Seksualiti Merdeka, a coalition of Malaysian NGOs, artists and individuals better known for producing the annual sexuality rights festival of the same name, last week launched their first video of a series of 15. Last month Gabrielle Yong became the first Malaysian to post her "It Gets Better" video which was inspired by a project initiated by gay American columnist Dan Savage to encourage LGBTQ youth about what the future can hold.
The first video launched last week features Peter Ong, a dancer, opera singer, National Coach for Malaysia's Ballroom Dancing team and owner of The Dance Space in Kuala Lumpur.
The second video launched today features Azwan Ismail, an engineer, poet, writer and editor of Orang Macam Kita – Malaysia’s first Malay-language LGBT anthology – who shares that although it had taken him a long time to come to terms with his sexuality as a Malay Muslim due to the "religious and cultural environment he is in, he can now confidently and publicly say "Saya gay, saya OK. (I’m gay, I’m OK.)"
Thirteen other Malaysians have so far signed up to share their stories and messages of hope: Alvin Ng, Gary Ooi, Jerome Kugan, Joe Pang, Kavidha Natarajan, Michelle Nor Ismat, Nabila Nasir, Nisha, Pang Khee Teik, Seetha, Sharaad Kuttan, Sulastri & Tina Fazlita Fadzil.
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Reader's Comments
He must love you so do have faith.
I trust He will arrange a special heaven for you glbt dears.
Allahu Akbah!
As you can imagine 99% of the comments on youtube are negative and homophobic. And some are even violent in nature, threatening to stone him, and in one instance someone said on our blog: "ape lagi tunggu..org mcm ni dihalalkan untuk dibunuh..." Many of course misunderstand this as a confession video when it was actually designed to give hope to young LGBTs not to give up. So if you believe that too, please help everyone knows that there are supportive people.
WHAT WE CAN DO
For now, I think it would be good if some of us, go to the youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJLSteQIcms) to respond to the comments. Calmly, kindly, and without provocation. People are just ignorant, is all. And a lot are also responding to their fear that Allah is going to bring about disasters and end times to us as a result of this. We must also condemn violence, threat of violence, intimidation, discrimination, and ignorance, too.
Besides responding on youtube, if you have a blog, you can blog about this in a positive manner. Malaysians should know that not everyone is against LGBTs. It is important to speak up for equality and the need for more understanding and opportunities for minorities to express their views.
More importantly, I think the battle must be fought on the language front. Not enough of us are articulating our pro-human rights and pro-equality rhetorics in Malay, or even counter the homophobic arguments in Malay, leaving that language to the hegemony of those who are homophobic. So if you can, that will be brilliant. If you prefer other languages, it is fine too.
Meanwhile, there is also something else you can do:
You can upload a brief video of yourself, using a webcam or borrow a friend's camera, saying why you support Malaysian LGBT's rights to be who they are in Malaysia or why you support your friends who are LGBT (the more anecdotal the better), and end with saying "Anda gay, saya Okay". Or even "Saya gay, saya okay" if you can. And let me know where you uploaded it and we can link it to our channel. You could also send it to me and we can upload it for you (worldwithoutpangs@gmail.com).
If you don't know what to say, you could just say "Hai, saya (your name). Anda gay, saya okay" -- or "Saya gay, saya okay" -- or something along those lines -- and mail the short clip to me (worldwithoutpangs@gmail.com) and I will put everybody's clip together in a video montage.
Thanks again! Let's stand together for equality and diversity in Malaysia!
but then again, it's malaysia we are talking about
what more, most of the responses come from people who are not aware of the purpose behind the creation of the video...
sincerity came from d heart
yet not all typical malaysian r really understand tho..
gay is an artistic feeling
abstract yet full of wonders
Here's the article about Azwan's plight (from a US news site, no less) -- hope Fridae updates this story as well: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40762639/
Edited: Fridae posted on this very topic mere moments after my post. The international news coverage this is getting is once again painting Malaysia in a negative light. One can only hope the government recognizes this and acts accordingly.
Menjadi gay bukanlah sesuatu seseorang memilih. Seseorang adalah gay apakah mereka mengakuinya atau tak, apakah mereka pura-pura atau tidak, apakah atau tidak. seseorang melakukan sesuatu.
Menjadi gay adalah sama sebagai Orang
Malaysia, yang Orang Cina. Ini tidak ada hubungannya dengan budaya Barat, Orang Gay adalah disposisi biologis. Tak seorangpun, bukan orang gay dan masyarakat tidak dapat mengubahnya.
Ancaman kematian bukan apa2 dibandingkan dengan diskriminasi dan penyakit yang kita hadapi. MASYARAKAT telah membuat kita kuat dengan menyangkal hak kami untuk memimpin hidup tanpa dosa, kami tak diperbolehkan untuk menjadi
diri sendiri.
Orang2 yang membenci kita adalah orang-orang yang menindas, hanya mafia, tetapi orang-orang adalah kanker yang sama pada masyarakat yang tulah semua orang.
Selanjutnya, Islam tak terhadap menjadi gay, Islam hanya terhadap seks pranikah, terlepas dari seksualitas. Islam hanya menetapkan tindakan, bukan status. Cinta tidak pernah salah, dan Allah ingin orang untuk mencintai satu sama lain. MASYARAKAT menyangkal kita perkawinan dan jalan untuk mencintai dan seks yang datang dengan itu.
Seks pranikah terjadi, mengapa ada double standar membenci gay lagi? Kami MEMERLUKAN cara untuk mencintai satu sama lain tanpa melakukan dosa, yaitu kami menuntut untuk diberi hak untuk menikah satu sama lain dan hidup dari komitmen.
God has given us a choice (read 2:256), no compulsion in religion. Verily the truth stands out from the false. I think sexuality would remain a taboo issue and it is up to individual to deal with it. Those on both sides of the divide are equally guilty of ignorance. And it is sickening to read pretty foolish comments on this page but again it shows what we really are. Sexuality is part of my privacy and no one else should know about it, period, lest with my leave.
i am gay, and i have tried my best to become straight, but was failed,
why i am working so hard to make myself to become straight,
this is because in my family, i am the only son who can give my parents grandchildren, but i really wants to be who i am. i am suffering.
but anyway, i will follow what my mind. =) thanks guys!
http://www.twitter.com/michaelthorner
:)
I've problem to come out!!
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