Asian Morality

Not enough has been said of Singapore's recent decision to uphold Section 377A of the Penal Code despite efforts by prominent Singaporeans to repeal it. The decision serves a blow not just to LGBT rights in Singapore but to the SE Asia region (with the exclusion of Thailand) as well because Singapore is seen as the bellwether for its neighbors. When secular Singapore decides to uphold 377A, Muslim dominated Malaysia and Indonesia will see no reason to discuss the matter. They will reason that if a secular SE Asian nation cannot find support to repeal the act (which exists in a similar form in Malaysia and Indonesia), then it will fail to achieve significance in their country as well.
The discussion in the Singaporean Parliament was, as usual, rife with doublespeak. PM Lee Hsien Loong's call to allow LGBT individuals (but more specifically gays) to have a place in society and live unharassed private lives was negated by his decision to keep the draconian act.
PM Lee and his supporters fail to see that by criminalizing homosexuality, the Singaporean parliament sends a message to Singaporeans that LGBT individuals are fair game for both government and society. It sends a message to employers that it is all right to fire an employee if someone see him walk into a gay bar. It sends a message to constituents that gay men are inferior to the rest of society and cannot hold a political post. It sends a message to the school bully who sees it as validation for taunting the 'faggot' in his class. PM Lee fails to see that by repealing the act he doesn't allow gays to "set the tone for Singapore society" but by upholding it, he allows homophobes to do just that.
On the bright side, some proponents of the repeal have found success despite the decision. The discussion in the Parliament was the first discussion regarding homosexuality, a breakthrough in sex-averse Singapore. Furthermore, it allowed LGBT individuals to come out of the woodwork in the public sphere for the first time and show heterosexual Singaporeans that the perceptions of LGBT individuals as child molesters were false.
It's a sad week for many of us but the battle is uphill from here. The conversation must go on.

Eureka!

I've finally realized why I don't write in this blog as much anymore -- I've been 'integrated'. The novelty of being back in KL has worn off so I don't feel the need to write that you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it-this-is- crazy post about quirky Malaysia. Now, instead of running home to write about my parents' friends asking me how much I earn or cars parked on sidewalks, I shrug and think "well, this is too ordinary to write in my blog" so I don't.