23 May 2006

Ten excruciating seconds

.... in an elevator. Two girls in love, 17 others in shock. Is this appropriate behaviour? If we say it is inappropriate, does it stop here? Does it mean we're excused from understanding why it occurs? An external essay, written for Fridae.com

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anyway, there was this incident between a pair of lesbians who caused quite a stir with their show of affection for each other on the MRT during morning rush hour yesterday...

They were pretty mild compared to what happened in the lift in your case - one (butch) has just given a small bouquet to the other girl and the two of them were hugging each other with just a little touchy-touchy sort of thing going on...

But they happened to be just next to the door and you should see how many of the people (middle-aged uncles and aunties) gawking at them as they filed their way out of the train...

Anonymous said...

Hi Alex,

This is just a comment on one of the statements in your article:

" ... there is the argument, held by many gays and lesbians as well, that net effect of such provocation is negative."

I would (partially) disagree with those who hold such a view.

The repercussions in the short term may well be negative, but I believe that in the long run, such 'political' acts can actually be helpful.

Persistence is the key. Which takes me to my next comment.

I am SOOOOO glad to see that the issue of gay rights in Singapore is one that is just not going away. I hope that you remind yourself, from time to time, to take full credit for your own persistence on the issue.

The normally-corruptible individuals (if not for their obscene paychecks) who make up the PAP government continue to throw the ball in the court of Singaporeans by claiming that social conservatism is the reason for not moving forward on the issue.

But they mislead Singaporeans with this.

Every country that today has instituted some or all of the rights of gays and lesbians were in fact conservative. Their liberal attitudes weren't always evident. Gay activism went a long way to change all that. Conservatism is just an excuse the Singapore government uses to maintain the status quo. Period.