Tag: Pink Dot

Ikea Singapore Reviews Support For Pastor Lawrence Khong’s Magic Show After Backlash From Gay Rights Group

Furniture retailer Ikea Singapore is reviewing its support for a magic show staged by a pastor known for his views against homosexuality, a spokesman told The Straits Times on Monday.

This comes after a backlash over the weekend from gay rights groups, who are unhappy that the retailer’s membership programme, Ikea Family, is one of the supporters of pastor-magician Lawrence Khong’s magic show in July.

Members of Ikea Family can obtain discounted rates for Mr Khong’s show, Vision, which he is staging along with his daughter Priscilla.

But Ms Jean Chong, the co-founder of women’s gay rights group Sayoni, said that Ikea’s support for the event “raises the question if Ikea is truly committed to diversity worldwide”, according to an article published on international LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) news portal Gay Star News.

In response to an unhappy customer on its Facebook page, Ikea said: “We are really sorry for the unhappiness this has caused. We have taken it to our management and they are reviewing it. We’ll come back when we have more information.”

An Ikea spokesman had reportedly told Gay Star News over the weekend that Ikea Family is promoting the show on its website, but not funding it.

“Vision is offering our Family members a discount on tickets to a theatrical illusion performance that offers high family entertainment value,” she said.

Mr Khong, the 63-year-old senior pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church, has been outspoken about his views against homosexuality. Last year, he pledged support for a Islamic religious teacher’s campaign to “wear white”, in protest against the annual LGBT picnic Pink Dot.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

April 20, 2015
20 Year Old NSF Struggling WIth Sexuality Shares His Thoughts

Hi everyone, thank you for taking time to reading my article, and your comments and advice is most appreciated!

I am in a dilemma. I’m turning 20 this year, currently serving in the army as a full-time NSF and struggling with same-sex attraction.

Life thus far has never been smooth. I lost my biological father when I was just 5 years old, since then I’ve been living with my mother and 2 elder sisters.

I began realising my orientation towards men when I was in primary school – I would sit in the assembly hall in the morning looking at the guy in the opposite class and hoping to make friends with him. Since I was pretty young then, I didn’t realise any issues with me, in fact I didn’t even see this as something that’s “abnormal”. But a few years later, I begin to understand that it is all wrong: growing up in a traditional church, I know Christians hate the sin but we love the sinner. So.. I thought to myself: “It’s okay I’m still so young! I can always work on this later in life and I’m sure these things will change over time and I’ll like girls eventually!”

I remember falling for a classmate of mine when I was in primary 4. She was the first, and I believe, would be the last girl I’d fall for. I thought about her quite regularly and even sent letters and bought her gifts. I even remembered feeling jealous just because another classmate of mine was seemingly wooing her. But again… as much as I’d like all that feeling and experience to relive, it seems impossible… and that will all be history…

Now, almost 10 years later, I’m still struggling with this issue. I’m from a relatively pious family, we’re all regular church goers and I spend most of my time serving in church and participating in ministry works. I know it’s wrong, and I want to change, I want to work on this same-sex attraction issue and eventually be oriented towards women…

You’d probably ask: “I bet you had sexual relationships with man then!”

You’re right.

And I regret it very much. When I was in secondary school, I met a senior of mine on Facebook and that was when we started a budding relationship. I gave all of my first times to him. Almost everything you can imagine – we’ve done it. The relationship we shared was not based on love, but on the “sexual” component. It was definitely what the society would tag as a “puppy relationship”.

(P.S: to youths out there who are in a relationship, trust me, I know you and your partner, at some point in time, have already engaged in some of the many intimate sexual acts, but may I kindly urge you to stop immediately. Really, just STOP although it may all seem “fun” and “trendy” now. Don’t let your raging hormones and immature minds cause you regret in the future. It’s NOT worth the temporary “fun”.)

After all, our sexual relationship lasted not more then a year and we unofficially broke out. This experience has caused me to cut myself, hit my head against the wall, suffered from mild depression… etc. but I thank God for a counsellor who courageously condemned my actions and asking me to stop.

And since that relationship, I never had any. But once in a while I’d still go to online dating sites to “get a feel” of how it is like to get loved – although I know I shouldn’t.

Being in a single-parent family, my mother had to put me in an after-school care centre (primary), and I remembered once during naptime where a senior of mine started touching my genitals. Though this scene is still rather vague in my mind, but I believe it was then when I begin learning how to masturbate. I detest that person, very very much, though I have no idea who he is or where he is now.

Whatever it is, I’m in a dilemma right now. As much as I believe Christianity is the true religion and God has His plans for me, I really don’t know how to continue my life. I think my experience has, in one way or another, distorted a healthy development a child should enjoy. I’m feeling a lot more insecure in front of men, and I tend to have low self-esteem. I fear rejection and everytime I speak to a stranger or a new guy friend, I’d unconsciously analyse every single word he speaks, every single move – and derive my own conclusion (which many a time, is negative and pessimistic). As much as I hate to acknowledge this, but I think most of men out there are jerks, including myself.

Help.

Sincerely,
Jaeron

TRS Reader

Source: www.therealsingapore.com

April 6, 2015
Blogger Alex Au Fined $8,000 For Contempt Of Court

Singapore’s High Court on Thursday fined a prominent dissident blogger $8,000 for “scandalising” the city-state’s judiciary in an online commentary.

Alex Au, 62, was punished over an October 5, 2013 post insinuating that hearing dates on a constitutional challenge to an old law criminalising gay sex between men had been rigged.

Au, also a gay-rights activist, apologised to the court and paid the fine. He would have been jailed for one day if he failed or refused to pay the fine.

“I have instructed my attorneys to file an appeal,” Au told reporters.

In an earlier ruling, the High Court said Au was “guilty of scandalising contempt” for publishing the article on his blog site.

Contempt of court carries a possible jail sentence, a fine or both. There is no maximum penalty specified under the law.

Au is well-known in Singapore for his commentaries critical of the long-ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

He has also called for the repeal of the controversial Section 377A of the penal code, which criminalises sex between men.

First introduced by British colonial administrators in 1938, the law is not actively enforced by authorities.

But the government says it has to remain on the books because most Singaporeans are conservative and do not accept homosexuality.

Singapore’s highest court, the Court of Appeal, in October upheld rulings by lower courts that it was up to parliament to repeal the Section 377A.

The government has taken a strong stand against attacks on the integrity of the judiciary, saying they undermine public confidence in the institution.

In 2010, British author Alan Shadrake was given a six-week jail term for publishing a book critical of the administration of the death penalty, which was ruled an insult to the judiciary.

Source: http://news.asiaone.com

March 5, 2015
Man Dubbed “Bishan Gay” Terrorising Boys In Bishan Estate

Students in Bishan have been complaining about a middle aged man in the area who would stalk them, and sometimes harass them.

The man has been nicknamed “Bishan Gay” by local students as he often lurks outside schools, fast food areas and cafes visually harassing young school boys.

He has been caught following students and if often seen in a green raffles institution alumni polo shirt.

Sometimes, he is seen taking photographs of the boys while pretending to casually use his handphone.

Students and parents have feedbacked about the man but nothing has been done as he has apparently not broken any laws.

Nevertheless, students feel threatened by him as he constantly stares at them.

On some occasions, the man has been seen patting young children on the head.

When he is confronted, he will deny stalking or following anyone and he says he is just taking pictures of the scenery as he likes Bishan.

Do you think something should be done to stop people like this?

Here are photos of the man taken by various students who have seen him.

Source: www.therealsingapore.com

January 30, 2015
Lee Hsien Loong Invited To Pink Dot Annual Gay Rights Rally

Singapore’s Prime Minister was left fumbling for answers Saturday after agreeing to a live Facebook chat with increasingly strident citizens turning to the Internet to voice dissent in the tightly-controlled city-state.

Lee Hsien Loong opened the conversation on his personal Facebook page from the social network’s Singapore offices and was inundated with nearly 1,500 comments during a hectic 45-minute session.

The premier managed to post just 27 replies as foreigners and locals alike lobbed questions ranging from the trivial (“Do you like cats?”) to demands for better protection of gay rights and single mothers.

Lee provided brief replies to verbose complaints about spiralling healthcare costs, public transport and public housing, but avoided straying into more controversial waters.

“It’s been a lot of fun this last 45 minutes, reading your questions, answering them, typing furiously and keeping up with the flow,” Lee said in a video post after the chat ended.

“I am sorry I couldn’t answer all of the questions you have asked,” he added.

Perhaps predictably Lee failed to respond to a personal invitation to the city-state’s annual “Pink Dot” gay rights rally.

“My invitation still stands. Send me a PM (personal message),” Facebook user Lim Jialiang wrote to the premier.

Singapore’s penal code criminalises sex between men, a law first introduced by British colonial administrators in 1938.

Some small business owners used the session to bemoan the government’s move to cut its reliance on foreign workers, stemming from citizens’ complaints about overcrowding and a tighter job market in a city where 29 percent of “non-residents” — those working, studying or living in the country — are from abroad.

“Many small-medium enterprises have experienced the same problem as you,” wrote Lee to one Singaporean who said he was finding it difficult to hire locals for “entry-level jobs”.

“We have tightened on foreign workers, but we have not shut them off,” Lee added.

Lee, who has nearly 470,000 followers on Facebook, has stepped up his social media engagement in recent years. The Singaporean leader is also active on Twitter and photo-sharing network Instagram.

Social media has emerged as a key political battleground as the tiny island republic of 5.5 million people transitions from strict political control to a more open democracy.

Singapore is known for its tough stance on crime and retains the death penalty as punishment for serious offences, as well as caning for crimes such as spraying graffiti.

With the local mainstream media still widely seen as pro-government, blogs, forums and Facebook have become a magnet for anti-government sentiment.

Lee’s People’s Action Party, in power since 1959, suffered its worst ever electoral performance in May 2011, garnering an all-time low of 60 percent of the popular vote after the opposition and its supporters relied heavily on social media for campaigning.

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

January 25, 2015