entrenched than in second-tier cities and more remote Asian manufacturing centres.

The international dimension of investment banking is also forcing employers to confront the issue of homosexual discrimination more regularly than their counterparts in retail banking and other more local institutions. A recurring problem is the difficulty of getting investment bankers to relocate to countries that do not offer dependent visas for same-sex partners.

Still, the jurisprudence governing homosexuality is not necessarily the best guide as to where gay people will find it easiest to work in the Asia-Pacific region, according to some executives who gathered at a recent evening party of Fruits in Suits, an association that holds monthly events in Hong Kong.

Some even contrast life in Sydney, where the Mardi Gras celebration is one of the world’s biggest annual gay events, with the macho working environment within parts of the Australian financial services industry, which one banker says is “a lot behind the curve”.

India offers another intriguing situation, according to Stephen Golden, a vice-president at Goldman Sachs, who helps co-ordinate the bank’s global leadership and diversity programme. He says: “India is one of those places where the laws relating to homosexuality haven’t changed but society has. We have had employees who are openly gay and have been asked to transfer to India and have gone there without any issues. They understand the cultural environment and have had very good experiences.”

On the flip side stands South Korea, where there is no legislation banning gay sex but where gay people say they cannot be open about their sexuality for fear of being treated as social pariahs. Kay McArdle, who heads Goldman’s diversity programme in Asia excluding Japan, describes Seoul as “the least diverse office we have in Asia”.

Still, she finds reason for optimism in the current staffing problems that Korean firms are confronting. Recognition that there is a dearth of women in the workplace should eventually translate into broader improvements for gay people and others who struggle to gain acceptance in the Korean workplace, she argues. “The Korean government has recently been doing a huge push on getting women back into the workforce as many employers face acute staff shortages.” Ms McArdle says. “They are getting up the curve, slowly but surely. And that is good news for diversity in general.”

Exclusion zone: how Asia gives short shrift to same-sex partners

In November, the Thai subsidiary of AIG, the American insurer, found itself under attack for allegedly refusing to sell life assurance to a leading gay activist.

Natee Teerarojjanapong, president of the Gay Political Group of Thailand, threatened legal action against American International Assurance, which is owned by AIG and is Thailand’s biggest insurance company. AIA denied Mr Natee’s claim, saying he had never formally applied for a life assurance policy. While the company vets each applicanton individual risk, it denied any discrimination on grounds of sexual preference.

Although AIA now says “there is no dispute any more”, Mr Natee promises to “continue to fight” and proceed with some legal action. He told the Financial Times: “This is just the beginning. If we make enough noise, insurers will start to accept that it’s a real problem . . . The situation is very bad for gays but for transgender [people], it’s even worse.”

Independent of the row involving AIA, possible discrimination in the insurance sector is a recurring theme in discussions relating to homosexual employment in Asia’s financial services industry.

Goldman Sachs, for example, had to deal in Tokyo with a complaint from an employee over access to the firm’s healthcare benefits for a domestic partner. The Japanese company providing Goldman’s healthcare scheme would not extend the coverage to a same-sex partner. The problem is “close to being addressed”, according to the US bank. Another executive familiar with the Asian insurance industry says: “When you put together insurance and Asia, you’re essentially talking about a marriage between caution and conservatism. That’s not exactly great for gays.”

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008

TODAY: Voices - Gay Men - God's Gift to Women (Jul 21)

TODAY - VOICES (21 Jul)

GAY MEN – GOD’S GIFT TO WOMEN

NATASHA NAIR

I DON’T think I could have walked through life’s journey without the handful of quality gay friendships that I have had in the last 15 years.

The relationship between a gay man and a heterosexual woman is unique; it is supportive and agenda-less, making it the most comfortable relationship in the world.

During the turbulent times in my life, it was Stanley who took me out and checked on me
every Sunday night to see whether I was ready to face the world bravely on Monday.

When I was entertaining thoughts of leaving Singapore and starting life anew overseas, it
was Stanley who wrote me an email saying he didn’t want me to go but would support me in
whatever decision I made.

And when I relocated to a foreign land, another gay friend suggested we become housemates as it would be safer for me and we could also save on the rent.

I remember telling my parents about having him as a housemate and my old man remarked:
“Consider yourself blessed.”

Likewise, women can be natural supporters for gay men. Many gay men tell me they did not have a happy childhood because they could not truly be at ease with their family members. It is usually through their female friends that gay men are able to experience the joys of having a loving family.

Through women, gay men can also be assured of a smooth integration into society at large. They can enjoy the joys of “fatherhood” through our children and fill the vacuum left by absentee fathers.

Contrary to what many people think, paternal instincts are as strong in gay men as they are in straight men. I remember taking Anil to the birth of a colleague’s son. As we walked out of the hospital, he said rather sadly: “As much as I want fatherhood, I can never have that unconditional joy.”

He once asked me if I would shun him when I have children, as most straight couples do. That question opened my eyes to a possibility I had never considered — that perhaps one day, he could babysit my children and enjoy the joy of being around them. Gay men can also be the best, nonpaid consultants when a woman is finding her feet in the world of dating.

Thanks to women’s lib and being forced to work and think like a man in the corporate
world, many women have forgotten how to behave like a woman during a date. Gay men have the biology and sex drive of men — and the sensitivity of women — to offer their female friends a helicopter view into the world of men.

Also, observing the way gay men reinvent themselves offers a woman some great insights
into how one can stay single, have demanding careers, go travelling and have exciting
hobbies such as joining Aids awareness groups.

Conversations with gay men can be liberating due to their being smack in the middle
of the human behavioural spectrum. Ken surprised me one night during dinner as we chatted for hours about South Beach diets, our waistlines and the hottest travel destinations.
Then, there’s Stanley who regularly emails me on his saucy sauna escapades and the like.

I know how all this sounds frivolous but, sometimes, we could do with some mindless
chatter to make us forget momentarily the goings-on at the office.

It is the gay men in my life who have helped me come to terms with my identity
as a woman — that there is nothing wrong with being a woman, and acting like one,
in a male-dominated corporate world. From Dash, I have received gorgeous Russian jewellery and a cute, really short dress as birthday presents.

Stanley, meanwhile, sends me heartfelt SMSes. When I agreed to go to a dance class
with him, he sent me a text message the same night, which said: “I am so excited to
see more of you in the future. Isn’t that wonderful! Hugs and kisses.”

He would also see me off after class. I used to tell him that I am older than him but having him dote over me does give me a warm feeling in my heart. I know he values me for my friendship — period. There’s no other agenda.

In praising gay men, I am certainly not talking down heterosexual men and I am thankful for all those straight men who have made many a woman’s life complete. But I dare say, for women who have discovered gay men as friends, life takes on a whole new meaning, with new horizons they could never have imagined before opening up.

Natasha is an accidental writer.

Fridae.com: New Zealand AIDS foundation’s new safe sex campaign targets asian gay men

New Zealand AIDS foundation’s new safe sex campaign targets asian gay men

“Be proud and strong - Renew your commitment to safe sex, no exceptions,” reads a campaign poster featuring five out and proud gay Asian men from Singapore, the Philipines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Tahiti.
_________________________________________________________________________

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation’s Gay Men’s Health team is to launch its first resource aimed at raising HIV awareness among Asian gay and bisexual men on Friday May 11 in Auckland. The resource comprises a poster, featuring five out and proud gay Asian men - including Gay Men’s Health Promoter Valeriano (Val) Incapas - with the heading “Be proud and strong - Renew your commitment to safe sex, no exceptions.” http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/images/NZAFasianposter.pdf

“Gay men make up a significant part of the growing Asian migrant population, as many Asian countries are very vocal in condemning homosexuality,” Incapas says. “Gay men in Asian countries often are forced to move where they feel they can live and express themselves more freely, countries like New Zealand.” Asian gay men are also part of the wider community of men who have sex with men, who are the highest risk group for HIV infection in New Zealand. 70 new gay and bisexual diagnoses were recorded in 2006 - one every five days.

“Up until now, there has been a lack of visible role models for Asian gay and bisexual men to encourage open discussion about the importance of condom use in preventing HIV,” Incapas says. “Without the skills of handling themselves in a community with different social rules, and often coming to New Zealand with no condom culture, Asian gay men can be vulnerable to being taken advantage of.”

The poster features men from Singapore, the Philipines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Tahiti. All the men are profiled on an accompanying flier, along with individual messages about why they value safe sex.

“This is about standing proud and taking a leadership role in our own communities to help turn the HIV epidemic around,” Incapas says. “But HIV isn’t confined to one particular group or ethnicity - as gay and bisexual men, we are all susceptible because of the risk of transmission via anal sex. We must all renew our commitment to using a condom every time.”

LAUNCH VENUE:
Shanghai Lil’s Bar and Lounge
133 Franklin Rd
7pm, Friday 11th May

Source: New Zealand Aids Foundation press release

FDA inches toward easing gay blood donation ban

by Bob Roehr

The lifetime ban on gay men donating blood may be eased to a 12-month deferral if scientific evidence presented at a March 8 workshop in Bethesda, Maryland is turned into policy guidance by the Food and Drug Administration. All of the major players in the blood products industry now support that position.

The FDA policy adopted in 1985 recommended deferral of blood donations by populations based upon their risk behaviors for the transmission of HIV. Little was known about HIV at the time and the test to screen blood for the presence of HIV was new and of questionable accuracy. Excluding the highest risk individuals, then gay men, made sense.

Blood screening tests have been improved over the years so that they detect the actual virus itself, not just the antibody to it, which takes longer to develop. There is only a very brief period of 10-21 days after initial infection when the virus might not be detected.

Men who have sex with men currently are banned for life from donating blood, even if they are in a monogamous relationship. Injection drug users and commercial sex workers can donate blood once they had abstained from those activities for at least a year.

The FDA revisited the policy in September 2000, suggesting that increased knowledge of HIV and improved technologies for screening blood for the virus had made it possible to modify the gay exclusion from a lifetime ban to a 12-month exclusion, in line with other high risk groups.

The American Association of Blood Banks, the association of transfusion medicine professionals, and America's Blood Centers, representing local organizations that collect nearly half of all blood in the U.S., both supported the modification. Only the American Red Cross testified against the change, and that was sufficient for the advisory committee to vote 7-6 not to support changing the guidelines in 2000.

This time around the Red Cross fell into line and in a joint statement presented by AABB senior medical adviser Steven Kleinman, the three organizations called the lifetime ban for gay men "medically and scientifically unwarranted." It recommended making the deferral criteria the same for all high-risk groups.

They also warned the FDA, "The continued requirement for a deferral standard seen as scientifically marginal and unfair or discriminatory by individuals with identified characteristics may motivate them to actively ignore the prohibition and provide blood collection facilities with less accurate information."

An additional concern is that grassroots opposition to the ban has arisen in high schools and on college campuses across the country over what many see as a discriminatory policy. That has made it more difficult to conduct blood drives among younger volunteers and establish patterns of regular donations that can last a lifetime.

To help ease any remaining qualms about changing the policy, the groups offered to assist in gathering data on its impact, should it become advisable to revisit the proposed change.

The FDA Blood Products Advisory Committee was briefed on the workshop when it met the following day, but it was not asked to comment. The FDA may propose revising its donation guidelines later in the year.

The advisory committee also discussed the FDA's proposed procedures to review and approve over the counter sales of tests for HIV. The company that makes the OraQuick saliva test to detect antibodies to HIV has said that it will seek such approval, and after the meeting said it would move forward with the types of trials outlined by the FDA.

The OraQuick test is widely used by public health agencies to screen for the virus both within clinics and at mobile sites. Some HIV agencies say that making the test more easily available runs the risk of inadequate counseling to what the test means and linking those who test positive to services, while others support wider access under appropriate safeguards.

03/16/2006

The Advocate: HIV infections climbing among Singapore's gay men

HIV infections climbing among Singapore's gay men

Government statistics on HIV infections in Singapore show that the number of gay men affected by HIV is rising, Agence France-Presse reports. In 2000, 12 new HIV cases were reported among gay men, but by 2003 that number had jumped to 40 cases. In the first six months of this year, 31 new HIV infections were reported among gay men.

Heterosexual sex still accounts for about 65% of all new HIV infections in Singapore, according to the government statistics. Gay men account for about 23% of new infections, and bisexual men account for about 8%.