Thursday, December 30, 2010

Homosexuality - to accept or not?

Malaysian actors Arja Lee and Wan Raja in "Dalam Botol",

a film touching on the issue of homosexuality

The debate on homosexuality versus heterosexuality (at least at the national level) has in a way subsided.

To me this dispute is just an expansion of the many types of discourses between the liberals and the conservatives -- as we can see it happen once in a while in this country.

But it seems like the twain can never meet.

Try as you may, people who are stuck with the basic conception (and perception) that homosexuals are sexual deviants and perverts and that homosexuality is a mental illness are not going to go away with the idea just like that.

This is what I was trying to say in my earlier posting:

I'm also gay, how come I'm not famous?

It was meant to help gay people like Azwan Ismail to cope with conservatism and its realities, at least at the local level -- not trying to heat up the situation -- despite both sides tried as they might to up the ante.

However, the debate over homosexuality and homosexual rights has steadily grown over the past two decades and will only continue to do so.

"People should live and let live!" "To each his own, let them live as they wish." "Let the gays have their freedom." "Whatever makes you happy, live with it." (The Geraldo Show, "Can Gays and Lesbians Go Straight?" 11 June 1991).

Comments like these are commonly heard when the topic of homosexuality comes up for discussion. But in the course of this debate, numerous inaccuracies, half-truths, fallacies, and overt propaganda have been disseminated to the public as uncontested truth. The detractors would retort with strong verbal attacks coupled with vague substantiation that "homosexuality is neither a normal nor a healthy lifestyle" -- a fact that they themselves don't really understand.

All these despite the scientific and psychiatric assertion worldwide that homosexuality has nothing to do with sexual deviancy or mental illness -- that homosexuality is just another Sexual orientation, identity and behavior.

The American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the National Association of Social Workers identify sexual orientation as "not merely a personal characteristic that can be defined in isolation. Rather, one’s sexual orientation defines the universe of persons with whom one is likely to find the satisfying and fulfilling relationships"

But if both sides try hard enough, we can, one day see the day of light where the liberals and conservatives can compromise their scholastic differences on a certain basis or middle ground based on the truth and scientific facts.

A basis where everyone would try to understand and recognize that the argument where 'nature versus nurture' - How Heredity and Environment Shape Who We Are is a valid one.

Fast-growing understanding of the human genome has recently made it clear that both sides are partly right. Nature endows us with inborn abilities and traits; nurture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and mature.

So, meanwhile lets get on with life and make full use of our God-given physical health and mental ability to discern well. By exposing our minds to explore more knowledge and scientific facts can help us to discern between what's right or wrong, good and bad, between a positive and a negative choice and thus be able to prioritize our deeds and things that really matters in life.

The God-given mental intelligence is a divine gift and a proper utilization of this faculty can enlighten our path to understand the world we live in a better and holistic way.

To all readers of this blog, may God bless you all and lets look forward to a productive New Year in 2011.

Remember, if you can Link the Dots; and think out-of-the-box, it can help you Beat the Odds.

Related articles:
For M'sian gays, hope for a better tomorrow