Need to bring sexuality into the open: AWARE

Need to bring sexuality into the open

Aware's sex education course equips kids with facts, skills to make wise choices

Monday May 28, 2007

Letter from Constance SingamPresident, Association of Women for Research and Education (AWARE)

We would like to respond to Mr Geoffrey Yeoh's concerns in his letter ("Parents be Aware of film's message", May 25) about our support of the film, Spider Lilies, and our comprehensive sexuality education programme.

Thank you, Mr Yeoh, for your support of Aware's goal of gender equality and your understanding and support of the work we do.

Aware welcomes open discussion and debate on issues, such as the one you have raised. We believe more openness leads to a better understanding of important issues and respect for individual choices.

We embrace diversity and individual choices, and are glad Singapore is now more open to discussing diversity. That films such as Spider Lilies and Brokeback Mountain have been or are being screened is a reflection of this more open and, hence, more healthy situation.

Aware's comprehensive sexuality education programme draws on established international programmes. It was developed over the course of a year in consultation with parents, youth social workers, teachers and academics from a range of institutions. As with our other programmes, it has been through a rigorous process of internal and external auditing and pilot testing. We have run the programme at secondary and post-secondary institutions, and received excellent feedback and requests for more sessions.

Young people need relevant information in order to protect their health and rights, and those of others. Research shows that comprehensive sexuality education is effective in providing adolescents with the tools, knowledge, skills, attitude and values to make responsible choices about their sexual health.

Our programme recognises that sexuality is not just about sexual intercourse. In addition to providing accurate information, it encourages students to explore their own values and develop the communication skills and self-respect necessary for positive and healthy living. It aims to replace silence and shame with information and skills.

By bringing sexuality into the open, young people are more likely to make wise, realistic and informed decisions. The programme also equips teens with the skills to resist peer pressure to have sex.

It was developed to complement other programmes and offer opportunities for healthy discussion in society about relationships and human sexuality because of the rising incidence of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), teenage pregnancies and abortions. The latest figures show 678 of those aged between 10 and 19 sought help for STIs in 2005, compared to 256 in 2001. Between 1985 and 2004, 18 teens were diagnosed as HIV-positive.

From 2001 to 2005, Health Ministry figures show an average of 1,500 teen abortions annually. In 2005, nearly all the 1,279 girls were between 15 and 19, and unmarried. Our programme will have a dramatic impact on curbing STIs and unwanted pregnancies.

We recognise Mr Yeoh's concerns are based on newspaper reports of our position and the movie. I would like to assure him that had he attended our comprehensive sexuality education programme, he would have been comforted to learn it has a holistic approach and covers a broad range of human experiences.

We are open to more discussion with Mr Yeoh and invite him and other like-minded readers to meet us. We will be happy to share with him more about the work we do and hope to engage in a constructive dialogue.

ST Forum: Homosexuality - better to educate our young on importance of marriage and family (May 25, 2007)

ST Forum

May 25, 2007

Homosexuality - better to educate our young on importance of marriage and family

I REFER to the letter by Mr David Garcia, 'Is homosexuality wrong?: Three factors to consider' (Online forum, May 22).

I do not know of the teachings of other Christian churches or otherreligious groups, but I do know that in my church, homosexuality and homosexual acts are wrong.

As clearly declared in 'The Family: A Proclamation to the World' issued by The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we have been taught that 'all human beings - male and female - are created in the image of God. Each is abeloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents and, as such, each has adivine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal and eternal identity and purpose'.

I further quote: 'The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Evepertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declarethat God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earthremains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacredpowers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman,lawfully wedded as husband and wife.'

This Proclamation was inspired and issued in September 1995 because of theincreasing threat to the sanctity of marriage and family. The complete textcan be viewed at www.lds.org

Many may have argued for decriminalising homosexual acts on grounds that itis widely accepted in other parts of the world. Some have even suggestedthat they add a colourful and intellectual vibrancy to our city.

I do not deny that there are many gays who are highly intellectual andc olourful. But, is that grounds for decriminalising homosexuality?

I would argue strongly against it. Just as there are many high society drugabusers, who are highly intellectual and colourful, should we also legalise the use of drugs in Singapore? I think and hope not. We are all well aware the dangers drug abuse pose to society.

Homosexuality and homosexual acts are no different from drugs. Such actswill slowly destroy families and families are the fundamental unit of everysociety.

There is a Chinese saying; 'First there is the family, then the country'.Instead of decriminalising homosexuality and homosexual acts, we should beeducating our young on the importance of marriage and family. Many of society's problems will go away if we build stronger families.

That said, it does not mean that we should condemn homosexuals. Instead, weshould do everything we can to help them understand the divine nature oftheir gender. After all, they are humans too.

Patrick Tan Siong Kuan