'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.
TNP: HIV Postive? You Deserve It (Oct 30)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
TNP: 'Hong Lim Green' to turn somewhat pink (Sept 26)
Friday, September 26, 2008
'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.
Response to TNP Article by Leona Lo
Friday, September 12, 2008
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)
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.'
TNP: Tranvestite host's debut show too 'sensitive' for S'pore (Mar 25)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Transvestite host's debut show too 'sensitive' for S'pore
Man, he's shaking up talkshow scene
TOUTED as the Tamil-language Oprah Winfrey, Rose Venkatesan is making waves on Indian cable TV.
By Sheela Narayanan
25 March 2008
TOUTED as the Tamil-language Oprah Winfrey, Rose Venkatesan is making waves on Indian cable TV.
The twist? Rose was born as Ramesh Venkatesen, a former web designer with a masters degree in biomedical engineering from an American university.
On his 30-minute show Ipadikku Rose (Yours, Rose), the cross-dresser tackles topics considered to be taboo in Indian society like sexual harassment and sex workers.
And the show - broadcasted to more than 64million people in Tamil Nadu - had been getting international media attention even before it was aired on Star TV's Tamil-language cable channel, Vijay TV, on 28 Feb.
While the show is available to Vijay TV's audiences in India, Hong Kong and the US, Singaporeans won't get to see it yet.
Star TV spokesman told The New Paper that due to the 'controversial and sensitive nature' of the show, they are not ready to show it in Singapore.
In a telephone interview from Chennai, Rose told The New Paper that the initial response to the show has been good.
'A lot of people appreciate the show and women have come up to me and told me they love the show and I am very good,' he said with his hybrid Indian-American accent.
The first episode was on sexual harassment of women.
One of his upcoming episodes will feature Indian sex worker Nalini Jameela, who wrote her autobiography of how she became involved with prostitution.
Rose said: 'She was openly challenging the system of marriage. There is a false notion in Indian society that men will always be with the women they married. That is a myth.'
Attempts to contact Vijay TV's head of programming, Mr Pradeep Milroy Peter, were unsuccessful.
But in an interview with The New York Times, Mr Pradeep admitted that he was nervous about how the audience would receive the show and its transvestite host.
'VERY EXPERIMENTAL'
He said: 'We are crossing our fingers. The market has a craving for talk shows, but this one comes with a difference. It's very experimental.'
Rose had impressed Mr Pradeep and the rest of Vijay TV executives with his qualifications and confidence.
Rose said: 'With this show, I want to challenge and change society's hypocritical perception of transgender people.'
Mr Pradeep said: 'The show will be groundbreaking, but we have to think about our audience. South Indians are very reserved, very conservative.'
So sex before marriage will be discussed, but not gay relationships.
Are Singaporean Indian audiences ready for Rose?
One of them said no.
Mrs A Gopalan, 45, mother of two and a housewife, said: 'Not everybody is open to a talkshow like this. I think it is also not suitable for young people.'
Mr Govindaraju M, 57, a writer for a local production house, felt otherwise.
'We live in a multi-racial, cosmopolitan society. I don't see any problem with such a show on cable.
'And it's not as if it is on prime time, it is late at night. If people are offended, they don't have to watch it,' he said.
TNP: Live proud, not loud (Oct 25)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Live proud, not loud
HOMOSEXUALS should not actively promote their lifestyles.
Using the case of gay teacher Otto Fong, PM Lee said
He said in Parliament yesterday: 'The recent case of Mr Otto Fong who is a teacher in Raffles Institution.
'He's gay, he's a good teacher by all accounts. He put up a blog which outed, described his own sexual inclinations and... explained how he was gay.
'And he circulated it to his colleagues and it became public.'
The New Paper broke this story last month, and reported that the teacher had revealed himself to be gay in a blog. We also reported that he had meant the blog to be read by his friends and colleagues, not his students.
But, because students were also reading the blog, he had taken it down and apologised.
PM said of the teacher: 'He continues teaching in RI today. So there is space. There are limits.'
TNP: Repealing law doesn't mean promoting gay lifestyle, say two MPs (Oct 25)
AN inconvenient truth.
Perhaps that's what Section 377A is to some Singaporeans and the Government, MP Baey Yam Keng suggested in Parliament yesterday.
The MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, who once declared his support for scrapping the law that criminalises gay sex, said: 'We have inherited 377A from the British.
'It is easier and, as the Senior Minister of State (Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee) said, more practical to maintain the status quo than to change it.'
But Mr Baey asked: How well does 'the perceived majority holding the status quo view' understand the issue?
'I suspect a significant segment of our society does not really care, and some are just uncomfortable with this topic and choose the convenient way to stick with the status quo without knowing what the act exactly is and does,' he said.
Like the resident who told him at a meet-the-people's session that she was glad the Government was keeping Section 377A.
'But when I asked her if she knew what 377A was about, she said no,' Mr Baey recalled.
Convenience is definitely not what works for his fellow MP, Mr Charles Chong.
He said: 'I think I would be remiss as a legislator if I merely hid behind the views of the 'conservative majority' and maintained the status quo, which, of course, would be the least inconvenient thing to do if you were not gay...
APATHETIC
'It would simply not be realistic to expect the majority of Singaporeans to ever reach a position of being pro-homosexuality or where they will actively seek to repeal Section 377A.
'Even if heterosexual Singaporeans are apathetic towards homosexuality, it would be much easier just to maintain the status quo than to take steps to modify, if not expunge, 377A from the Penal Code.'
Is it really a slippery slope Singaporeans would be on if Section 377A is repealed?
Mr Chong gave the example of bar-top dancing.
'Some years ago, a senior politician (who shall remain un-named) argued his case as eloquently and as passionately as some of our NMPs did yesterday, in retaining an archaic regulation,' he said.
'The removal of such a regulation, it was said, would have led to staring incidents, fights and murders if it were to be abolished.
'Well, we have abolished it and permitted bar-top dancing for some years already, and the world has not come to an end yet.'
Mr Baey argued that repealing Section 377A does not mean promoting homosexuality.
'We do not want to condone smoking and drinking, (which) are not criminal, although we have made tobacco and alcohol less accessible and a lot more expensive,' he said.
'We want to promote marriage and procreation. Hence, singles do not enjoy certain tax and housing benefits.
'But they are not jailed.'
TNP: PM: Let's keep 377A in shades of grey (Oct 25)
PM: Let's keep 377A in shades of grey
by Low Ching Ling
ON one side of the fence, you have those who want Section 377A abolished.
 |
On the other side stands the 'conservative majority' - people who want the status quo to remain.
Both sides will not budge.
What should the Government do?
Live and let live. Don't force the issue. Better to keep the law grey.
That is the view of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who wrapped up the two-day Parliament debate on Section 377A yesterday.
Let's say the Government scraps Section 377A. What next? What if gay activists push for more issues such as same-sex marriages and equal rights as straight people?
'The majority of Singaporeans will strenuously oppose these follow-up moves by the gay campaigners,' PM Lee pointed out.
'And many who are not anti-gay will be against this agenda...
'It's better to accept the legal untidiness and ambiguity. It works, don't disturb it.'
Mr Stuart Koe, CEO of Asian Internet portal Fridae.com for gays, had said he wanted the Government to remove the ambiguity of Section 377A.
PM Lee said: 'He said the current situation is like having a 'gun put to your head and not pulling the trigger. Either put the gun down, or pull the trigger'.'
DON'T FORCE IT
But forcing the issue will divide our society, PM Lee argued.
'The more gay activists push this agenda, the stronger will be the push-back from conservative forces in our society...
And the result will be counter-productive because it's going to lead to less space for the gay community in Singapore. So it's better to let the situation evolve gradually.'
Why did the Government decide to keep Section 377A?
PM Lee explained: 'Singapore is basically a conservative society. The family is the basic building block of this society...
And by family in Singapore, we mean one man, one woman marrying, having children and bringing up children within that framework of a stable family unit.
'I think the vast majority of Singaporeans want to keep it this way... and so does the Government.'
Yes, we have to accept homosexuals as part of our society, PM Lee said, but they should not set the tone for Singapore society or be considered a minority like Malays and Indians.
'This is the way Singapore society is today, this is the way the majority of Singaporeans want it to be.
So we should strive to maintain a balance, to uphold a stable society with traditional heterosexual family values but with space for homosexuals to live their lives and to contribute to the society.'
And the gays already have a lot of space in Singapore, PM Lee noted.
They work in all sectors of the economy, including the civil service. They hold public discussions and publish websites. There are films and plays with gay themes, and gay bars and clubs.
PM Lee said: 'They exist, we know where they are. Everybody knows where they are. They don't have to go underground,' PMLee said.
'We don't harass gays. The Government does not act as moral policeman. And we don't proactively enforce 377A on them.'
Live and let live, PM Lee said.
'(The gays) live their lives. That's their personal life, it's their space. But the tone of the overall society... remains conventional, it remains straight and we want it to remain so.'
Even in the more liberal West, PM Lee pointed out, homosexuality remains a contentious issue.
'They decriminalised homosexual acts decades ago... and they have gone a long way towards accepting gays in society.
'But still, the issue is bitterly disputed.
'So in America, there are fierce debates over gay rights and same-sex marriages.
'And the conservatives in America are pushing back.'
TNP: S'pore's Gay Divide: Why Pink has become Red Hot by Leong Ching (Oct 25)
S'pore's Gay Divide: Why Pink has become Red Hot by Leong Ching
PINK is the colour of calm. It is also the colour associated with gays. Coincidentally, it was also the colour of the Prime Minister's shirt in Parliament yesterday.
 |
| The New Paper, 13 Sep |
But while the pink issue was very much the subject of debate, the House was hardly calm, with the issue taking on red-hot hues that was at times personal, passionate and unusually graphic.
God, love, gay, sex, anal, sexual perversity, selfish and hurtful. These are not the kind of words often used in a parliamentary debate.
But the past two days were hardly one of the more ordinary days in Parliament.
And this, on an issue - whether Section 377A should stay - that was already decided.
Yet, homosexual sex was turned on its head, examined inside out, upside down.
In the House, there was logic. There was emotion. And there was brutal honesty.
Outside Parliament, however, there was hate, as reflected in e-mail comments directed at the two NMPs on opposite sides of the Gay divide - and online pressure on the Government, as the PM revealed yesterday.
Was the debate in Parliament a reflection of the issue's potentially divisive, even disruptive nature?
The Prime Minister himself explained the Government's stance on Section 377A, calling for the nation to 'live and let live'.
More than 20 MPs spoke, crafting some of the most passionate and strongly-worded speeches since the debate on whether to allow casinos in Singapore two years ago.
 |
| The New Paper, 4 May |
Away from the civilised cut-and-thrust of debate, however, hate mail flew.
Law professor and NMP Thio Li-ann, who made one of the strongest, most graphic speeches, was a target.
She felt compelled to speak up, she told The New Paper, because 'it is important in life not only to have a brain but a spine.
'We must have moral courage and do what is right and expose a political movement that would hurt the common good of Singapore.
'I have already been insulted and received hate mail, even harassment.
'But should we be a nation of cowed individuals, subjugated by fear of being called hateful names?
'As I said, certain homosexual activists like to call people bigoted and intolerant - but they are also bigoted and intolerant towards those who disagree with them.
DOUBLE STANDARDS
'(It's)double standards. Anyone who is a fair thinker will see the truth of this analysis,' she said.
Since her speech on Monday, she has been called terms like 'homophobic', 'unenlightened' and 'prejudiced' on the Internet. Some called her a 'fundamentalist'.
Many other profanies, vulgarities and four-letter words were hurled at her because of her stand.
Prof Thio said: 'One person expressed the wish to defile my grave on the day 377A was repealed. And I am conveying the sense of it in the most polite way I know how.
'I don't believe in repeating obscenities.'
The protagonist on the other side, lawyer and NMP Siew Kum Hong, has also been the target of hate mail and much pressure.
For example, someone had asked him why he spent his time helping 'arse lovers' rather than championing the 'cause of the poor'.
Online, calls have been made to remove him from Parliament, calling him a 'disgrace', accusing him of 'wasting national time' and that he was 'just trying to make a name for himself'.
Mr Siew said he does not let such name-calling bother him.
'This is one of the most difficult things I've ever done. But I'm glad I did it. It's the right thing to do,' he told The New Paper last night.
He admitted that he had become emotional during his speech in Parliament.
'But this sometimes happens when people feel strongly about an issue,' he said.
His was not the only speech delivered with passion.
Making the last speech yesterday, MP Seah Kian Peng declared: 'I would be the mother who loves her gay son. I would be the man who loves his gay brother. And I would the first to stand up to defend a gay man's right to be treated equally under the law.'
But he did not want to repeal the law as he felt it would harm the institutions of marriage and the family.
What was supposed to be a sedate review of the Penal Code turned into something with quite few 'firsts'.
The petition to repeal 377A was not even part of the menu as it was supposed to have gone to the Petitions Committee first.
But, in a surprise move, Leader of the House Mah Bow Tan tabled a motion to discuss it in Parliament on Monday.
That opened the floodgates to a spirited debate, capped by a speech from PM Lee Hsien Loong.
Members were taken into the bedrooms of homosexuals, with graphic accounts of how sex between two men was physically harmful.
On the other hand, they listened to poignant quotes from mothers of gay men.
They were told stories of how talented homosexuals had renounced their citizenships because 'they had no place in Singapore'.
Did such passionate views reflect how strongly society felt? No, said the PM.
'Chinese-speaking Singaporeans are much less seized with the issue than the English-speaking. They are not as strongly engaged, either for or against,' he said, noting that there were no Chinese speeches made on the issue, save for a short one by MP Baey Yam Keng.
This is supported by a study by The New Paper in May, which suggested that heartlanders did not feel strongly against gays - as long as gays did not impose on their space. (See fax on previous page.)
Other indicators: Opposition Low Thia Khiang chose to remain silent yesterday, while his fellow Workers' Party member Sylvia Lim revealed that the WP supports retaining 377A.
PM Lee added: 'It reflects the focus of the Chinese speaking ground and their mindsets. So, for the majority of Singaporeans, the attitude is a pragmatic one - we live and let live.'
How then, do we account for the robust speeches? The last time Parliament saw strong reaction was two years ago, when it debated whether to allow casinos here.
Then, too, words such as 'moral majority', 'doing the right thing', religion, principles were bandied about.
But only one MP - former Jalan Besar GRC MP Loh Meng See - made an emotional anti-casino plea.
He said then: 'I cannot understand the argument put forward that as gambling is already in existence, the harm is incremental in nature. Do we not know that two wrongs don't make a right?'
In the end though, the argument was won by pragmatism and economic imperatives, with ministers coming out and revealing the financial benefits of the integrated resorts.
In the present debate, however, issues of private lives and public principles are harder measure, quantify or justify.
Another reason could be that this debate had strong and clearly media-savvy groups weighing in on both sides.
STRONG LOBBIES
As the PM noted: 'Both sides have mobilised to campaign for their causes. There was a petition to remove Section 377A. It accumulated a couple of thousand signatures and was presented in this House.
'Therefore there was a counter-petition to retain it which collected 15,000 signatures,' he said.
'The ministers and I have received many e-mails and letters on this subject.
'Very well-written, all following a certain model answer style. I don't doubt the depth of the sentiments and the breadth of the support, but it's also a very well organised pressure campaign.'
The PM was rational, conciliatory and inclusive. As he ended his speech though, it was clear that he had an iron fist in his velvet glove.
His message: Cool down, don't push too hard.
'I should therefore say that as a matter of reality, that the more gay activists push this agenda, the stronger will be the push-back from conservative forces in our society, as we are beginning to see already in this debate.
'The result will be counterproductive because it's going to lead to less space for the gay community in Singapore. So it's better to let the situation evolve gradually,' he said.TNP: Heated debate over gay law, if it's not enforced, why keep it? (Oct 24)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Electric New Paper :
Heated debate over gay law
If it's not enforced, WHY KEEP IT?
THERE'S no question about it - it's illegal to have gay sex in
Singapore, whether in public or private.
By Low Ching Ling
24 October 2007
THERE'S no question about it - it's illegal to have gay sex in
Singapore, whether in public or private.
But how often has Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises
such acts, been used to punish two consenting men who have sex in
their own homes or in a private space?
Lawyers say it's unheard of.
The Government has said it would not actively prosecute people under
Section 377A.
Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State for Home
Affairs and Law, reiterated this point in Parliament yesterday when he
said the Government would keep the status quo.
But those who have called for the law to be abolished have asked: Why
keep it if it's not enforced?
Mr Siew Kum Hong, who tabled a petition asking for the law's repeal,
said the Law Society had noted that keeping the law is 'out of step
with legal norms in the modern law'.
He also quoted NUS law professor Michael Hor as saying: 'The moral
force of the criminal law is blunted if there are crimes which are,
the Government assures the public, never to be enforced.'
MP and lawyer Hri Kumar asked: 'If the intention is not to do anything
at all, then what is the purpose of having the law? Does it not hurt
our credibility that we have laws that are toothless?'
But is Section 377A purely symbolic?
Prof Ho disagreed. He said it has been used to prosecute grown men who
had sex with underaged boys.
Mr Kumar said that between 1988 and 2003, there were eight convictions
under Section 377A. Two convictions were for the same incident.
He added: 'It has not been invoked in respect of consensual sex since
1993. So this law is rarely applied, or if applied, it applies to
minors or to acts in public.'
MP Christopher De Souza pointed out that enforcement alone cannot test
how effective a law is. 'For example, to attempt suicide is an offence
in Singapore. Yet, how many people are prosecuted for it? I dare say a
negligible percentage of those who do attempt suicide,' he said.
'Yet, the offence remains on the books even after this amendment
because it conveys the message that we do not want people taking their
lives.
'Will that message become weaker if the offence is taken off the
books? Yes.'
HARM OR NO HARM?
Does repealing Section 377A harm society? This was also one of the
main points of the debate in Parliament.
Mr Siew pointed out that the Home Affairs Ministry had said the Penal
Code review was intended to make the Code 'more effective in
maintaining a safe and secure society in today's context'.
But, Mr Siew added, Section 377A criminalises gay sex even behind
closed doors.
'How does the private sexual conduct of consenting adults make
Singapore unsafe or less secure?' he asked.
He argued that criminal law should be used for activities that harm
others.
'Instead, (the Government's) reasons for retaining 377A are that the
majority of Singaporeans disapprove of homosexuality, and so 377A
should be retained to reflect, or 'sign-post', this majority view of
Singaporeans,
'But reflecting the morality of the majority is not a stated aim of
the Penal Code. Nor is it an accepted objective of the criminal law.'
But MP Indranee Rajah had a retort.
'What about the distribution of pornographic material? You could, if
you wanted, to take the same argument, say the distribution of
pornographic material has nothing to do with a safe and secure
society,' she said.
'It's not a threat to a person or to property. But all of us recognise
or accept that the distribution of pornographic material should be
regarded as an offence.
'When we look at the safety and security of Singapore, we also look at
the question of public morals, public decency, public order.'
Mr De Souza said the repealing of Section 377A would have other
consequences on society such as the push for legal gay marriages,
adoption of children by gay couples, spousal rights and effects on the
education of the young.
Ms Indranee called for a compromise between the majority and minority
groups.
'Once you have different groups living in a society, you have to
accept there will be some restrictions on behaviour...
'One group says, 'I want this.' Another group says, 'No, I want that.'
How do you decide?
'You have to come down to a decision one way or another, and in most
cases, you will go with the majority view. Unless there is a reason to
protect the minority position.'
TNP: 'Silent' majority turns up the VOLUME (Oct 20)
Saturday, October 20, 2007
'Silent' majority turns up the VOLUME
THEY are the 'silent majority' who say gay sex is wrong.
Except for a few letters to the press, they have mostly kept their views private.
Until yesterday.
That's when www.keep377A.com was launched.
The petition urges the Government not to remove Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises gay sex.
At press time, there were 132 signatures.
This follows an online petition (www.repeal377a.com) urging the Government to repeal the law and Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong's announcement that he was tabling a petition in Parliament to abolish the law.
That petition, started last Friday, has 6,200 signatures. It closes today.
Both petitions ask for the full name of those who sign, but the keep377A site says the names won't appear on it, and also asks for a nickname.
The repeal377A site says the full names will appear on the letter to the Prime Minister, and asks those who prefer not to have their name displayed on the website to give their initials.
One of those who started the Keep 377A petition, Mr Martin Tan, 30, told The New Paper in an e-mail interview: '(The petition) was started by a few concerned individuals who feel that perhaps it is time for the majority to speak their mind.
'We believe that repealing Section 377A will have an adverse effect on society in the long run and is contrary to what the majority of Singapore want, which is to retain Section 377A.'
Under the heading 'We the Majority', the website cites a recent Nanyang Technological University study of more than 1,000 people that revealed 70 per cent of Singaporeans frown upon on homosexuality.
REFLECTING THE MAJORITY
The open letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the website said Section 377A is 'a reflection of the sentiments of the majority of society' and that repealing the law is 'a vehicle to force homosexuality on a conservative population that is not ready for homosexuality'.
Those who signed the petition gave reasons such as homosexuality is wrong, and not wanting to 'undermine the family unit upon which our society is built'.
One person wrote: 'It is not right to alter the S377A which stands for traditional family values which built what Singapore is today.'
A church worker, who wrote a letter to a newspaper voicing her objections to repealing Section 377A, told The New Paper: 'It's a good idea. It shows the silent majority isn't that silent after all.'
But business consultant Jenica Chua, 33, who wrote to The Straits Times criticising Mr Siew for overstepping his boundaries as an NMP, warned that it shouldn't escalate into a war between the opposing sides.
'We're not in a fight or a shouting match,' she said. 'We should want what's best for Singapore at large.'
And her stand on this contentious issue?
'As a Singaporean, I stand by the majority view - that is, to keep Section 377A and not allow homosexuality to become a mainstream value,' she said.
The church worker agreed.
'It shouldn't be about the conservatives versus the liberals, but about values that are important to our society.'
Dr Alan Chin, who once wrote to The Straits Times forum warning about gays' high-risk lifestyle, thinks the petitions by both sides are pointless.
'They won't change a thing. The Government has already decided on (the matter),' he explained.
In its latest Penal Code review completed last month, the Government decided to keep the status quo on Section 377A as Singapore is 'a generally conservative society'. However, it would not actively prosecute people under this section.
But Mr Tan said: 'Whether the Government has already decided or not should not change the fact that the time has come for the majority to make our stand.
'The main objective is to make known what the majority of Singaporeans want, that is to retain Section 377A.
'To quote one of the signatories, 'It's not about doing things right, it's about doing the right thing'. We believe what we are doing is right.'
by Low Ching Ling
TNP: It's all about equal rights (Oct 19)
Friday, October 19, 2007
| The Electric New Paper : | |
| IT'S ALL ABOUT EQUAL RIGHTS | |
| Don't speculate about me, focus on issue, says NMP in gay-rights fight | |
| NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong is 32, a lawyer and a young activist. | |
| |
| 19 October 2007 | |
NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong is 32, a lawyer and a young activist. He has spoken on CPF reforms, discrimination against Now, however, he could be most remembered as the Mr Siew is tabling a petition in Parliament to repeal a And it has led many to wonder: Is he gay? 'I am not. I have a girlfriend,' Mr Siew told The New 'But I have been staying clear of this question - because 'So I have deliberately refrained from volunteering that BIGGER ISSUE His is not an agenda on behalf of gay rights. There is a 'I truly do believe that Section 377A is unfair, unjust, 'It is contrary to principles of equality and The Parliamentary Petition will be filed ahead of Parliament's MPs are slated to speak on the amendments to the Penal Code, The proposed changes are many, as the law has not been However, they do not include Section 377A, under which Mr Siew said earlier that the idea for the petition was On his blog, in public comments and in interviews, Mr Siew 'For the record, I am decidedly straight. I am in a serious and 'But I have always been loathe to mention that because I did 'Whether I am gay or not should really have nothing to do 'After all, this is not a gay issue but an issue of equality and 'It is an issue for all Singaporeans. The debate, he stressed, 'is about the public, the people, His girlfriend, he said, also signed the petition. He declined He admits that there will be 'perceptions and suspicions' that 'That really speaks volumes about the level of debate in His actions, he said, were motivated by his long-held personal 'I felt an obligation to agree to present the petition to More than three newspaper forum letter writers have While Mr Siew did not want to talk about the outcome 'It is important to have a debate on the concepts of 'It was a diverse group of people who signed the petition - 'So that shows that these issues cut across lines and resonate But the petition is unlikely to move the Goverment. It has At a forum last month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong And the majority of Singaporeans, he said, was not ready. Earlier, the Government had said that it would maintain the Constitutional lawyer Kevin Tan said he, too, did not think the 'The Government has stated its stand, and since the arguments |
TNP: How Does Personal Background Matter? (Oct 19)
How Does Personal Background Matter? By Leong Ching (Oct 19)
WHEN I told a friend that Senior Counsel KShanmugam was fighting a law suit for a triathlete, and doing it for free, the first question he asked was: 'What race is the triathlete?'
I was about to explain the swim, run, bike routine when it hit me - he wanted to know if the triathlete was Indian.
In everyday life, we naturally assume personal motivations for doing things. (In the case of Mr Shanmugam, triathlete Gino Ernest Ng is Chinese).
| |
We assume people identify with causes because they or their family or friends have had personal experiences which spurred them into acting.
So, an oncologist is in the Singapore Cancer Society, a keen musician sits on the board of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and Dr Benedict Tan, a sportsman and a doctor, is on the Singapore National Olympic Council.
Mr Siew Kum Hong is a Nominated MP. He has taken up many causes.
Serious issues: CPF reforms, ministers' salaries.
Municipal ones: Stray cats.
Philosophical: What it means to be Singaporean.
IS HE GAY?
When he agreed to file a petition in Parliament to repeal an anti-gay law, people naturally asked: 'Is he gay?'
My friends asked me. My colleagues wanted to know.
'I don't know,' I said.
But, as a reporter, I thought, shouldn't I try to get an answer?
Was I being overly inquisitive?
In making arguments, sometimes the background of the person matters.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew often quizzes people who ask him questions during open debates.
'How long have you been in Singapore?'
That way, you know where the person is coming from, and the authority from which he speaks.
The question can then be put in greater context.
In Mr Siew's case, the messenger, rather than the message, became significant.
At least one reader questioned his agenda in a letter to The Straits Times. 'Mr Siew has overstepped the boundary as an NMP when he chose to represent the homosexual interest group,' she wrote.
Mr Siew had never revealed his sexuality before, and the more sensitive and thoughtful would consider it irrelevant to the present debate.
Dr Kevin Tan, for example, said: 'It is neither here nor there. You should focus on the message and not the messenger.'
That is true, logically.
But sometimes, the all-too-human side of our nature resonates to some personal connection.
And when sex is involved, it takes on a sensational - and personal - dimension.
Mr Siew himself said: 'I do know people have always wondered about that.'
He had been told by a friend that some people, who opposed repealing Section 377A, had asked if he was gay.
'He told them I was not, and explained to them that there are straight Singaporeans with strong views on this issue, and who are willing to speak up. They had no response to that.'
Can we see beyond the person and focus on the logic, the larger picture, of the case?
LOOK DEEPER
Look beyond the gay issue and there could be something more to ponder and value.
Mr Siew said: 'I cannot speak for the role played by personal motivations, in how other people approach the debate. Indeed, we are all human beings, so personal reasons will always play a role.
'Some people have told me that they did not sign the petition because they disagreed with the repeal of Section 377A, but they fully appreciated the effort and the process being undertaken.
'And they felt that the petition was a good thing, despite disagreeing on the merits.'
This is the right spirit, he said.
'They are able to differentiate between the process and the issue, and they understand the petition as a democratic process even though they disagree in substance.
'And that is heartening to me, because that is really what democracy is about,' he saidTNP: Join an online group? I'd rather do something real (Oct 14)
Sunday, October 14, 2007
By Eugene Wee
N the past weeks, something seems to have riled the political animal inside the usually apathetic Singaporean. First, the recent crackdown on pro-democracy monks in Myanmar shocked many here.
The atrocities prompted hundreds, maybe thousands on our fair island some 2,000km away from the troubled country, to rise up in protest.
Sort of, anyway.
Many heeded the call to wear a red shirt on 28 Sept as a symbol of protest against the violence happening there.
Those who did not have the proper wardrobe flocked to join the 'Support Monk's protest in Burma' group on the social networking website Facebook.
Ever since the unofficial recruitment drive to back this cause started on the Internet, I've been bombarded by invitations from friends to make my voice heard on the issue.
'I went out and bought a red shirt just because of the Myanmar campaign,' one friend proudly proclaimed in his e-mail to me.
'If you care about democracy, you should join in.'
'Wow!' I replied.
'Good for you. I know very few people who would go out on a limb and change their wardrobe in the name of democracy.'
I know what you're thinking. I'm being sarcastic when my friend's intentions are pure.
But here's the thing. I'm not attacking his intentions.
I'm attacking the sense of smugness and gratification he feels by thinking his grand gesture of shopping may have helped bring down the military junta.
The Myanmar campaign isn't the only one that has brought out this side in some of my friends.
Those with the 'Think global. Act local' mindset were more moved by an appeal to repeal Singapore's law criminalising gay sex.
Last week, thousands flocked to www.repeal377a.com to support an online campaign to do away with Section 377A of the Penal Code.
And unlike many other petitioners, hundreds of those at this website revealed what appeared to be their real names and the places where they worked.
I am ashamed to say that I did not wear red on 28 Sept, nor did I lend my name to repeal377a.com.
But that's not to say I don't care about either issue.
I'm all for supporting a good cause, but I'm pragmatic enough to realise that a new set of clothes or a signature on a piece of paper or website will change the status quo as much as a teaspoon of water dropped into the ocean will raise the level of the sea.
But people do it anyway.
Why? It's easy, takes no real effort, and it makes you think that you're a good person who supports good causes.
Nothing wrong about that, as long as they realise that if they REALLY want to make a change, it's going to take a lot more than joining a Facebook group.
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for easy.
But I try to pick my battles by choosing easy routes that can make a concrete, even if imperceptible, impact on the people around me.
For example, instead of signing up to support a few causes on Facebook, I signed up on Kiva.org, a website that lets you loan small amounts of money to small businesses in the developing world.
In less than five minutes, I had lent US$25 ($37) to Mrs Parvana Khalilova, a 47-year-old widow and mother of two in Azerbaijan who needs help to buy a cow for her dairy business.
When I go to the mall, I try to keep my shopping in as few plastic bags as possible, opting for paper ones if they have them. And I recycle paper products, glass bottles, and aluminium cans whenever I get the chance.
The impact of my deeds may not be noticed by others, nor will they solve problems overnight.
But at least I know that I made a calculable change.
Seeing that it takes little effort, I have since ceded to my friends' request and signed up for the Myanmar cause on Facebook and added my name to www.repeal377a.com.
And since my other causes take just as little effort, I hope they'll return the favour.
TNP: I may have HIV. Will you still sleep with me? (Sept 30)
Sunday, September 30, 2007
I may have HIV. Will you still sleep with me?
Under proposed changes to law, those at risk must disclose sex history to partner
By Ng Wan Ching
September 30, 2007
Tell the truth, says a new legal proposal that seeks to put the onus on those who lead risky sexual lifestyles to come clean with their partners.
Deceive - if there is a possibility that you have been exposed to the Aids virus - and you face up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000.
Will such a law be effective in stemming the spread of Aids? Or could it drive people further into secrecy?
Imagine saying before sex: 'I may have been exposed to HIV. If you have sex with me, you should accept the risk of infection.'
Under the Infectious Diseases Act now, a person who knows that he is HIV-infected must inform his partner before having sexual intercourse. His partner must agree to accept the risk of infection.
If he doesn't warn his partner, he's breaking the law.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) is proposing to expand the act to include those who, although unaware that they are HIV-positive, have reason to believe that they have been exposed to the risk of contracting HIV or Aids.
This could be from having unprotected casual sex with multiple partners and prostitutes or sharing needles.
Another condition is that he must have had tested negative for HIV and not had sex or engaged in any risky activity since then.
Finally he must take reasonable precautions during sex, such as by wearing a condom.
Said Mr Benedict Jacob-Thambiah, an HIV/Aids educator: 'Who can be bothered? I think this will drive such people underground even more. Because now you are saying they are potential criminals.'
BLAME GAME?
The proposed laws appear to be more intent on ascribing blame rather than to treat HIV/Aids as a public health concern, said Mr Jacob-Thambiah.
Said Mr Brenton Wong, former vice-president of Action for Aids: 'This is putting the law in the bedroom, but how are the authorities actually going to police it?
'This is saying that if you are morally questionable, then you will get HIV. Only if you remove the stigma and make treatment available and affordable will people come forward.'
Dr Stuart Koe, chief executive officer of Fridae.com and a trained pharmacist specialising in HIV medicines, predicts that the new law will rarely be used.
'It will have minimum impact on HIV in Singapore. I think we could use our resources better,' he said. He thinks that to accuse someone of infecting another person with HIV is a
difficult thing to prove in court.
Said Dr Koe: 'Firstly, the chain of transmission is fairly difficult to ascertain.
'Secondly, if it's between a married couple, usually the wife will not want to prosecute the husband for fear of breaking up the family.'
If the Government is willing to go to the extent of changing the law, he thinks it would be much more helpful to change it to protect HIV individuals from workplace and insurance discrimination.
'We should improve their access to treatment and care rather than further alienating them,' said Dr Koe.
Already, there are fears that there is a hidden HIV epidemic.
A study of more than 3,000 leftover blood samples from public hospital patients early this year showed that one in 350 was infected with HIV.
If accurate, this would mean that Singapore has about 9,000 infected adults, much more than the official figures.
Neither the patients in the study nor their doctors were aware of their HIV status. Also, HIV is now a treatable disease like any other chronic disease.
'With treatment, people have stopped dying from HIV. But that message has not gone out. Instead when people find out they are positive, they go underground and they feel helpless,' said Dr Koe.
But Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan points out he has good reasons for the proposed changes.
Every year, 10 per cent of those newly infected with HIV are women. About half of them are married women whose husbands are HIV positive.
Said Mr Khaw: 'I draw the conclusion that they got it from their husbands.'
These are among the people he wants to protect. The new laws will help the Ministry deal with the minority of people who are sexually irresponsible.
For the majority of people, ABC - abstain, be loyal or use a condom - is good enough.
The minority may need CRT - condom and regular testing.
'If you insist on harming yourself by visiting prostitutes and so forth, then do CRT and inform your sexual partner,' said Mr Khaw.
Three cases have been dealt with under the existing laws.
In 2005, investigations unearthed the case of an HIV-positive foreigner from Nigeria who had unprotected sex with several women in Singapore.
He did not inform them of his status before they had sex. He left Singapore before he could be charged.
Earlier this year, an HIV-positive man did not inform his wife of his status before engaging in sex, using a condom.
His wife, who was a foreigner and unwilling to testify against her husband, tested negative for HIV.
He was fined.
An HIV-positive individual who may have had sexual intercourse without informing his partner of his HIV status is also being investigated.
Will the amendments take it a step further in preventing the spread of Aids?
Yes - but only if honesty is a policy that is practised in bed.
HIV+
2,852 people in S'pore HIV-positive, 25 are kids
HIV+
1,547 people in S'pore have Aids
TNP: Gay Teachers Divided Over Issue: Should they be open about it? (Sept 15)
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Gay Teachers Divided Over Issue: Should they be open about it?
by Liew Hanqing
Some support teacher who outed himself on blog. Others say such personal details should be kept private
Gay teachers here are split on whether they should speak publicly about their sexual orientation.
While some support one gay teacher's decision to come out on his blog, others disagree with what he did.
The latter group feels that he may have revealed too much, too soon.
However, his supporters think otherwise.
A 32-year-old gay former junior college (JC) teacher offered this argument: 'Heterosexual teachers are able to talk to their students about their personal lives. Many life lessons are transmitted to students through this form of bonding.
'When parents require gay teachers not to talk about their personal lives, it curtails their ability to connect with their students, and to be themselves in the classroom.'
He said he made the decision to come out to his students and colleagues at the JC he used to teach at because it was a 'matter of personal integrity'.
'This is who I am - I hope coming out to them helps them become more accepting of diversity,' he said.
Though he is aware of some parents' concerns over having an openly gay man teach their children, he says their worries are unfounded.
'The younger (these children) are exposed to these issues, the fewer hang-ups they may have when they grow up, and they may be more certain about who they really are,' he said.
He even said he felt teachers who were open about their sexual orientation were a valuable resource.
CONFUSION
He said: 'If the students have no positive role models to turn to, they may go through a period of confusion about their sexuality.
'By placing restrictions on gay teachers, the schools are effectively reducing the support that some teenagers need.'
Disagreeing, a gay teacher in his late 20s said he had reservations about coming out to his students, whom he feels are 'too young' to deal with such issues.
Most of his students are 13 and 14 years old.
He said: 'It's unclear whether teens at that age can actually be swayed by a person in a position of authority like a teacher, but I'd prefer not to impose my personal values or beliefs on them, while they are still relatively immature.'
He added that he feels teaching is a profession which requires drawing a clear line between the personal and professional domains.
'There are still many misconceptions people have about gay people - that we are promiscuous, and that we are out to prey on children.
'Being too open at this point will only cause unnecessary anxiety within the school, and among parents.'
The teacher who outed himself on his blog had earlier attended a forum to discuss the concerns of gay teenagers in the Singapore education system.
Held last month, the forum drew a 110-strong crowd, including about 20 teachers.
A secondary school teacher in his 30s said he was aware of the forum, but chose not to attend because he 'did not want to out (him)self.'
He said: 'The school environment is not open for discussion about homosexuality, except in a derogatory manner.'
He has chosen to remain closeted to both his colleagues and students, because he says he does not want to jeopardise his career.
'Some associate gay people with paedophilia and other demeaning things. If colleagues and students know about my sexuality, they will simply label me,' he said.
SCHOOL CULTURE
He added that the decision to come out of the closet depended, to a large extent, on the school's culture and willingness to discuss issues like sexual orientation openly.
He said: 'The teacher who came out on his blog was probably able to do it because he felt confident enough in his working environment - that the school management would be understanding about it.'
He added, however, that other schools - such as the co-educational school he teaches in - are much more conservative.
'Some schools just aren't ready to handle the open discussion of issues like sexuality. In such schools, there is no value in coming out - it will only create a backlash,' he said.
TNP: Students of outed gay teacher: Most of us already knew (Sept 15)
Some cried foul.
But those who knew the gay teacher at the centre of the brouhaha were barely fazed.
Students who spoke on condition of anonymity told TheNew Paper there was hardly any flap at the all-boys school yesterday, other than the initial surprise and a little embarrassed silence.
'People asked one another if they heard about it, and that was about all,' Roy, a Secondary 3 student, said.
Blogger muquan, a student from the school, wrote: 'Good teachers are hard to come by these days. Better know how to hold on to one when u find one. Who cares about his sexual preferences?'
Michael, a Secondary 3 student, said: 'He is a nice person; we had other things to gossip about.'
Yesterday morning, five days after his blog entry, the teacher stepped into a class to conduct a lesson on the physics of atomic bombs, looking 'totally normal'.
John, a Sec 2 student from the class, said: 'Most of the class already knew but people were embarrassed to ask.
'Besides, some people already knew about it because he had told them before.'
Sexuality, influencing the young, non-traditional lifestyles - Michael shrugged them all off.
'Having a gay teacher in a boy's school is just like having a male teacher in a girls' school, isn't it?' he asked.
'I would actually describe myself as homophobic,' he added, 'but in a general way.'
It doesn't seem to make sense. Like saying you're racist, but only some of the time.
But Michael explained: 'It depends on whether you get to know a person first and then find out he is gay or the other way round.
'To the outside world, the teacher is a gay person. To us, he is and always will be our teacher.'
Yesterday, Michael said he heard a friend muse: 'I think that today, I became less homophobic (after learning that our teacher is gay).'
It's something else to convince the parents, though.
John said his mother was 'very worried'. She frowned and asked many questions when he showed her the teacher's blog.
'But I told her it's not a big deal because my job as a student is just to learn as much as I can,' he said.
Blogger muquan thanked Mr Fong for 'removing more superficiality from this world'.
'He doesn't have to be straight to be a good role model,' muquan wrote. 'So u mean all straight teachers are good role models? Don't make me LAUGH.'
In a statement yesterday, the teacher said his blog was meant for his colleagues, not students who he feels 'are too young to deal with these issues'.
He wrote: 'My main concern is to help my students do well in their studies.
'I'm happy that the school has not asked me to leave. I will not discuss the issue with my students because the blog was not intended for them.'
TNP: Should they be open about it? (Sept 15)
| GAY TEACHERS DIVIDED OVER ISSUE: | |
| Should they be open about it? | |
| Some support teacher who outed himself on blog. Others say such personal details should be kept private | |
| GAY teachers here are split on whether they should speak publicly about their sexual orientation. | |
| |
| 15 September 2007 | |
GAY teachers here are split on whether they should speak While some support one gay teacher's decision to come out on The latter group feels that he may have revealed too much, However, his supporters think otherwise. A 32-year-old gay former junior college (JC) teacher offered 'When parents require gay teachers not to talk about their He said he made the decision to come out to his students 'This is who I am - I hope coming out to them helps them Though he is aware of some parents' concerns over having 'The younger (these children) are exposed to these issues, the He even said he felt teachers who were open about their sexual CONFUSION He said: 'If the students have no positive role models to turn to, ' 'By placing restrictions on gay teachers, the schools are effectively Disagreeing, a gay teacher in his late 20s said he had reservations Most of his students are 13 and 14 years old. He said: 'It's unclear whether teens at that age can actually He added that he feels teaching is a profession which requires 'There are still many misconceptions people have about gay people - 'Being too open at this point will only cause unnecessary anxiety The teacher who outed himself on his blog had earlier attended a Held last month, the forum drew a 110-strong crowd, including A secondary school teacher in his 30s said he was aware of the He said: 'The school environment is not open for discussion about He has chosen to remain closeted to both his colleagues and 'Some associate gay people with paedophilia and other demeaning SCHOOL CULTURE He added that the decision to come out of the closet depended, He said: 'The teacher who came out on his blog was probably able to He added, however, that other schools - such as the co-educational 'Some schools just aren't ready to handle the open discussion of |
TNP: Blog not meant for his students (Sept 14)
Friday, September 14, 2007
| Gay teacher outs himself in blog posting. Then he removes it as... | |
| Blog not meant for his students | |
| HIS online declaration was straightforward - 'I'm gay.' | |
| |
| 14 September 2007 | |
HIS online declaration was straightforward - 'I'm gay.' But it was no ordinary blog. It was written by a 38-year-old teacher at one of Singapore's He claims it was only meant to be read by his colleagues and But somehow word spread and it got online forums buzzing. The school, however, is not over-reacting to the teacher's honest And this is why we are not naming him or his school. As more people learnt of it, the teacher removed the post - just In the entry, the teacher said he was inspired to come out of the UNCOMFORTABLE In an e-mail statement to The New Paper, a spokesman for his The spokesman confirmed that the school had spoken to the teacher 'In this instance, (the teacher) intended the blog to be read only by 'He has clarified that he had no intention of advocating homosexuality 'However, now that he is aware that some students The reaction of the local Internet community has been Former students and other netizens have left messages on In the original blog post, the teacher recalled having felt He wrote: 'As a teenager, I was very quick to sense society's 'While I was successful in modifying my outward behaviour, 'My denial gnawed at me, and the suppression of my true self He 'spent more than 20 years in the professional closet', keeping Explaining his decision to speak openly about his sexuality, He also wrote: 'I am still a teacher. 'My main purpose and joy is to teach our youngest citizens, the NOT SEXUAL DEVIANT The teacher also said being gay did not make him a sexual 'I'm not, as some people like to label gays, a paedophile, a While some have voiced support for the teacher's online A student from another school, Jasper Chen, 18, said he admired 'He risked losing his job in an attempt to transform the public's Parents like Mrs Catherine Gasper, 48, however, were less 'He should keep such things private - I don't think it's 'It (his sexual orientation) doesn't really matter, as long as he's 'There's a lack of awareness that comes from a lack of contact Added one secondary school teacher, who declined to be named: 'Their sexual preferences may still be somewhat unclear and in 'There is a line that must be drawn between a person's public and |
TNP: Poser of 'Third Gender' (Jul 30)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Poser of 'Third Gender'
ACCEPTING ME AS PERSON= OPENING UNACCEPTABLE GATE?
S'porean transsexual mulls over tough question FOR years, Ms Leono Lo knew it was not going to be easy. Asking to be accepted on a personal and human level is in sync with
| By Ng Wan Ching |
30 July 2007
FOR years, Ms Leono Lo knew it was not going to be easy. Asking to be accepted on a personal and human level is in sync with
The gay debate might have had some airing but what about the Third Gender? Transsexuals cause discomfort because they challenge conventional notions of male and female bodies.
Part man and part woman.
Fear of the unfamiliar spawns fear of such fringe groups and their lifestyles multiplying. Will it destabilise the traditional structure of family here?
Ms Leono Lo is aware of social prejudices and has no antidote to offer.
So she's doing the only thing she can think of - opening up and telling her story so others might see her as a human being.
Ms Lo had known something was different about her since she was 12years old and went by the name Leonard.
She knew she was not a homosexual.
But what was she then?
At 15, she chanced upon a book at the Jurong East Community Library called Cries From Within, co-written by the late Professor SSRatnam who performed
Said Ms Lo, 32: 'Every word in that book made sense to me. Finally, I had the words to describe how I felt. I read it from start to finish in one sitting.'
Today, she has not only written a book chronicling the stories of 13 transsexuals, My Sisters, Their Stories, but also her autobiography.
HER JOURNEY
The book, From Leonard To Leona, details incidents which marked her journey from manhood to womanhood.
It is published by Select Books and will be out in the first week of September.
She started giving talks this year to help others understand.
'I do this so others may feel that they can live openly too,' MsLo said in an interview with The New Paper on Sunday.
She strikes you as just another woman, from the top of her coiffed head to her slinky outfits, attitude, outlook and slingback heels.
Her life took a turn at 21, while at university in the
Her parents had no idea that she was going to have the operation.
Said Ms Lo: 'I was born a woman in a man's body. I only realised something was not right when I discovered I liked boys. But not as a gay man. I liked boys and I wanted them to like me as a woman.'
The realisation of her situation drove her to a desperate suicide attempt when she was serving national service. It was only then that her parents found out.
As an only son, she found that the situation was particularly difficult, and for her parents as well.
They hired an exorcist and monks. She was made to drink 'holy' ashes and pray at the temple.
'It took them two years to accept me for who I am. Now, my mother and I have a normal mother-daughter relationship where we discuss lipsticks and such,' she said.
During national service, the army downgraded her to a clerical position.
But she still had to serve out the 21/2years.
'It was difficult. It helped that I had a boyfriend who was very understanding. We had an innocent relationship - no sex, just holding hands and being together,' she said.
They later separated amicably.
PARENTS' SUPPORT
After finishing her studies in Catholic High and
'My parents supported me,' she said.
But in her first year in the
'I had researched the subject, spoken to the doctor and decided I had to get it done,' she said.
She used the tuition money that her parents had sent her for the air ticket and surgery fees.
'My parents were upset, of course, when they found out. But, ultimately, they forgave me and topped up my tuition money,' said MsLo.
When she flew back to the
Then she wanted to change her passport to reflect her new gender status.
'But when I went to the Singapore High Commission to do that, they told me it could not be done without changing my identity card first,' she said.
She had to wait until she next returned to
She does not hide her status from anyone, including the men she dates.
Her employers were wonderful.
Ms Lo started work at the Health Promotion Board (HPB).
Then she joined Hill and Knowlton.
When they promoted her, she decided it was time to quit and start her own business.
'I wanted to be able to speak freely as a transsexual and didn't want that to conflict with my work or compromise my employers,' she said.
That was about three years ago. Today, her public relations company, Talk Sense, which concentrates on healthcare communications, has grown and she is looking to hire people.
Among her clients are HPB and Bayer Schering, a pharmaceutical company.
Apart from her books, MsLo also started a series of talks this year.
Titled 'Dare to be me - breaking free of the culture of shame. A
She has given the talk twice, once at a friend's art gallery and another time to sociology students at the
RAISING AWARENESS
She also plans to conduct the talk at various
These talks will be conducted for free monthly.
She said: 'Compared to others in the region, transsexual women here are considered lucky in that we are granted legal recognition in our new gender.
'However, this is only the beginning of a journey that is fraught with difficulties because of the 'culture of shame' that still prevents many of us from moving ahead in life and fulfilling our dreams and ambitions.'
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