Today, I'm no longer President of AWARE. The AGM was yesterday, and there is a new President. Today, I'm just mummy... Which means the world to my daughter and me, but not much to the rest of the world. Today I revert to a life of annonymity and learn to let go, of my successes and my failures, my triumphs and my mistakes, and also of things I have yet to accomplish. I embrace this with a (thankfully diminishing) sense of loss, as well as relief and hope (of things to come).
As I step down as the youngest ever (for now) AWARE President, I am amused that I shall be Immediate Past President to the current President, someone whom I've always respected and regarded as one of my mentors! I am also very grateful for all the experiences I had over the last year, and the support and friendship I received.
I had wanted to blog several times in the last few months, but with my life being hectic as it was, I didn't get round to doing so. And thus, these reflections will never see the light of day on this blog... I shall leave this blog as it is, pages frozen in history (until blogspot deletes it!), a memory of a very memorable year for me.
But, having had a taste of blogging, I shall re-surface elsewhere on the web, more annonymously, where I can be totally un-PC and unrestrained because I will no longer be associated with AWARE!!
Before I go, I shall give my narcissistic self full rein, and tell you about another blog... a university student, male, who found my talk sufficiently interesting to blog in full about it!! http://soulgroovesg.blogspot.com/2006/10/please-read-till-end.html
It is moments like this that keep me inspired and keep me going. Someone in the audience heard me. If I have touched one person at each talk I gave, I am content.
Now for some advertising...
A website that has absolutely nothing to do with feminism www.artofliving.org and www.artofliving.org.sg
I did the basic course a few weeks before I became President, and the advanced course a few weeks after I did, and I was very glad for it. Really helped me to regain my centre and to find calm. I think of the founder as a very wise person, and have read several of his books.
Another website offering self-awareness(but more commercialised and sleek - it is American after all!) is www.option.org.
Finally - go watch Cages, it's showing in cinemas now. www.cagesmovie.com and go buy a Singapore Dreaming DVD www.singaporedreaming.com. AWARE had charity film premieres working with the producers/directors of these two films, and they're great.
Signing off... for now!
Keep the flame burning!
Monday 26 March 2007
Friday 16 March 2007
SAFE's response
to the feedback given by The National Council of Churches (NCCS) on the proposed amendments to the Penal Code
_____________________________________________________
SAFE is a group of family and friends who affirm and support gay and transgendered people as persons with equal rights to respect, dignity, acceptance and empowerment in society.
SAFE is appalled at the NCCS's view that, not only should criminalisation of men who engage in same-sex acts be upheld, but that the government should further criminalise women who engage in same-sex acts as well. In the same breath, they claim to express their love for sinners, but hatred for the sin, as if it were possible for our sexuality to be separated from our personhood.
We strongly object to the NCCS calling "criminals", our adult gay sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, aunts, uncles and friends. That Christians would call for the criminalisation of gay people surely speaks against their faith ideals of love, kindness, compassion, acceptance, humility and justice.
Different religions hold different stands on homosexuality, from the Christian right's view that it is sinful to the Buddhist one that it is not immoral and has the same moral status as heterosexuality. The NCCS, by attempting to turn their Christian moral teachings into state law, contradicts what the government has been trying to build and strengthen - mutual respect and harmony in our pluralistic society, as evidenced in the Penal Code S298 and proposed S298A which oppose prejudice and ill-will amongst religious groups and call for religious harmony.
As is commonly recognized, homophobia largely emanates from the West's conservative evangelical Christian religious right, that is today, the main context for almost the entire Christian community in Singapore. This is evidenced not only by their stand on homosexuality but also their stand on the casino issue, stem cell research, and inter-faith dialogue. Hardly do they speak up for human rights, civil society and justice.
The NCCS is merely reflecting a traditional western conservative religious position on homosexuality, refusing to acknowledge their place in a multi-cultural and multi-religious Asian society, where in our history, same-sex love has been an integral part and parcel of Asian life; a society which respects and values the wisdom and tolerance of traditional yet diverse Asian cultures; and a society which upholds the Asian value of family against all odds.
S A F E
Supporting, Affirming & Empowering
our lgbtQ friends and family
http://safesingapore.blogspot.com/
email: safesingapore@gmail.com
_____________________________________________________
SAFE is a group of family and friends who affirm and support gay and transgendered people as persons with equal rights to respect, dignity, acceptance and empowerment in society.
SAFE is appalled at the NCCS's view that, not only should criminalisation of men who engage in same-sex acts be upheld, but that the government should further criminalise women who engage in same-sex acts as well. In the same breath, they claim to express their love for sinners, but hatred for the sin, as if it were possible for our sexuality to be separated from our personhood.
We strongly object to the NCCS calling "criminals", our adult gay sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, aunts, uncles and friends. That Christians would call for the criminalisation of gay people surely speaks against their faith ideals of love, kindness, compassion, acceptance, humility and justice.
Different religions hold different stands on homosexuality, from the Christian right's view that it is sinful to the Buddhist one that it is not immoral and has the same moral status as heterosexuality. The NCCS, by attempting to turn their Christian moral teachings into state law, contradicts what the government has been trying to build and strengthen - mutual respect and harmony in our pluralistic society, as evidenced in the Penal Code S298 and proposed S298A which oppose prejudice and ill-will amongst religious groups and call for religious harmony.
As is commonly recognized, homophobia largely emanates from the West's conservative evangelical Christian religious right, that is today, the main context for almost the entire Christian community in Singapore. This is evidenced not only by their stand on homosexuality but also their stand on the casino issue, stem cell research, and inter-faith dialogue. Hardly do they speak up for human rights, civil society and justice.
The NCCS is merely reflecting a traditional western conservative religious position on homosexuality, refusing to acknowledge their place in a multi-cultural and multi-religious Asian society, where in our history, same-sex love has been an integral part and parcel of Asian life; a society which respects and values the wisdom and tolerance of traditional yet diverse Asian cultures; and a society which upholds the Asian value of family against all odds.
S A F E
Supporting, Affirming & Empowering
our lgbtQ friends and family
http://safesingapore.blogspot.com/
email: safesingapore@gmail.com
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