TV Fined For Airing Gay Scene

by Trey C. on April 25, 2008

gay couples holding hand Of course this comes from some stupid conservative country – A Singapore television channel has been fined 15,000 Singapore dollars (11,200 US) for promoting a gay lifestyle, the media regulator said.

MediaCorp TV Channel 5 was fined by the MDA for airing an episode of the series, “Find and Design” that it saw as “normalizing” and “promoting” a gay lifestyle.

So what’s all the terrible shit that was on the show? Nothing. The host of the show helped a gay couple transform a room into a new nursery for their adopted baby. The MDA apparently didn’t like the fact that 1) there was a gay couple and 2) the show’s host “congratulated and acknowledged them as a family unit.”

As part of major revisions of their Penal Code approved by parliament last year, Singapore said it was ok for oral and anal sex between heterosexual couples, but kept a law that criminalize intercourse between gay men.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong favored the retention of the law, saying Singapore remains a conservative society “with the traditional family as its main building block” and homosexuals cannot set the tone for the mainstream.

Oh boy. I’m going to go Brokeback Mountain on you Lee Hsien Loong.

Abolishing the law could “send the wrong signal” and push gay activists to ask for more concessions, such as same-sex marriage and parenting, Lee said.

Joel
April 26, 2008

Hi, I’m from Singapore and I just want to put this all into perspective.

We’re not all a country of conservative bigots. There’s a thriving gay community, and I’m inclined to believe more people are gay than they let on.

Last year, the government said that it recognized that gays exist, and they should be allowed (yeah, they actually said allowed) to serve in the civil service. What it doesn’t want, is to for us to bandy our gayness around. Lest it gives little kids the wrong impression that being gay is acceptable.

Basically, the government feels that it should pander to the desires of the majority (I wonder why), instead of providing equal rights to its people.

Not long ago, a cable company was fined for airing a music video showing two girls kissing because it showed that lesbian relationships were alright. Both free-to-air and cable companies have previously shown gay kisses, as long as they do not “promote” the idea that being gay is not wrong.

Imagine all the confused little kiddos.

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Trey C.
April 26, 2008

@Joel:
Thanks for the comment Joel! It’s really amazing to read and see this situation from a different perspective, especially since you are a native of that land. I would just like to note that I am well aware that the country doesn’t speak as a whole, usually, for people. For example… we’re based in Texas, one of the most conservative states you can step foot in, but we have two major gay cities: Dallas and Houston.

It’s just a little different for us here though because we are moving into a time where people are learning and even teaching their children that being gay is “ok”, if not be totally tolerated.

Whereas in your comment you said Singapore allowed gay activities as long as it doesn’t promote it, “lest it gives little kids the wrong impression.” What exactly is the wrong impression? That being gay is immoral or that being gay is almost comparable to committing a murder, in which you should shield your child from these “people” whom just want to love?

Now I’m a confused little kiddo. :) Thanks for the comment babe.

I think the main idea is to tell people that being gay is unnatural and immoral. Whether it IS trying to compare it to murder is still questionable. After all, if you allow gruesome murder scenes to air and not a scene about 2 men and their kid, then I guess they’re sorta saying it’s even worse, no?

Anyway, a lot of it has to do with the fact that the government wants to appease the religious wingnuts, which politically I suppose is not a bad move, given that most people here either have no issues to care about, or do not care about the issues. During elections, most of the constituencies gets walked over because there is no opposition to the incumbent party.

Ok, wayyy to political, but you get it.

Essentially, the idea they’re trying to convey is, you can be as gay as you want, as long as we don’t know about it. It’s a very Asian thing – happens at all levels of society.

nat
April 27, 2008

I am from singapore. and yes it is very conservative in mine and some people I know point of views. If agree that gay’s exsist than they should let is live our lives without the fear of being excluded and left in the dark. This fine thing the authority was plain dumb. Just another way of showing gays are not accepted.

An example if you’re a student and are out, you darn well better make sure your friends don’t know. So does us hiding show that we are accepted

I agree with Trey C.

The government only say we accept but what’s the innit when there’s no acceptance. The government can accept all they want but the people still look at ya like shit. Trust me I’ve had that happen to me.

So as for me I think the country has a long long way to go before it can even be considered a sociably acceptable country. But whatsoever I love my hometown.

And Trey nice blog. Very imformative and loads of eye candy *winks* Keep up the good work. Cheer’s matey…