The masses have spoken, and the Health Ministry has taken note: the international embarrassment that was a competition for the best video promoting the “prevention” of homosexuality, has been changed.
The “gender confusion” category that discriminated against members of the LGBT community by implying that their sexuality was something that could be explained away has now been reworded to “gender and sexuality.” Small steps.
A senior ministry official, Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman told reporters that after holding discussions with various groups, including the transgender activist Nisha Ayub, and the Malaysian AIDS Council, they were clarifying that category was now to “shed light on the understanding of adolescents on sexual and reproductive health related matters, explore adolescents’ views, experiences, challenges and where to seek help if necessary.”
According to Ayub, the ministry has also agreed to drop any reference to the LGBT community, and cease the use of the term “gender confusion.”
The two other topics in addition to ‘gender and sexuality,’ include ‘reproductive health’ and ‘cybersex.’ An example of the subtopics that are included under ‘cybersex’ are: cyber bullying, online grooming, sexual exploitation, sextortion, the dangers of pornography.
Ayub, who received honors from the Obama administration’s State Department for her work with transgender rights, has spoken out to say that the meeting with the Health Ministry was “meaningful” and that the ultimate goal of the competition was to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Let’s hope that the opportunity to broadcast creative messaging on such a wide platform brings attention to pertinent social issues like HIV-awareness, teen pregnancy, rape and acceptance of one’s gender and sexuality.
The original competition caused international outrage, and resulted in embarrassment for the backwards logic of the Health Ministry.
The poster promoted “Value Yourself, Practice Healthy Lifestyle,” and the guidelines had originally listed “gay, lesbian, transvestite and tomboy” as examples of ‘gender confusion.’
You can have a look at it below. The irony, that there has never been a poster in more desperate need of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy to make it look pretty than this.
Ah, well. Small steps. Small victories.
