What it means to be a gay Malaysian
By ANA A.
I recently had a very interesting discussion with my alter ego about gay Malaysians.
“Wat you mean gay Malaysians? Of course la, Malaysia got a lot of gay people. Why not meh, weather is great, no big natural disasters, economy also can. Everybody happy lor!�
Alas, though the thought of a large gay population in Malaysia is pleasant, there probably aren’t that many gay Malaysians in Malaysia. If one were to follow the Kinsey rule of thumb, there are about 2 million gay individuals in Malaysia - about 10 percent of the Malaysian population.
In 1948, Alfred Kinsey, a professor of entomology and zoology, published a study on human sexual behaviour. The study reports that one out of 10 people engage in homosexual behaviour at any given time. The report has been used by gay activists over the years to account for the possible number of the world’s gay population.
“Wah liao! How come only 10 percent? Sure got more that one out of 10 Malaysian wan!� my alter ego exclaimed.
The number of gay Malaysians in the country is most likely lower than 10 percent. Many people consider Kinsey’s study to overestimate the actual gay population. Recent studies have found lower numbers, ranging from 1 to 4 percent, according to FreeToBeMe, a youth website offering alternative perspectives on homosexuality.
“Wahhhh, so shocking. Why so few happy people?�
Though gay is a synonym for happy, it is also commonly used to describe homosexuals. To put it in simple terms, the word gay is used to describe men and women whose sexual orientation and gender identification fall under one, or more of the following LGBT categories - lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered. So there are probably many happy Malaysians out there, but not many who have “come out.�
“Eh, wat you mean by ‘out’ gay people? Happy people got ‘in’ and ‘out,’ ah?â€?
The term “coming out� or “being out� is widely used in the United States to describe people who are open about their gay orientation, to family members, friends, colleagues and society. For me, acknowledging my sexual preference and identity was the first step in coming out to the community.
“Ha? Happy people got their own community?�
Official gay organisations are non-existent in Malaysia. However, there are organisations that support the gay community, such as HIV/AIDS non-governmental organisations like the Pink Triangle. There are also hangout spots, a few bars and clubs throughout Malaysia. But for the most part, the gay community in the country is underground.
Such meeting places and gatherings are known by word of mouth. The widespread usage of the Internet, has networked the community and increased such venues. Sites such as People Like Us, or PLU, provide helpful resources.
“People like us? Who is us?�
The word gay is meant to be all-inclusive - women, men and variations within.
“Ha? What you mean variations within?�
Transgendered folks are no strangers to Malaysians. Words used to describe transgendered people such as “Pondan,� “Penkit,� “Ah Qua,� have long been a part of the local vocabulary. “Pondan� or “Ah Qua� are used for male cross-dressers, and “Penkit,� derived from the term “Punk Kid,� is used to describe women living their lives as men. There are several transgendered people who have made their way into the mainstream television as entertainers or comedians.
“Oh! Right, right, got the ‘Pondan’ comedians on TV. They make people very happy, right? ‘Pondan’ comedians are funny!� my alter ego piped up.
Some of the Malaysian and Southeast Asian mainstream media seek to capitalise on the gay community. Many people consider Thailand as a long-standing gay destination, partly because of its vast array of gay resources and the country’s tolerance toward homosexuals.
Singapore, motivated by Richard Florida’s study, has opened its doors to gay businesses and tourists. Richard Florida, an American urban planner and economist, names the “three Ts� – technology, talent, and tolerance – as essential elements to economic competition in the global market. Florida’s study finds that a “gay index� measuring tolerance toward gays and lesbians correlates well with a city’s level of creativity, and hence, economic vibrancy. This is based on Meredith L. Weiss’ book “Non-Discrimination And Singapore’s Bohemian Dreams.�
More people around the world realise the benefits of targeting the gay market. Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community, unsaddled by the traditional familial structure, often have high disposable incomes. The term “Pink Dollar� was coined to describe money spent by the gay community.
In Malaysia, many people in the local gay community choose to remain discreet. The Malaysian government, bogged down by religious fundamentalism, is not pursuing the pink dollar. This comes as no surprise, considering the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism and the prohibitive laws regarding homosexual acts.
One highly publicised incident was former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction of sodomy.
However, there is hope that Malaysia can be more gay-friendly. Malaysians will be more aware and understanding toward the community, as they educate themselves on gay issues.
“Have you ever thought of why gay people are gay?� I asked my alter ego.
A moment later, she waves her hand excitedly and blurts out, “Oh, oh I know why! Scientists say that when you are happy, got endorphins run through your neuro system. These endorphins help decrease stress-related hormones. But of course, cannot explain everything using science. If everything around you okay, your stomach full, your friends all good, your work and classes going okay, then you also happy la.�
Alter ego, you never cease to amaze me with your cesspool of knowledge. Unfortunately, even though your answer is simple, many people still have wrong notions about homosexuality. The most common misconception is that gayness is either unnatural, or a form of disease.
“You know, if you are happy, then you are happy la. Why think it unnatural mah?�
Imagine a scenario where Person A has never eaten sushi before:
Person A was raised to think that raw food is unhealthy and that it tastes foul. When Person A sees Person B enjoying sushi, Person A feels disgusted at Person B’s actions. Person A cannot get past his or her preconceived notions of sushi. Similarly, people who are unfamiliar with gay people, have negative perceptions of the gay community.
“So, you are saying that people who are not happy think happy people are diseased because they never felt happy before, so they can not understand how happy people feel? But aa, I tell you, not everyone like sushi, you know, even if they have tried it or heard good things about it, wan.�
True, therefore one should learn to respect other people’s preferences. Just because you don’t like gay people, doesn’t mean you have to think that I am disgusting for being gay. Likewise, just because I am gay, doesn’t mean I can force you to accept me for who I am.
We need to find a balance where both parties can reach a compromise. If you expect the other party to understand you, you need to understand the other party as well.
That said, I am not sure whether Malaysians are ready to accept good sushi or gay people.
“Aiyah no problem la. Malaysia boleh wat!�
I put my arms around my alter ego and say, “I know this great sushi restaurant down in El Camino, in downtown San Jose. There is this cute waitress there, and she is gay!�
“Wah! Goodla, I like restaurants with happy servers! Jom!�
—
ANA A. is a contributing writer for theCICAK.
Born in Kuala Lumpur, Ana has been in the Silicon Valley, California for the past 12 years. She now works in San Mateo.
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nuff said…. ANA are you gay ? see cuz ur writin something about gayism so it would be kewl for the readers to know your sexuality which ignites this article….
hmm… but what leaves me pondering is that… what are your intentions with this article if i may ask ?
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to be a queer malaysian is to have the courage to withstand the scrutiny of a long standing tradition and culture of homophobia.
american GLBT kids face the same issues of social stigmatization but to a (pardon me) lesser extent as they have a larger support group built thru years of the community struggle for freedom of sexual orientation. Americans have GBLT frats, NGOs, dance clubs, national parades/celebration of gay pride; it is a pretty much a very Established social movement.
In Malaysia, we don’t have such establishments, but things are changing, I presume from what I heard of Liquid Club. The most effective way to bring about a change in societal outlook towards Homosexualityis from within the Homosexual community itself.
The American GLBT struggle kicked off in the 70’s and was monumentalized by the adoption of the term “Queer”. All this would not have happened if no one from the GLBT community had the courage and audacity to stand up to the then (and still) homophobic masses.
What Malaysian kids need is a support group for themselves and to spread the RE-education of the public. GLBT kids are looked upon by our conservative society as WEIRDOs and OUTCASTs and will continue to be so until parents realized that their kid’s a GLBT in the closet. By encouraging more queers to come out, then more Malaysians will have first-hand experience of interactions with queers and nothing is a better teacher than personal experience.
The American GLBT social movement for Freedom had no Fear of Anyone or Any Insititution. And neither should the forth coming Malaysian social revolution. Sexual Orientation is an inherent Freedom and No infringement be it religious or governmental is justified; John Stuart Mills in all his glory.
The long journey begins with the first step.
Anyone Malaysian bold enough to step forward?
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anonymous: I disagree with you.
Do you actually want Ana to reveal her sexuality just so you can squirm and giggle at her if she was a queer?
The article would have been even more awesome if she was a NOT a queer. It would reflect on the author’s objectiveness and an open mind which Every Malaysian should have.
The purpose of the article is similar to every article ever written in this world: to bring an issue into light.
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Nice thoughts. all the best…
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Singapore, motivated by Richard Florida’s study, has opening up its doors to gay businesses and tourists.
This was true once upon a time, but no longer. I discovered that Singapore is slowly clamping down on potential Homosexual gatherings and the like, with the effect that one of the biggest SE gatherings of GLBTs was moved from Singapore to Phuket recently.
According to the news article, it was said that the police refused to grant them a permit on the grounds that the gathering was a danger to national security. SE as a whole seems to be clamping down on gays, and it looks like this is because we have religious fundamentalists back in our midst in charge of governments again. Then again, I could be wrong.
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You are absolutely queer, writer. Not that that’s a bad thing, though.
I’m studying at the University of Melbourne, and here, we have a club called The Queer Society. It celebrates the diversity of humanity, and encourages each and everyone to identify themselves as an individual; e.g you shouldn’t identify yourself as a black or white or of any skin colour, and neither should you say that you’re fat or thin or big-boned, et cetera.
You are you, a unique individual. Shed all those associations that you were forced to come to terms with as you grew up, and learn to think of yourself as a unique being. You don’t necessarily have to conform to society’s expectations if you don’t feel like it.
It’s a rejuvenating state of thought, in a sense, because this kind of open-minded mentality is non-existent in Malaysia. It’d be pretty good if we had it in Malaysia, but then again… nah, I don’t think we Malaysians are ready for it yet.
But then again, a major part of this club is about gay culture and sexuality anyway, so… heh.
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Nice article. Very entertaining and also speaks out the facts well.
Well if Malaysia is to accept gay peoples, in my opinion, they have to change the whole Islamic religion and law to get it done.
I’m not saying its an IMPOSSIBLE task. I’m saying that its gonna be a VERY hard one.
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BTW..when we say gay, are ‘pondans’,'ah kuas’ and all considered gay. Is gay just a sickness in the mind or is it just something people are born with ? I know a few guys in my uni who are kind of on the softer side..if you know what i mean.Are those considered gays.For me,i am a hokkien chinese so we call them ah kua,meaning people who are really soft.
Usually when we mention about gay,it do comes in our mind it is a person who is sexually active with a same gender.so what are the difference…still pondering
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Duncan :
First off what do you mean by “soft”. Soft as in he talks like a girl/acts like a girl or is it the type where their just being nice?
Ah kuas and pondans are the peoples who wants to be a woman and also attracted to guys. There are guys who only likes men but still have their “manliness” in them. So you can almost say that both are under the same category as “gay”.
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Homosexuality is a way of life, it’s a choice — just like abortion, just like choosing to be a follower of a faith. No one should be deprived of the right to make that choice.
In Malaysia, it’s difficult enough being a straight person who listens to different types of music or dresses differently, so I totally understand the need for better support systems for the LGBT community, especially teens who are going through an extremely difficult adolescent.
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Hi All,
I am glad to find people enjoying my little tete with my alter ego. Although my alter ego is not gay, I am. So there, Y’ll can giggle or squirm all you want
I completely agree with Kit’s point on first-hand interaction being a good source of education. Fear of the unknown is an inherent human trait (unless you are a WEIRDO ;)). So I encourage everyone to strike up a conversation with your queer classmate/coworker/local organization, or even volunteer at your closest queer group.
Mistress Naoko, you are absolutely right. Singapore appears to be withdrawing its pink welcome mat to gay tourists. Officials cited an increase in HIV contractions (dubious at best) since the block parties started in early 2000 as the major reason to stop issuing the permits. That is somewhat like disallowing people to drive when there is an increase in traffic accidents. How about putting some of that pink dollar back into sexual education hmm Mr. Singaporean Official, sir?
Wan Zafran, bravo for familirizing yourself with your local queer organization. The issue of ‘labels’ is rather sticky. On one hand, one do not want to box oneself into a stereotype but on the other, one would feel more comfortable with an identify for oneself. Oh by the way, open-mindedness is a state of mind, state of mind is an individual thing. So we can start by being open-minded ourselves and slowly work our way through society. What do you say?
Sringangel,
Getting Malaysia to recognize homosexuals legislatively is a daunting task. There are legislations that prohibit homosexual acts such as sodomy. There are no provisions whatsoever that recognizes sex changes much less protect queer people against discrimination at work or school. But, you know what people say, Rome was not built in a day.
Duncan,
Being gay is NOT a disease. We can go on and on with the whole nurture (you become gay through exposure, community, influence from around you) vs. nature (you were gay since the day you were born) but I will leave that for another article.
Now comes the crucial part, pay attention everyone because Auntie Ana will repeat this only once (okay maybe not just once). It is important to remember that just because a guy is effeminate (acts a little girly/soft/feminine) or a gal acts tomboyish, it DOES NOT mean that the guy or gal is gay. Now, there are guys who not only likes to dress as women but prefer to date women as well (Crossdressers, transgenders). There are gals who dress like men, spits and scratches their armpits in public like the average guy but still want to get married to guys and have kids.
In broad-sweeping terms, men who enjoy exclusively having sex with men can be labeled gays and women who enjoy exclusively having sex with women can be labeled as lesbians. Of course, you can just chronically be falling in love with the same gender and not indulge in sex and still be labeled gay/lesbian.
Please feel free to start a forum if anyone wants to address any points.
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What would happen if someone were to proudly and vehemently profess their homosexuality in the malaysian public?
Im curious as to what people like yourself would say…
Would they…
..be instantly tackled by armed ISA dudes and hauled off in a white van?
..have their family/friends/church disown/disassociate/excommunicate them?
..be lauded for their bravery and given a pat on the back and a “good for you!”?
..be ridiculed, and slandered, labeled “corruptor of society”?
..be offered a position on television?
..be showcased as a “freakshow”?
..get a wink and smile?
..get chastised, tortured, murdered?
or would they be “normal”?
could they be your brother/sister/best friend/preacher/etc ?
I ask this because answers from everyone forms a spectrum of opinion. Society is the totality of relationships among people, and opinion of society is pretty much the “average” opinion of its populace. Patterns of thought change with information (and with misinformation). One person at a time general perceptions about queer culture will change with awareness, cultural climate will follow suit.
By now, dont malaysians acknowledge queers exist? My mom gossips about queer politicians, cops know where gay clubs are, and your moms-cousins-friends-uncles-daughter is gay, etc etc etc.. but for the masses, the issue is not theirs until it hits close to home. Then, they are forced to have an opinion on the matter.
So according to my calculations;
sum of(individuals + awareness) = cultural evolution!
with this in tow, what are you gonna do about it?
btw: i still find gay jokes funny
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I don’t think ‘Pink dollar’ is a any good a justification for acceptance of homosexuality. Economic driven agenda can never trump the moralistic ego.
I think you have failed in addressing the most important issue here Ana, which is also probably the most sensitive issue in this debate - Islam and homosexuality. Let’s face it, it’s smack right in the holy scripture that homosexuality is a sin. I don’t see how this particular religion is going to change or evolve when heterosexual relationships are the only viable channel. How can a Muslim accept a gay person when it goes against his/her religion? Unless the country is going to throw away its religious mantle, there’s hardly any room for tolerance let alone compromise.
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[…] ily admit that the number of gay in the country is most likely to be ranging from 1 to 4%. Cicak.com says official gay organisations are non-existent in Malaysia. However, there are organizations that suppo […]
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nomis: of course the pink dollars is important. Money runs politics and basically everyone else. It will be a good start to kickstart any gay rights movements. Societal perception will change in time as exposure increases.
The whole thing about Islam and the country runs pretty contrary. Malaysia has always CLAIMED that we are a SECULAR state i.e. there needs to be a SEPARATION between Religion and State affairs.
The problem is not with Islam. The problem is how our country is governed. If we correct our system of governance to truly espoused the values of a Secular state, it doesn’t matter if a person is gay, the State has no Right in intervening in an individual’s rights to live his/ her life as to her will without causing any detriments to the broader public. john stuart mills Revisited.
Just because a Muslim person is gay doesn’t grant a Secular Democractic State (that Malaysia claims to be) any rights to throw him into prison or enact any laws that bans Homosexuality. A gay Muslim is accountable to his religion for his lifestyle and Not the State.
All in all, Freedom of Choice is the central tenet in any discourses on Homosexuality.
Religion can only influence democracy to the extent that intervention does not infringe on the constitutionally-protected rights of the people. That is why America is still debating about homosexual marriages. Religious church go-ers and Liberal Freedom Fries Junkies are perpetually and openly at odds with each other. The point is Americans have an AVENUE to debate within the constraints of Democracy.
If Malaysia was to say no to Homosexuality based on Islam, that is an infringement of rights on everyone who is not a Muslim and a true Democracy has no place for such shenanigans.
p/s- my views are entirely personal and they do not and should not be affliated with thecicak.com.
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Ana : Amen
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Hi Kit,
Money doesn’t run everything, that’s too simplistic a deduction. The pink dollar carries certain values and ideas that most people in the country are still not ready to accept. You cannot persuade people to accept homosexuality with economy, not especially in a country where Islam is so increasingly being entrenched in the mindset of the majority. I restate again, the problem is with being a country with Islam as its official religion. As an official religion, all its laws, no matter how secular must be framed within a context that will not go against the doctrines of Islam. No matter how much you change the system of governance, it is still required to comply to the principles of its official religion. I’m not talking about majority religion here, an example of this would be Catholicism in Spain, where gay unions were recently approve. Having an official religion carries so much more weight. I understand your rhetoric of constitutionally-protected rights of the people, and I hope that perhaps you would peruse the Malaysian constitution to understand the nuances of this heated debate. It’s not a simple matter of ‘Freedom of Choice’, there’s so much more in the articles of belief and conviction embedded in this debate. And Malaysia will continue to say no to homosexuality based on Islam as it has already. The only way out is a true separation of religion and state.
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Still, are there anyone telling the officials about gay rights now? Last time there is an incident on our former leader Anuar but what happened in the debate? Right after Anuar was sentenced to jail , did anyone sound out about gay rights?
P/S : These are straigh-forward questions so please someone answer me >_
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Nomis: “The only way out is a true separation of religion and state.”
That was exactly what I meant.
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i totally agree cause i’m gay too…i mean happy…just incase you guys don know what he’s talking about….
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Interesting discussion. My experience of being a gay person in KL is that the public in general is really quite tolerant of gays. I came out to my family, friends and co-workers when I was living in KL more than 7 years ago and no one made any fuss about it. No doubt some of them were surprised, but none of them were repulsed or horrified. As a matter of fact my relationship with my parents improved as they no longer expected me to get married, I became closer with my siblings, friends and co-workers as I could be totatlly honest with them, and I could joke about guys, gays, sex and just about anything under the sun with them. One thing I do NOT do, is discuss what I do in bed. That’s too much information.
In my recent visit home, I was astounded to find the number of new establishments that have sprung up in the last couple of years. I’ve been told that there are at least 60 “men’s clubsâ€? and similar haunts in the Klang Valley alone. I’m thinking “how in the world can all these places survive?â€? Surely the gay population, or men who enjoy same sex encounters, is way underestimated, and those who frequent dance clubs and parties, and who are more “visible” represent a very small segment of the gay population.
There will always be a gap between the official line and reality. It is rumoured that buggery is widely practiced in the Middle East as it is a lesser crime than adultery. I traveled through Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey recently and have not been able to disprove this rumour. I suspect that such practices are not dissimilar in other Islamic countries.
I’ve lived in Canada where gay marriage is now legal, I’ve lived in Hong Kong where you can pick up gay porn at the local news stand, I’ve traveled all over Europe, US, UK etc. I’ve found that where ever you go, there will be people who are totally homophobic, people who will accept you with open arms, and people who couldn’t give a damn. Every where you go, you have to make the initiative to look for people with similar interests and persuasions. You could be in the middle of a Pride parade with hundreds of thousands of gays or gay friendly people, and feel totally out of place or not make a single friend if you don’t make the initiative.
Nicholas Lee, don’t worry, just come out, you won’t be tarred or feathered. Kit, check out www.goodasyou.net or www.fridae.com just to name a few, or simply search Yahoo with keywords “gay Malaysia�.
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Like it or not, most Malaysians are still in the dark in terms of awareness in gayism! Many Malaysians are still not open enough to accept gays especially when it’s your own family member.
However, for me, gays are just normal people like us. Just because their sexuallity is different from straights, it doesn’t mean we have the right to discriminate them. They can work as well as straights can, and play as well! We as fragile souls, should take care of people’s feelings and accept them as who they are. If you can’t, DON’T DISCRIMINATE! Just move on with your own life, never look down on them.
I do hope Malaysians can accept gays community as how they can on metrosexuals!
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Metrosexuals are fine (since most girls like metrosexuals type guys anyway). Really! (Take not guys lol).
But I feel that Malaysia is more OKAY with gay peoples nowadays because we’ve learned that theres no one single person in this world are the same! So is either you shut yourself out of the world of be tolerant with them. (Is a good thing right?)
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it is true that malaysia is still having problems accepting gay communities as we know the Islam is againts such relationships. but as said by many, each person is unique and different in their own way. perhaps putting aside each others differences and trying to open up their eyes and not to discriminate should be the first step for people to take as individuals. whether or not one is guy or not is just one of that person’s characteristics.
i honestly feel that this should not be an issue but wherever we go, there will diffenitely be discrimination because of whether they person is gay or not.
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Of course, having a gay-friendly Malaysia is a fantastic vision for the future, and also very very bohemian.
But unfortunately, it is already in the law that homosexuality is not allowed.
Even singapore had a hard time getting its Indignation Pride Party approved.
I too, along with the many gay people in Malaysia, hope that Malaysia would be country of diverse and accepting minds. Like Thailand.
It would also help to prevent things like HIV/AIDS going around.
May the rainbow come over malaysia.
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my look on homosexuality changed when i found out a friend is gay. it doesn’t make him any less my friend, but it’s just awful watching him struggle with the fear of coming out. and i can’t do anything to help. what makes it worse is i’m christian and still kinda think homosexuals chose to be homosexuals because God couldn’t have possibly made people to be gay.
i guess people will still have some kind of homophobia until they get to know someone who is gay…and like them for who they are.
anyway, great article. good job!
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Do you know why Prophet Lot was exterminated by God? Not forgetting Sodom. Think about it.,
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Cheers Ana! (i’m heterosexual by the way)
But what you are saying is a step, a small one but it’s still a step.
You know what i can’t stand? i can’t fuckin stand my male friends using the term ‘Gay’ as a derogatory way of teasing you. Obviously why I feel this way is because my brother is gay, and I have had to come to terms with homosexuality at a very young age of 13 when he came out to me.
It just really pisses me off that because of society’s unwillingness to accept good law abiding citizens that they are forced to keep double lives. Hell, I can’t begin to describe the shit my brother goes through in order to keep up “appearances”…. oh well.
kudos kudos kudos Ana.. .
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I’m gay! Well, I’m not that straight.
I’m all for woman-to-woman lurve. Cheers!
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[…] s really important that we published his commentary. After all, we did publish Anna A.’s “What It Means To Be A Gay Malaysian.â€? I feel theCICAK editors would be too leftist and liberal if we did not […]
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why do you people actually have such a narrow perception that equating open mindness to gayness or bisexuality
is that what open mindness is to you ?
anyway you can be gay all you want just dont go coverting others,evolution is discouraged and the blood is wasted.
it’s easy to sport gayness, the more they mention open minded the more you can conclude.
all you people in here strike me as americanized liberalist malaysians with no identity or culture, feeding on sythentic culture, now thats my bias opinion.
Valis/Wolf
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i have written an essay on homosexuality, talking about it in terms of society and Gene & evolution.
if it gets approved you can read about it in GAY PLAY CANT HAVE IT THEIR WAY
then talk more about it.
Valis/Wolf- the Youth
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even if i am not a muslim and not a fan of our goverment, i support their stand on against homosexuality, why? it keeps population check in place in the long run.
and also
i’m not ready for full americanization my dear friends.
anyway just to keep good hands, if you’re really really gay, i wont stone you, i’m ok with real actual homosexuals.
Valis/wolf
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Anybody know how we get an RSS feed for this blog? I am not very tech savvy and would really like to get updated info on this blog. Thanks!
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You can get the RSS feed from the left-hand menu bar, where it says “Subscribe: Entries (RSS) / Comments (RSS)”
If you’re using Firefox, go to Bookmarks -> Manage Bookmarks -> File -> New Live Bookmark, then copy and paste the RSS URL from the links above.
If you’re using any other browser, try searching for an RSS reader on Google. I’ve never used RSS feeds on any other browser, but you might give www.rssreader.com a try.
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Hi….Im a Malaysian born Gay living in New York now.
Im looking for someone who can write a report on current gay issues in Malaysia for the South Asian Gay and Lesbian Association in Manhattan, New York. This will be a great resource for future gay/lesbian who wish to migrate to US. Thanks
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well.. u wrote it really well.. it is a great perspective..
but to judge u to be gay or not is not good though..
plz.. she’s just writting it..
if u go the the cinema once, it doesnt mean that u r a cinema lover.. haha.. anyway.. keep up the good work
take care
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Sringangel: Ah kua or pondan are not gay. They are mtf (male to female). Meaning they are female living in a male’s body. Likewise, if a male living in a female body is known as ftm (female to male). So, in our gay community, ftm or mtf are considered straight.
Well, based on the comments here, as a gay female myself, I believe many Malaysians have very few knowledge about the gay community.
P.S. You can’t judge a person by their looks to label them as gay or not. You never know
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the fact that the a large portion of malaysians are still prejudiced against gays says a lot about how we have a long way to go before we become a truly liberal democratic country. at the moment, we dont even have a token organization which advocates gay rights. at the same time, i am also glad and grateful that the extreme homophobia is (almost) nonexistent in malaysia. well, there may be cases of violence and extreme discrimination against gays, but they come few and far in between. still, more need to be done., especially in educating the general public on respecting different sexual identities.
and yes, i am gay and proud of it.
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hi Ana,
actually i’m not going to common on your article but i’m looking for your help. i’m doing a research on homosexuality for my course. so it’s hard to find statistics about homosexuality in malaysia. so if possible please send me taht information….
thank you very much.
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