Buddhists Fair Game for Christian Pastor – Not Surprising Considering History of Witch Hunts Against Homosexuals and Gender Variant Individuals

A pastor from a well-known church in Singapore was filmed casting aspersions on Buddhism to laughter from the audience – and he was subsequently hauled up by the Internal Security Department for his remarks.  What is particularly odious is the section towards the end of the video clip when he said Buddha died still searching for the way – at which point he made a cringeworthy gesture – whereas Jesus said “I am the way.” 

For too long some fundamentalist Christian churches in Singapore have been conducting a witch hunt against homosexuals and gender variant individuals, yet they are not hauled up by the ISD for their hate crimes. 

Did Jesus mandate the rhetoric of hate against homosexuals and transgenders in sermons?  Since Jesus is “the way”, let us follow his way, which preached love for one’s neighbour above all else. 

Equal proportions of everything

A healthy relationship is equal proportions of love, sex, independence, time shared, shared values – equal proportions of everything.  Seen like this, a relationship should probably be managed like a project.  So does it mean that if you are a successful project manager, you’d be able to manage your relationships well?  Hardly.  The objectivity we bring to work is rarely transferable to  relationships. 

Romantic relationships are characterised by the chemistry that destabilises, the unpredictability that thrills.  When the relationship stabilises, ceases to thrill, well, then you’re either on the verge of separation – or in the midst of marriage.  Not all the time.  Some couples appreciate the importance of watering the dessert calm of a marriage to keep the romance going. 

So we’re back to where we started.  Keeping a relationship alive means maintaining equal proportions of everything.  But if one’s skills as a project manager are not transferable to relationships, what then can one do to skilfully maintain equal proportions of everything? 

Honestly, I don’t have a clue.  I’m always afraid I’ll lose everything if I don’t try to strike a balance.  Yet if I try too hard to strike a balance, I’m afraid I’ll lose it all anyway.  So when in a quandary like this, I practise what I was once taught by a master kitesurfing instructor (and believe me, that’s all I remember from the lessons) – when in doubt, just let go.  It’s ok to let go.  And everything will fall into place.

“Don’t Rock the Boat” Mindset Plagues Singapore Government Agencies

“Don’t worry, Singapore, rock a bit won’t die.  Malaysia rock until the baby come out they also don’t know.  Still, they’re surviving quite well aren’t they?”

When I applied for funding for the Ah Kua Show, the National Arts Council did not give me a single cent – not even $100.  Of course, it did not give any valid reason for rejecting my request for funding, just some PR line that I do not remember.  Here’s why the show deserved funding.

The show:

- raised awareness that transgender women are a tangible part of our society too: that we live, breathe and exist like everyone else and deserve to live life on an equal footing with everyone else

- raised awareness of the rampant discrimination and prejudices that transgender women encounter every day.  Unless the Singapore authorities wish to sanction such discrimination, the least they could do is to support a show that exposes these issues and work together with activist groups to ensure a mindset change.  Ever since Aware decided to abandon the CSE programme in schools, and the Christian right moved stealthily in to take over the programme, a whole new generation of youth will be subjected to the trauma of being indoctrinated against transgender folk.  Fortunately, we have the internet to counter the nonsense being propagated in some schools

That the show sold out suggests that there is pent-up demand for knowledge about the authentic lives of trans people in Singapore.  Surely this alone justifies some funding – especially since trans people are part of our social fabric and our stories have been glossed over in silly, trashy, over-the-top productions by populist directors?

The bottomline is the government agency in question did not wish to “rock the boat” – a cultural phenomenon endemic in the civil service as highlighted by Ivy Singh Lim’s letter to the Straits Times forum page today:

ST Forum

Home > ST Forum > Story

Feb 8, 2010

Take a leaf from Kranji farmers’ book

I REFER to last Thursday’s letter by Mr Han Tau Kwang, ‘Big shift in productivity: Do we have what it takes?’ A group of Kranji farmers certainly has what it takes.Farming may appear to be a diminishing trade that has no place in a global city, but there are several young farmers – some graduates from Australia and Singapore – coming back to the land and nature, because they know agriculture and a countryside are necessary for any country to have a sustainable future.

Despite the absence of basic amenities like a public bus service, a sewer line and safe roads, and without financial and technical assistance from any government agency, we persevere daily to keep our farms going.

The main obstacle cited by Mr Han – the ‘don’t rock the boat’ mindset – is most prevalent among government agencies, not the rest of the workforce.

 Ivy Singh-Lim (Mrs)
President
Kranji Countryside Association

Finally, a Trans Woman in a Sane Heterosexual Role: Quanto Dura o Amor

After the landmark Different for Girls, it has been a decade since trans women were portrayed objectively in a movie.  And this time, the role is even played by an award winning trans woman actress herself (who better to play us than us?).  Maria Clara Spinelli is her name and she plays a buttoned-up trans lawyer who is the most conservative of the characters in the movie.  Finally, after a decade of put downs by clueless Hollywood producers and chat-show hosts.  I can’t wait for the movie to hit Singapore shores.

On climate change

Sometime ago I blogged about climate change and the green opportunists out there who are capitalising on the hype to make a quick profit.  In that post, I mentionned that some experts are questioning the phenomenon of global warming.  Among the sceptics, some believe that global warming is a reality, but they also believe that the root cause is not CO2 or carbon emissions, as popularly thought.  According to the November 28th – December 4th 2009 issue of The Economist, 

“Some think that recent, well-grounded data suggesting the Earth’s average temperature is rising are explained by natural variations in solar radiation, and that this trend may be coming to an end.  Others argue that longer-term evidence that modern temperatures are higher than they have been for hundreds or thousands of years is actually too flaky to be meaningful.”

So it seems the polar bears may not see their playgrounds vanishing after all.

Does this mean we can start asking for plastic bags at the check-out counter and drive to our hearts’ content?  Hardly.  The sceptics remain in the minority and carbon emissions are not perfume. 

What I would caution against though are the hordes of green opportunities, mostly from the West, who are already descending on local authorities clad in suits and ties and charging thousands of dollars for green consultancy work.  Some of them may have worked for Lehman Brothers before it collapsed.  It’s a case of wolves in green clothing. 

In the same article, The Economist says,

“The stakes in the global-warming debate, however, could scarcely be higher.  Scientific evidence that climate change is under way, is man-made, and is likely to continue happening forms the foundation for an edifice of policy which is intended to transform the world’s carbon-intensive economy into one which no longer spews greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.  A lot of money, and many reputations – both academic and political – are involved. 

Be warned.

Project “Justice!”

In 2010, justice will be done for trans women in Singapore.  As you may know, I’m planning an art exhibition for our pioneer Cynthia later this year.  Cynthia was once told by the owner of one of Singapore’s first modelling agencies back in the 80s – “We don’t welcome people like you here.  Please pack your bags and leave.” 

If you are a trans woman who has been the victim of social injustice, please list down your grievances in the comments section.  These will be adapted for the art exhibition. 

Watch this space!

Male in the Philippines, but Female in Germany: The curious case of Jenny T. Ramsey

Cross-posting from Sass Rogando Sasot.  Please refer to conditions of cross-posting below.  The Philippines joins Malaysia and Hong Kong in the hall of shame for not granting transgenders legal recognition of their gender status. 

Male in the Philippines, but Female in Germany: The curious case of Jenny T. Ramsey

“You cannot renew your passport as you can’t have dual identity,” said a staff of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin to Jenny T. Ramsey. Jenny didn’t do anything illegal. She’s not pretending to be somebody else, deceptively living two lives. She just epitomizes two of the inconveniences of being a human of transsexual experience: 1) Having a legal sex that doesn’t match one’s actual, lived, and to be a bit scientific about it, neurological sex; and 2) Having a legal name that doesn’t match one’s actual, everyday name. But Jenny’s case is in an entirely different level. And I reckon that, given that there are just very few countries in the world that legally affirms the gender identity of transsexual people, this is one of the 21st century dilemmas of transsexual people: Jenny currently has two legal sexes and two legal names from two different countries.

Jenny is one of the four original founders of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines.  Sometime in 2003, Jenny went to Germany to study; she lived in Erfurt with her German partner. In 2006, Jenny decided to undergo sex reassignment surgery in Thailand. During this time, transsexual people (at least, post-op transsexual women) have successfully petitioned local courts in the Philippines to legally change their sex and name. One of them even got married in a civil wedding in the Philippines. But unfortunately, in October 2007, the Supreme Court of the Philippines rendered a decision that this can no longer be done unless Philippines Congress passes a law that would allow such changes. This was known as the Mely Silverio Decision.

Because of the Silverio Decision, Jenny decided to file a petition to change her name and sex from male to female in a German court. She was represented by a top-notch lawyer in Germany. On 23 July 2008, Amskerich Ehrfurt granted Jenny’s petition. It was a groundbreaking case in Germany as Jenny was, as far as we know, the first non-German citizen to be able to change her legal sex and name in Germany. Sometime last year, another Filipino was able to change his legal sex and name in Germany, this time from female to male.

After more than five years of being together, on 2 April 2009, Jenny and her German boyfriend married. Afterwards, Jenny was granted a temporary residence permit with her female name on it. Then Jenny inquired with Ausländer Behorde (German immigration) about what would happen when she travels abroad: Would she use her Philippine passport, hence would travel as “male”?  The immigration officers discussed this among themselves and provided this solution: They issued Jenny a Reiseausweis für Ausländer (Travel document for foreigners) bearing her female sex and name. According to www.duesseldorf.de, this passport is a temporary passport and is only issued in very exceptional cases.

On 28 January 2010, Jenny went to the Philippine Embassy in Berlin to renew her Philippine passport. To make sure that Jenny is not illegally staying in Germany, they asked her to show her visa. Jenny showed her temporary residence permit and Reiseausweis für Ausländer. The discrepancy between Jenny’s identity in her Philippine-issued documents and German-issued ones led to the confiscation of Jenny’s passport (though they told her that they are just getting it for “safekeeping”). They said they will raise this issue with the Department of Foreign Affairs of Manila (DFA) and wait for a decision. Given that it’s national election season in the Philippines, this will mean Jenny has to wait.

When in Rome, do what the Romans do – but which Rome?

But wait for what? What could be the possible decision of DFA? I can think of two possible scenarios: 1) DFA honors the change of legal sex and name of Jenny and issue her a Philippine passport bearing a female sex and name. Or 2) DFA doesn’t recognize the decision of the German court and issue Jenny a Philippine passport bearing a male sex and name. Because of the Silverio Decision, Scenario 2 is more probable to happen than Scenario 1. If Scenario 2 happened, I would like to ask the DFA a glaring WHY?

In July 2009, 67 Filipinos were arrested in Saudi Arabia for crossdressing. In reaction to this, Silvestro Bello, a cabinet secretary and top aide of the Philippine president, pulled the when-Rome-do-what-the-Romans-do card and was quoted saying, “When [Filipinos] enter their host country, they should know the culture of their host country.” Crossdressing is a crime in Saudi Arabia. The 67 Filipinos were sentenced to imprisonment and flogging but were pardoned and released.

Now, why am I bringing this up? Pardon my legal ignorance but it seems to me that the Philippines is more bent on honoring and respecting a ridiculous, dehumanizing law, such as the anti-crossdressing law of Arab countries than honoring and respecting a life-affirming legal procedure such as the legal change of sex and name that was granted to Jenny by a German Court.

Yes: It’s such a shame that it’s not Jenny’s mother country that has showed care, compassion, and consideration to her humanity. Well, this just proves that no matter how familiar a place is to you, sometimes it just don’t feel like home. Jenny now considers Germany as her home now as this is the country where she can live her real life, socially and legally. And to the Philippine Embassy in Berlin: It’s not Jenny’s fault that she currently has a dual identity: It’s the fault of the Philippine government as it refuses to recognize and affirm transsexual people’s reality.

During our phone conversation, Jenny and I were musing about what is her legal status now, given that her Philippine passport was confiscated (okay – was kept for “safekeeping”). She’s not yet a German citizen. The Philippine embassy won’t yet issue her a nssew passport as they don’t want her to have a dual identity. Is she currently a stateless person? A refugee? A possible asylum seeker? We don’t know. All we know is Jenny is willing to renounce her Philippine citizenship anytime.

After all, who needs a citizenship that doesn’t legally affirm your reality?

— *Jenny T. Ramsey is not the real name of the subject of this essay. She told me she would be willing to be contacted by those who would be interested in her case. Just email me your contact details at srsasot@gmail.com and I’ll forward it to her.

* Repost as you please.

 — By: Sass Rogando Sasot, transgender rights activist, founding member the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), Communication Officer in Asia of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, & Intersex Association (ILGA), and columnist at Outrage Magazine (http://www.outragemag.com/web/).

Story of Cynthia – a Singapore Transgender Pioneer

An artiste isn’t always recognised.

An artist doesn’t always earn big bucks.

Back in the 80s, a trans woman by the name of Cynthia won many modelling assignments by virtue of her height and striking good looks.  One day, she was called to the office of her boss, the owner of the then most famous modelling agency in Singapore.  The lady boss told Cynthia, “I heard some things about you.  We don’t hire people like you here.  You can pack your bags and leave.”  Cynthia ended up at Metro where she became a sales girl. 

Today, the lady boss of the once famous modelling agency is a cancer survivor.  When Cynthia bumps into her, Cynthia would always smile at her and say “Hi,” and the lady boss would give her a perfunctory smile.

I, Leona Lo am not a spiteful woman, but when this lady boss dies, I will visit the cemetary and spit on her grave.  I told Cynthia this is to teach the woman a lesson, so she will not repeat her evil deeds in her next life. 

Along the way, Cynthia met some men who were impressed with her good looks.  Sometimes the men took her to the pub for a drink.  When she went to the restroom, some of the jealous female patrons would approach her date and tell him in their bitchy Singaporean fashion, “Hey, do you know your girlfriend used to be a man?”  When Cynthia emerged from the restroom, her date would be gone.

Until today, some bitchy Singapore women would do the same thing.  Boorish netizens visit STOMP to dehumanise trans women by calling them “he/she”.  If you are reading this, I hope you will stand up for yourselves.  I hope you will stand up for your friends.  

If you are a real man, I hope you will stand up for the woman you love.   

In the 1990s, Cynthia was invited to Switzerland to dance in a club.  Her trans friend – a “successful” Singaporean with a Swiss German boyfriend – was all sugar and spice.  She painted a rosy picture of the Swiss night scene to Cynthia, and even hosted Cynthia at her apartment.  But Cynthia soon found how unsavoury the club scene was - she had to tease the customers into opening as many bottles of champagne as possible, and she had to give the men “extras” if they fancied her.  She said she didn’t want to sign a contract.  Her friend threatened, “If you don’t want to sign a contract, you can get out of my apartment!”

These days, Cynthia feels discouraged when she sees her “successful” friends returning from Switzerland with their Swiss German husbands/boyfriends armed with branded handbags.  When they talk to Cynthia, they treat her as if she’s a failure in life.

“Cynthia,” I said, “You think these women are truly successful?  Truly successful women don’t have to flaunt branded goods and their husbands in your face.  These women are cursed with insecurity and low self-esteem.  Who knows what goes on in the bedroom? Do you know many Bugis Street sisters have to satisfy their husbands in bed even when they feel sore down there?  Do you know some of them have to let their husbands watch them urinate?  Sister, they’re so lost, they even don’t know who they are anymore.”

Today, Cynthia, in her late 40s, is out of job and out of love.  She alternates between despair and bouts of inspiration.  When she’s inspired, she sketches beautifully.  I’ve seen Cynthia’s work – and this year, I will help Cynthia stage an art exhibition.  Cynthia the phoenix will rise from the ashes.  She needs your support too, dear readers, so watch this space!

For a glimpse of the modelling industry in the 80s, click here.

Just be yourself – Yoani Sanchez

This morning as some trans women in Taiwan flirt with the possibility of revealing their sacred past to the world (who really gives a damn?), I would like to pay tribute to a real* woman, Yoani Sanchez from Cuba.  According to the November 21st – 27th issue of The Economist,  Sanchez is Cuba’s most prominent independent blogger.  On Nov 6, 2009, she was forced into an unmarked car, beaten and threatened, before being dumped on the street.  Cuba, known as a salsa-on-the-streets tourist destination, is a police state that routinely incarcerates activists for “trying to exercise basic human rights, such as staging peaceful marches or writing critical news articles”, according to the same issue of The Economist.

And out of the police state emerges a strong, brave, powerful feminine voice.  She writes:

How can we emerge unscathed from all this? How can a citizen protect himself from a State that has the police, the courts, the rapid response brigades, the mass media, the capacity to defame and lie, the power to socially lynch him and turn him into someone defeated and apologetic? What were they thinking would happen on 23rd Street today that would make them arrest several bloggers?

I feel a terror that almost doesn’t let me type, but I want to tell those who today threatened me and my family, that when one reaches a certain level of panic, higher doses don’t make any difference. I will not stop writing, or Twittering; I have no plans to close my blog, nor abandon the practice of thinking with my own mind and – above all – I am not going to stop believing that they are much more frightened than I am.”

“I am not going to stop believing that they are much more frightened than I am” – these words will stay with me for a long time. 

Someone give this lady a Nobel Prize.  Sanchez’s blog can be accessed here.

* “real”, as in someone who embraces her womanhood and humanity with courage and dignity.  I don’t mean “real” as in “biological”.

Singapore Today: Mah Bow Tan Should Take Up NSP’s Challenge

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) has said it wants to engage in a debate on housing issues with National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan – and contest the coming elections on these issues.  Mr Mah should take up the NSP’s challenge and have a debate with them telecast live on national TV.  Until our government ministers are bold enough to face their adversaries live and unedited on national television, they will never fully gain the people’s respect.  Surely Singaporeans can be trusted to separate facts from emotional rhetoric – after all, don’t we always boast that we have the finest universities in Asia?  Don’t a significant proportion of our student population take the GCE A level General Paper exam?  If you can write GP essays, you sure as hell can separate fact from fiction, politics from politicking.

The housing issue is a political hot potato – and for this reason, merits a national debate.  When I hear of PRs buying up HDB flats with $50,000 cash over valuation because flats here are “so cheap” compared to properties in their countries of origin, I cannot help but feel indignant.  I’m a Singaporean, but because I’m single, I cannot buy a HDB flat until I reach 35.  And even then, I can only buy a resale flat.  I cannot even buy the luxurious yet affordable BTO flats because I don’t have a husband…yet – and it’s probably “my fault” for not having met a sincere and loving guy. 

So, Mr Mah, for the sake of political legitimacy, take up the NSP’s challenge. 

Today’s coverage of the NSP’s challenge is reproduced below.

NSP says it intends to contest election on housing issues By Teo Xuanwei, TODAY | Posted: 31 January 2010 2331 hrs 

 The National Solidarity Party (NSP) has said it wants to engage in a debate on housing issues with National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan. NSP’s Secretary General Goh Meng Seng said it intends to contest the General Election in Tampines over Mr Mah’s policy decisions and not over personalities. The 39-year-old businessman said: “As Mr Mah pointed out correctly, it’s not about Mr Mah or about me, but his HDB policy, which will affect this, the next and future generations.”

The five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) of Tampines, which is helmed by Mr Mah, is a potential battleground that several opposition parties are eyeing in the next General Election. Besides NSP, there are indications that the Workers’ Party (WP), Singapore Democratic Party and Reform Party may weigh in as well. Asked to rate NSP’s chances at the elections – it has been unsuccessful in four previous attempts – Mr Goh said matter-of-factly: “It’s up to us to convince constituents that Mr Mah’s decisions are not good. If we fail to do that, we deserve to lose. Nobody owes us anything.” The WP’s organising secretary Yaw Shin Leong said no decision has been made as yet whether it will contest Tampines GRC. – TODAY/ir