From an purely economic point of view, there may be opportunity costs for not holding the annual Nation Party. The tourist dollar and its attendant advertising bonuses for Singapore.
However, I do not understand the indignation of this group.
Some gay friends say the party is disallowed because of discrimination against this group's sexual inclinations, and this suggests stigmatization of this group of people.
If I were one of the group, being the crazy self-righteous creature that I was, I would most likely feel the same and rant incessantly on my blog, in my office and everywhere else I could think of. But I am not. So, I calmly take out Erving Goffman's Stigma and read it while my cats are running all over the shop.
According to Goffman, there are 3 types of stigma.
- Abomination of the body - Physical deformities - Blindness, loss of arm etc.
- Blemishes of the individual character - E.g. mental disorder, imprisonment, addiction to drugs, alcoholism, suicidal attempts, homosexuality etc.
- Tribal stigma of race, nation and religion
From the non-exhaustive list above, homosexuality is merely one of the many many stigmas in any given society. Of course, every society has different levels of tolerance for each stigma.
So the question is: Does disallowing a party mean that Singapore is NOT tolerant of homosexuality? Is the existence of this group then threatened? Are homosexuals being discriminated at work? In public places? On public transport? At home? Are homosexuals denied access to healthcare? A roof over their heads? More than any other group?
I can't say for sure. I haven't come across any specific findings. But as a Singaporean, I do not feel that there is in fact discrimination against homosexuals on both formal (e.g. government, orgs etc) and informal levels (friends, colleagues etc.) At home? Maybe. But bringing this issue to the public level of indignation to seek legitimacy may not be prudent, as awareness cuts both ways.
Having said the above, I want to make one point very clear. There is no such thing as the normal or the average person. He merely exists momentarily in time and in statistical reports.
Everybody deviates from the average person in some ways at some point in time. Everybody is a deviant in one way or another. Perhaps some ways are more tolerated than others. For example, X wears only black shirt and pants to work everyday while Y wears, say, shirt and pants in prints of recognisable nude women to work everyday. Same fundamentals with nuances of dissimilarities. The reactions to these nuances can be different due to different levels of tolerance. X's choice will likely be condoned while Y will probably received a warning letter and get sacked later.
Coming back to the quest for legitimacy. Sometimes, tolerance need not be sought at the formal level. The informal level is just as efficient.
I just hope time and energy will neither be wasted on shouting for equality nor on silencing such nuances of dissimilarities.
20 comments:
HAHAHAHAHAHA...always amuses me to read stuff like this. typical
hahahaha pseudo intellectual discussion again?? oh yucks. keep the rubbish posts coming!!!!! Those are actually better in terms of depth of thought and writing!
it's pretty difficult to find equilibrium in this world. someone always will feel like they're being discriminated against. like you mentioned, it's more on how tolerant a country is to such stigma.
homosexuals in singapore are generally tolerated, meaning that while you may point him out to your friend when you walk past a broken wristed fellow, you wouldn't actually go out of your way to beat the shit out of him, as might be the case in other countries.
but on the other hand, singapore as a whole, is definitely not as tolerant as other cities like san francisco and sydney, where it's almost cool to be gay. maybe it's an asian thing too? what other asian government / country would be open enough?
singapore's government has decided that while they cannot stop these people...they will not encourage them to parade around in their skin tight leather pants and whips...and legally, it's still punishable by law to be gay. but then again, look at what happened when they tried to stop gambling...now we're on the verge of becoming the next genting (at least).
i think it's just a matter of time.
Pink Dollar be damned. What a person does in private should stay there. What they shouldn't do is flaunt it. All religions (I think) condemn it, most Singaporeans practice some form of religion. Ergo - most people are against it.
Hi BM, you may find more views on gay issues from Aw, author of www.yawningbread.org
who really wants to be swept under the rug? even if it means being tolerated?
Discrimination? Well, how about taking things for granted?
Try to declare that it's a faggot or dike in Mid-East & enjoy (if it's into SM that is...)!
To me, Faggots & Dikes need to seek help.
fucking bigot.
ultravinz: you are a sad motherfucking bigot.
can you people stop bashing?
someone just post a negative comment on blinkymummy in rockson's blog.
Give her a break will you?
haha why should she get a break when she doesn't give others any? =) public domain, therefore free for public criticism
humans basically hate anything/anyone who is different from themselves. this trait ensured the survival and flourishing of the species back when where there were more than just homo sapiens sharing planet earth.
wah piang this analysis very chim leh ... machiam doctorate thesis mana ...
You may need to find out more about discrimination that the local homosexuals have been facing. The local press has not been helping.
Your point about deviancy is irrelevant.
You have focused too much on tolerance, which I think is not the point at all.
Discriminated people does not want tolerance, because it signifies something arbitrary, subjective and ever so fragile.
What they truly want is public acceptance, understanding and legal recognition of their rights, without which it means nothing at all.
The authorities are simply being prudent by not holding the Nation Party. Accusations of intolerance and cynicism are way off. Sensitivities of other demographics have to be taken into account as well. The world does not revolve around gays.
"There is no such thing as the normal or the average person. He merely exists momentarily in time and in statistical reports."
Absolutely. If I may share this interesting nugget I came across:
"The only perfectly normal person is the one I don't know very well."
*Awww~ did I hurt some fruitcakes?
Well, Eddie & George didn't think so~
For those who want idiot-proof kpkb posts only, there is already a certain famous XX.
As for the post:
Perhaps seeking 'official' acceptance could be the 'right' path, seeing that most s'poreans are just sheep. Nobody moves when the govt doesn't. Everybody takes a step back when the govt does. Minister said gays cause Aids epidemic, so must be the gays' fault only.
Much of our society claim to be cosmopolitan, but we're basically lagging in most aspects of social progress and thinking.
how about stigma of thought(s)?
this poster would not associate with communists or religious zealots.
especially religious zealots.
CdG notes that various religions prohibit or discourage: women's rights drinking, smoking, divorce, gambling, abortion, euthanasia, evolution, the killing of animals, the consumption of certain types/preperations of meat, charging of interest; to name a few.
CdG recommends Ivan Chew seek out more prospective climates.
has wronged Ivan Chew, the rambling librarian.
The above comment was directed at Ivan Chan.
Fullest apologies extended.
Quite alright. No need to apologize. ;) A referendum should settle the issue.
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