Fridae.com: Council of churches commends singapore government on anti-gay legislation, calls for criminalisation of lesbianism

Council of churches commends singapore government on anti-gay legislation, calls for criminalisation of lesbianism

by Sylvia Tan
As Singapore is looking at its first major review of its Penal Code in more than 20 years, the National Council of Churches has praised the government for its proposal to retain laws criminalising homosexual acts, and for the first time advocated the specific inclusion of lesbians in its scope. In a statement published in the March issue of the Methodist Message, the official monthly journal of the Methodist Church in Singapore, the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) commended the government on its stance to not repeal Section 377 A which outlaws sex acts between men although laws that criminalise anal and oral sex between opposite-sex couples will be repealed.

The NCCS represents Methodists, Anglicans and Presbyterians, among other mainstream denominations in Singapore. Currently, Section 377A of the Penal Code (PC) provides for a 2-year jail term for “any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person.” The statement published on the Methodist Message web site reads: “We are aware that the proposed amendment to delete section 377 PC but on the other hand retaining section 377A PC may be controversial in some quarters.

Nevertheless, we consider homosexual acts to be sinful, abhorrent and deviant, whether consensual or not. The NCCS commends the Government on taking a clear, unequivocal and bold stand of neither encouraging nor endorsing a homosexual lifestyle and opposing the presentation of the same as part of a mainstream way of life.” Although the NCCS has in 2003 publicly urged the government to maintain current legislation concerning homosexuality, not permit the registration of homosexual societies or clubs and not allow the promotion of homosexual lifestyle and activities, this is the first time it has called for the criminalisation of lesbianism.

“Given that section 377A PC criminalises homosexuality whether done private or publicly, we are of the view that a similar prohibition ought to be enacted in respect of lesbianism, considering that lesbianism (like homosexuality) is also abhorrent and deviant, whether consensual or not.'” Said the statement. In a document released last year by the Ministry Of Home Affairs on the proposed Penal Code amendments, Section 377A will sit between new laws criminalising necrophilia and bestiality under the same rubric of “unnatural offences.” The proposed amendments are expected to be debated in Parliament in the next quarter.

Penal Code: Proposed changes 'relevant and compassionate' -- says National Council of Churches of Singapore

Homosexual lifestyle: NCCS commends Govt on taking bold stand

(c) We are aware that the proposed amendment to delete section 377 PC but on the other hand retaining section 377A PC may be controversial in some quarters. Nevertheless, we consider homosexual acts to be sinful, abhorrent and deviant, whether consensual or not. The NCCS commends the Government on taking a clear, unequivocal and bold stand of neither encouraging nor endorsing a homosexual lifestyle and opposing the presentation of the same as part of a mainstream way of life. At the same time, we do not condemn homosexuals as the Bible calls us to hate the sin but love the sinner. Given that section 377A PC criminalises homosexuality whether done private or publicly, we are of the view that a similar prohibition ought to be enacted in respect of lesbianism, considering that lesbianism (like homosexuality) is also abhorrent and deviant, whether consensual or not.'

Don't you just hate it when Christians open their mouths and sound so stupid? As a fellow Christian, I am sickened by such blatant hate and lack of grace.

NZ Herald: Australia rocked by 'lesbian' koala revelation

Australia rocked by 'lesbian' koala revelation

11:00AM Sunday February 25, 2007
By Roger Dobson

Female koalas indulge in lesbian "sex sessions", rejecting male suitors and attempting to mate with each other, sometimes up to five at a time, according to researchers.

The furry, eucalyptus-eating creatures appear to develop this tendency for same-sex liaisons when they are in captivity. In the wild, they remain heterosexual.

Scientists monitoring the marsupials with digital cameras counted three homosexual interactions for every heterosexual one.

"Some females rejected the advances of males that were in their enclosures, only to become willing participants in homosexual encounters immediately after," say the researchers.

"On several occasions more than one pair of females shared the same pole, and multiple females mounted each other simultaneously. At least one multiple encounter involved five female koalas.

"One theory put forward by the researchers is that the females do it to attract males; another is that it is simply hormonal, or that it is a stress reliever.

Scientists from the University of Queensland studied 130 koalas in captivity and will publish their results in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

"Our aim was to determine the extent of differences in the homosexual and heterosexual behaviour of female koalas and thereby to determine the purpose of female homosexual behaviour in the koala," say the researchers.

"Wild koalas brought into captivity clearly display homosexual behaviour on a regular basis. A total of 15 heterosexual and 43 homosexual interactions were recorded in separate animals. Homosexual behaviour was restricted to females only. Heterosexual encounters were typically twice as long as homosexual encounters," they add.

- INDEPENDENT

Retention of gay sex laws “cannot be justified”: Singapore’s law society to government

Retention of gay sex laws “cannot be justified”: Singapore’s law society to government

The Law Society of Singapore has released a statement disagreeing with the Ministry of Home Affairs' proposal to retain the country's laws against gay sex.

The Law Society of Singapore – at the invitation of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) last November to comment on the government’s proposed amendments to the Penal Code – has advised the government that “the retention of s.377A in its present form cannot be justified.” Last November, MHA announced their intention to retain gay sex laws although laws which criminalise anal and oral sex between consenting heterosexual adults will be repealed as part of Singapore's first major penal code amendments in 22 years. Section 377A currently makes “gross indecency” between two males an offence punishable by up to 2 years’ imprisonment.

The Law Society, the professional association of lawyers in Singapore, which formed an ad hoc committee of 16 members to study the matter has issued a report which was reproduced in part by gay activist group People Like Us on its web site: “The majority of the Council considered that the retention of s.377A in its present form cannot be justified. This does not entail any view that homosexuality is morally acceptable, but follows instead from the separation of law and morals and the philosophy that the criminal law’s proper function is to protect others from harm by punishing harmful conduct. Private consensual homosexual conduct between adults does not cause harm recogniseable by the criminal law. Thus, regardless of one’s personal view of the morality or otherwise of such conduct, it should not be made a criminal offence.

“Moreover, the assurance given by [the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)] in the Explanatory Notes to Proposed Amendments to the Penal Code that were initially issued by MHA that prosecutions will not be proactively prosecuted under this section is an admission that the section is out-of-step with the modern world. The retention of unprosecuted offences on the statute book runs the risk of bringing the law into disrepute. “Council also recognised that the above view did not necessarily represent the views of its members collectively. A significant minority of Council members as well as members of the Society at large have an opposing view, and strongly support retention of s.377A in the Penal Code. They took the view that the criminal law can and should be deployed to define what the majority or a significant proportion of society believe to be unacceptable conduct even when it takes place in private between consenting adults, and that there are sufficient jurisprudential and logical grounds for this.

“Differing views were expressed on the constitutionality of s.377A. In other jurisdictions, legal discrimination based on sexual orientation has been considered against constitutional guarantees of equal protection. Council did not come to a concluded view on the constitutionality of s.377.”

TNP: Rumours? She laughs them off (Jan 24)

Rumours? She laughs them off

Project Superstar 2's female winner finds judges' comments more stressful than crazy gossip PSST - did you hear the one about how Project Superstar 2 female champion Tan Diya and runner-up Carrie Teo got married in Las Vegas?

By Yeoh Wee Teck

24 January 2007

PSST - did you hear the one about how Project Superstar 2 female champion Tan Diya and runner-up Carrie Teo got married in Las Vegas?

Well, so did they. And the two friends laughed about it.

When asked to confirm the rumour, Diya let out a laugh.

She said: 'This is the craziest rumour I've heard about us.

'You know, we are so busy with rehearsals and training, where do I find the time to go to Las Vegas?'

The 22-year-old Nanyang Technological University mass communications student has no idea who started the rumour. And she doesn't really care.

'They're funny to read. In fact, Carrie and I read each other's forum (posts) all the time and laugh at them.'

Rumours can break a newcomer,
but Diya remains unfazed by them.

In fact, she has a good time reading speculation about herself online.

'It's funny. These are generally ren shen gong ji (attacks on the character). Like the ones that said I look like Ru Hua (a plain Taiwanese comedienne).'

Project Superstar 2 at first pits females against females and then males against males.

The eventual winners will battle it out at the finale, which will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 4 Feb. The show will be aired live over Channel U at 7.30pm and the winner will win a recording deal with Warner Music.

Diya admitted that Carrie is a very good friend and that the intensity of their friendship, which started when they met during the competition, may have led to the rumour that they were more than friends. 'I'm not (gay), so it doesn't matter,' she said matter-of-factly.

While being mistaken for a lesbian doesn't bother her, some of the comments made about her by the judges left her 'completely stressed' and 'confused'.

'I'm naturally energetic, but when I'm performing they say I prance around like a monkey. But that's my personality, so I just try to strike a balance and do my best,' she said.

Project Superstar 2 has turned out to be a battle of the Tans, with Daren Tan being named the male champion last week.

And like his fellow Tan, there were rumours about Daren's sexual orientation.

But the 23-year-old told The New Paper he is not bothered about the gay rumours.

Whatever the case, this chatter will not affect these budding singers' chances of being signed up.

Mr James Kang, marketing director of Warner Music, said: 'We don't judge an artiste's worth based on rumours of sexual orientation. There are a lot of celebrities with similar rumours flying around anyway and it doesn't hurt their popularity.'

Daren's only worry now is facing the finals. The dimpled one, seen by his fans as the bad boy sex symbol of the competition, revealed his strategy.

'I'll come up with new stuff, probably visual effects,' he said.

Fridae.com - Half of Singapore Youths Find Homosexuality Acceptable

Half of singapore youths find homosexuality ''acceptable,'' says survey

by Sylvia Tan
In the city-state which has a thriving gay scene despite gay sex being outlawed, half of the 800 survey respondents aged 15-29 found homosexuality acceptable.

Exactly half of the 800 young people asked found homosexuality acceptable, according to a survey of young people aged 15-29. Conducted by students from Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Business over two months, 42 per cent of the respondents who found homosexuality unacceptable although no further details are available.

[PIC]Containing only one question on homosexuality, the survey respondents were asked if they agreed or disagreed with he statement, "I find homosexuality acceptable."

Giving their views on various aspects of life, 45 per cent of the respondents disapproved of premarital sex while 46 per cent found it acceptable. More than half of respondents survey said that they would migrate overseas if they had the option.

Lecturer Kwa Lay Ping, who oversaw the survey, was quoted in Today newspaper attributing the youths' liberal views to the use of the Internet.

"They're more liberal in their outlook and more accepting of alternative lifestyles, such as homosexuality, and sex before marriage."

"As they go on the Internet, they're a lot more exposed to more liberal programmes about alternative lifestyles, than youths were in the days before the Internet," said Ms Kwa.

A youth said in a television interview, "To youths, it's common knowledge that homosexuals exist in Singapore. In fact, if you ask any youth, he'll say that he knows at least one homosexual friend."

An earlier survey conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in 2001 however found that 71 per cent of the young people surveyed found homosexuality unacceptable.

Another survey conducted the same year by the government over a cross section of Singaporeans found that 29 per cent of Singaporeans under 30 years of age found homosexuality acceptable.

Alex Au of gay advocacy group People Like Us said of the recent findings: “This finding isn't coming out of the blue though radio and newspaper reports seem to make it so. It is part of a trend of increasing acceptance.”

Referring to the Social Attitudes Survey in 2001 (SAS2001) conducted by the government, he told Fridae in an email: “The most authoritative evidence was the Social Attitudes Survey in 2001 (SAS2001), conducted by the government over a cross section of Singaporeans which found that 29 per cent of Singaporeans under 30 years of age found homosexuality acceptable. That was six years ago. That it has further increased shouldn't be any surprise."

Gay youths Fridae spoke to feel optimistic about the survey findings and for more youths to come out for their emotional well-being.

Zee, the 20-year-old editor of gay youth web site PLUME (plume.sg) told Fridae: “I'm inclined to think that this figure is slightly higher than 50 per cent. Just because the remaining 42 per cent surveyed said it was not acceptable doesn't mean all of them will reject gay people outright or think of it as 'wrong'.”

“The results show that there is a larger acceptance of gay people; reflective of my personal experience. There are no hate crimes or outright discrimination though many straight guys in this age group use ‘gay’ to crack misogynistic and insensitive jokes. But when it comes to the real crunch, they're not actually homophobic; they don't condemn us to hell.”

Nick of Queercast (www.queercast.blogspot.com) said: “It is encouraging that half of them find homosexuality acceptable. I think this is a good sign that with constant awareness we can change the mindsets of the youth to work towards a better future for us all.”

Zee added: “I encourage tertiary students to come out more for their emotional well-being than as a political act. Closets are very cramped places and mothballs are not very fun to play with. Politically speaking, schools are a microcosm of society and the young will inherit the country in future, if our peers weave through campus life exposed to other gay students, they'll see living examples and eventually get used to it. Besides needing a support network, one of the biggest challenges to coming out, is always yourself. Fear, needing approval and validation is a big barrier to overcome; but once you do, you'll be invincible.”

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