Gay-Men United or The End of Gayhood in Malaysia is Near
The Present
Gay men of Malaysia have made it to the front page of major newspapers more and more frequently these days. It all started out with a rather heinous political tactic to suppress the opposition by using sodomy allegations as a way to tarnish the image of an otherwise formidable foe. It didn’t work, the opposition made a huge impact on the political scene even if they didn’t win, but homosexuality, until today remains the Numero Uno (No.1) moral issue in this country, thus explaining the immense coverage given by medias in this country including the no.1 channel on national tv, tv3.
The recent raids by the police force on gay joints in Penang followed by immense coverage by medias up to the point of making it as the opening news on Buletin Utama and front page news of all major newspapers complete with pictures of gay guys arrested and dragged into police trucks was a big blow to the gay community of this country. This is the second raid after the first one conducted a year ago on this island. The last one however, was conducted at a very small scale that it escaped the eyes of the media except for one tabloid paper that reported on the incident. Following that, various newspapers chose to stick with gay news, playing it up as the biggest moral issue in this country up to the point of calling us gays as CANCER.
They portrayed gay guys as a menace to the general public, alleging us of destroying happy families by robbing husbands from “loyal” wives and children. Elderly gays seen as scumbags being desperate citizens still craving for manly flesh to satisfy their inconsolable urge. The phrase used in association with the recent raid was GAY PARTY, with the word PARTY given such negative connotation that no one in their right mind would hold another party again for whatever reason. These parties are described as loud, orgies taking place at every single corner of the place with condoms used and unused strewn everywhere with the owners throwing free condoms to every visitors. It is also reported that the owner of these premises encouraged their visitors to bring along sexual partners to spice up these so-called “parties”. We are also called “scavengers” luring innocent and unsuspecting teenagers (known as anak hekan these days) into performing lewd acts among others sodomy and cock-sucking for a generous amount of money.
Am I denying that all the above never did happen in the current gay scene? NO. All the above did happen but are we that treacherous that at this point of time, we should be considered as national enemy, a disease that spreads like a virus that seeks to destroy the moral values of a country which no longer holds true to whatever value it used to adhere to or are we that dangerous to the general public that any contact made with members of the gay community inadvertently turns them into the corrupt individual that they already are like a cancerous cell that spreads and eventually kills whatever piece of morality within a so-called “normal” heterosexual society.
The past
It is unfair to say that the government had been strictly unfair to the gay community. We were given ample rooms to breathe and the gay scene flourished like it never did for the past few years. We have gay clubs everywhere in the country, saunas and spas almost at par with our overseas counterpart, gay sites made by malaysians, gay blogger blatantly announcing their gay status and we are proud to say that the first malaysian to go to space is GAY. The government has yet to launch an all out gay eradication program, still allowing gay men to work and live in this country, of course, with the exception to our sisters of the drag sisterhood who turned to prostitution as a source of income. However, true to its image as an “islamic” country, the government has yet to allow gay marriage, something that seems outrageous even to a gay muslim like me.
We have “gay” individuals on national tv, running various shows, receiving accolades from the general public. We even have drag queens hosting various functions for various companies, for dinners and what sort. The “gay” disposition of these individuals are considered amusing as long as they keep their sexual lives private, being “soft” or “sissy” is acceptable as long as they don’t have sex with another man. Gay individuals are portrayed in various forms as early as 1980s in shows like 2+1, who can forget the funny gay guy everyone knows as Sam, now we have sitcoms like “sutun” but whatever show it may be, gay guys will always be typecast as funny, silly, outrageous, easy-going and shallow most of the times. We have yet to produce shows like queer as folk that focuses on serious matters, the trials and tribulations of living as a gay.
The future
Majlis fatwa malaysia recently released a statement condemning lesbianism as haram (better known as penkid ), drag queens, known as nyah in this country, has long been labeled as deviant, the act of dressing up like a women is considered haram according to the laws of islam. The near future is bleak of us gays living in this country where the people no longer value living together in harmony. Gone are the days when homosexuals and heterosexuals live together in a community each acknowledging and accepting each others existence.
The government may one day pass a bill for gay registration and all gay establishments might be closed down forever. We will be left with online dating and cyber sex that is, if the government haven’t decided to close down all gay-related web portals. We will be forced to live in darkness, denying our own rights to live as a free gay in a so-called democratic country.
Is this the future we will one day live in?
Recent Comments