These are excerpts from a post on pinkdot blog:
Though more LGBT individuals are slowly emerging into the mainstream, prejudice and bigotry in present societal attitudes keep many LGBT individuals from coming out of the closet. Many of them fear that in coming out, they might lose their family, friends and even their jobs. Yet, by not coming out, their lives are shrouded in secrecy.
Fear and bigotry can get in the way of love – between friends, family and other loved ones – so this is an event for everyone who believes that LGBT individuals are equally deserving of strong relationships with our family and friends.
We are aware that many people harbour much hatred towards the LGBT community.
Some times I am quite bewildered when I read these. Either I am stuck in a hole, where time has stopped or I lived in an alternate reality that is apart from the rest. I have no clue why there is this agenda behind fostering an image that there is a large element in society that is anti-HBT (Homosexual, Bisexual, Trans-gendered).
The fact remains, there are homosexual people who has emerged into the mainstream. Yet, I am unaware of any concerted effort by anyone to persecute specific people who has emerged.
Looking back at history, it is clear that majority of Singapore’s society is not really bothered by the HBT. In fact, Singapore is among one of the most tolerant societies in the region. Singaporeans are just about as bothered by HBT activities as they are with the proliferation of prostitution from the traditional red-light districts into the wholesome areas like Joo Chiat. Singaporeans are pragmatic people and as long as everything happens in a controlled manner or away from the public eye, it will be tolerated. This would be evident in complaints by the public regarding ‘cruising’ activities resulting in police raids, which is some what expected, just like the anti-vice response to the soliciting by foreign nationals in Geylang. Incidentally, I once saw a policeman grab a woman by her hair and led her away on suspicion of soliciting, where is AWARE on this? Or are foreign women in Singapore not a concern to them, being inclusive as they claimed they are?
HBT activists talks a lot about discrimination but are short on specifics. Let me point out I see a lot of hand-holding in public among foreign nationals along Serangoon Road, and there is no law against same-sex kissing. Are we to forget that Singapore’s Bugis and Changi Point used to be famous for transvestites, before they moved off to another area in the recent years? Are we all not aware that bookstores carry mainly foreign homosexual-themed literature by stocking these books along with those on women issues in sections entitled ‘Gender Studies’? Are there not pubs for both male and female homosexuals in Singapore? Is it not true that since the mid-90s even the police has stopped raiding homosexual pubs? Is it not true that the police has never burst into homes or hotel rooms and arrest anyone under Section 377A – unlike what Hitler did using his Schutzstaffeln [SS] when he tried to remove his rival Ernst Röhm? Are we to forget that the existence of sites like Fridae.com and no hate sites in response is testimony in itself to the quiet acceptance of the HBT community in Singapore? Consider what it would really have been if there is really discrimination here. If I am not mistaken, in certain Islamic countries, homosexuality is punishable by DEATH.
So, is there really a problem with the situation for the HBT, when for years Singapore has such activities and in most parts, most people aren’t really bothered? Simply put, the question would be, is more of such activism by the likes of pinkdot really helping or is it detrimental to social and even religious harmony? I am in the opinion that such activities drives people to take sides and actually polarise society, and as my Ah Beng friend would say in Hokkien: “kanninah?! geh gan!” [Translation: “What the fxxk?! Doing something extra and unnecessary!”]
I can’t help too, to feel that there is only one sole objective in such activism – the gagging of people who would prefer to maintain the status quo, even though these people may not necessarily give a flying damn about a homosexual’s private life and sexual preferences.
After all, among all the people I have spoken to, be it friends or colleagues, Christians and non-Christians alike, everyone believes in according to homosexual people universal suffrage, equal job opportunities and equal right to health care. None of them would turn down a homosexual person seeking employment as long as they are qualified for the job, if they was in the position to decide who to hire. Some of them has said whatever homosexuals do to themselves, it is even less than what smokers are doing to non-smokers with their second-hand smoke. Beyond that, each will have their own reservations regarding the matter of homosexual marriages, homosexual adoptions and the repealing of certain laws. So, is having a personal opinion, reservations and even objection to any of these now simply just – bigotry, hate and fear?
If that is the case, this isn’t reasoning. This isn’t even a progress towards a more civil society. This is simply about ‘fixing’ the people who objects by labelling them as something. This is dehumanising one’s detractors, by completely ignoring the other aspects of the other person’s humanity. In short, the advocates for HBT rights are doing to their opponents what they are accusing their opponents of. Now tell me why wouldn’t there be a violent, and sometimes even hate-filled response to such bigotry!
Anyway, I wanted talk about the fear. When I asked some people why they are so ‘afraid’ of homosexual people, I get some answers that I actually found amusing. Some would categorise their fear of homosexuals and trans-gendered people as similar to that as a girl’s fear of being stalked or harass by a guy. Some expressed that it would be similar to a reaction of over-friendly overtures from colleagues of the same sex – even though one knows for sure the other person has no other motives behind it. While some even mentioned that it would be like having a stranger suddenly being friendly to you. None mentioned about having a problem with friends who they know are, or later found to be homosexuals.
So, let’s face it, there is indeed fear here. But it’s an emotional fear of the unknown and nothing so much as bigotry or hatred. Of course, you can try harassing a girl beyond what she can take and see whether she starts hating you after that. Is pinkdot or homosexual advocates / cheerleaders suggesting that society should not have such an emotion, while at the same time they suggest that emotions is something that is somewhat a right that shouldn’t be denied for the HBT? That would be preposterous!
Thus, it is not a surprise that HBT activism has caused a reaction from some elements of society. In fact, I ain’t even surprised by the reaction of some towards NMP Siew Kum Hong. After all these effort in silencing objection to the HBT, so much so that it is considered hate-crime, these advocates themselves who aren’t HBT are the only legitimate targets left. Tough luck, Mr Siew.
By the way, let’s face it that this isn’t a ‘debate’ on ideologies or religion. The people generally are more concerned with matters that deals with job stability and security – i.e. the matters of feeding one’s stomach. If there’s anything that our government gahmen is concerned about in this whole HBT vs anti-HBT debate, it is how to make attracting ‘Pink Dollar’ tourism acceptable to the general public while not giving the HBT the wrong impression of state endorsement.
Recommended Reads:
BlackNews.com – True Intentions of Gay Activists Now Revealed
Gimme Some Truth! – Sniffing out the Straits Times agenda in the AWARE Saga
InsanePoly: Anatomy Of A Catfight
” I have no clue why there is this agenda behind fostering an image that there is a large element in society that is anti-HBT ”
Similarly I have no clue why there is an image of gays having a “gay agenda”.
“I can’t help too, to feel that there is only one sole objective in such activism – the gagging of people who would prefer to maintain the status quo … ”
That is very presumptuous, unfounded, uneducated and even defamatory. What evidence have you got for this “gagging”?
But it is evidently clear that COOS is emphatically anti-gay and they certainly has an agenda too.
And the agenda is, at the least, this: no teaching of the “gay lifestyle” – whatever that means – in schools, and if you have to mention it, it must be put negatively, not neutral and – God-forbid – never ever positive.
Now the assumption here is that gay can be learnt especially if taught by a person in authority. Well try teaching a gay to be straight. And for that matter try teaching authoritatively a person who is bad in Chinese and tell me if you can get a 100% pass rate.
Now even if I grant you that ALL things can be learnt, when taught by person in authority, why focus only on this issue?
Surely there are many many more things taught in the school that is sinful and anti Christian. For example teaching of abortion or sexual reproduction. Would that not lead to children experimenting with sex? Of what about Evolution? Why no agenda to remove Evolution from school and substitute with Creationism instead? Or of idolatry such as the worship of Money?
Bottomline: it is just hypocrisy and bullying. Gays easy meat, so can bash them. Now tell that is NOT discrimination.
To be sure, not all or even the majority of the population are of the ilk of COOS,but there are certainly some more in mainstream society.
And that is the very reason why there is a need for education!
And so a larger agenda of COOS is to keep and sustain the FEAR and IGNORANCE if not to grow it, under some blasphemous reason, abusing God’s name and under the cloak of righteousness.
Very good post.