Excerpts of the news are:
A gay pastor in Malaysia is urging gay people to come out in order to tackle homophobia
Some responses have been:
i support his sentiments, but calling for Malaysians to come out while still living here and while he’s in the US is a bit much
Coming out doesn’t solve the issue, might even worsen in our regressive environment. Raising public awareness more critical
Come out or speak up against homophobia. Never under-estimate speaking up.
I remember I wanted to do a newspaper interview in Singapore in 2000 to talk about life as a gay man and the pink dollar. I felt I was doing my part in raising our profile and gaining acceptance. When I told my parents, the worry in their eyes got me thinking. The decision I came to seemed the most logical. I out my family above myself and withdrew from the interview not because I was ashamed but because my parents were not ready to deal with the kind of emotional and social politics that would erupt.
Gay rights, rights for all people and animals rights should always be pushed in places where they are marginalised. However the same approach doesn’t work for every place. I’ve learnt in silat that a harsh force meeting another strong force often results in injury. Subtle movements that bend and divert the flow of a stronger force is very much more effective and I believe that should be the way for dealing with sensitive issues all over.
An example of this subtle movement is Pink Dot. It is inclusive and focuses on a common universal platform that is difficult to attack. The freedom to love. I believe that focusing on what we have in common with each other instead of what makes us difference will help us see past what divides us.
So my response to Rev. Ouyang Wen Feng is that I commend your call and all that you do for gay rights. But maybe there are other ways to achieve the same results which further the cause faster and with people in a more open mindframe.
