Otto Fong, RI science teacher, comes out

Wow. Let's hear it for Otto!

http://ottofong.blogspot.com/2007/09/open-letter.html

Also check out the comments - his students have written back in support.

UPDATE: The letter has been taken down under orders of MOE, but it's been copied elsewhere on the Internet - check out Fridae and The Online Citizen. Also, RI is not going to fire this teacher - do send an e-mail of thanks to Bob Koh, the Principal of RI, at headmaster@ri.sch.edu.sg.

INDIGNATION 2007!!! (already three things kena banned!)

Can you believe it's been a year already? See the calendar here.

Singapore may have to legalise homosexuality, April 24, 2007

http://news.asiaone.com.sg/a1news/20070424_story24_1.html

SINGAPORE, April 24 (Reuters) - Singapore may eventually have to legalise homosexuality, particularly if it wants to foster creativity and become more cosmopolitan, Minister Mentor Le Kuan Yew said on Tuesday.

"Let's not pretend it doesn't exist," he said in an interview with Reuters, adding that he saw "no option" for Singapore but to decriminalise homosexual sex.

"They tell me that homosexuals are creative writers, dancers. If we want creative people, then we have to put up with their idiosyncrasies," Lee said.

Mr Lee, who this week publicly questioned the city-state's ban on sex between men, said the country would still need to respect the views of its more conservative citizens.

"We are not promoters of it and we are not going to allow Singapore to become the vanguard of Southeast Asia," Mr Lee said.

Under Singapore law, a man who is found to have committed an act of "gross indecency" with another man can be jailed for up to two years, though prosecutions are rare.

In November, the Ministry of Home Affairs said it was considering decriminalising oral and anal sex between consenting heterosexual adults, but not between homosexuals.

The authorities have banned gay festivals and censored gay films, saying homosexuality should not be advocated as a lifestyle. But, despite the official ban on gay sex, Singapore has a thriving gay scene.

MM Lee's comments come at a time when many groups, such as Singapore's Law Society, are clamouring for a review of the laws against homosexual sex, which they view as outdated and archaic.

Seen in Popular bookstore:

Singapore section. We are the mainstream. Hell, we're next to Lim Boon Keng!!!

SQ21 in Europe?

Just got an e-mail from Louis aka Irwan!

Hi, Greetings From Switzerland.. I was in Amsterdam With my Hubby and
suddently......

I SAW SQ21! i didnt know you guys published it in Europe too. Wow.. Not
bad!! and Nice Displays right at the entrance! hahaha! for 1 second i felt
like i am at kinokuniya singapore :P

Its a great feeling and just wanna shae it with u guys.. next time i will
bring a chair and sit right nest to the books and wait for people to ask for
my autograph, hahaha! anyway, My hubby and me will be in Singapore this
coming Saturday! for 1 month. kiss, Louis.

Asia Magazine

Hey! Bryan Choong of Oogachaga just sent me scans of the coverage we got in Asia Magazine.

The magazine can be found in all Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf outlets, ComicMarts, as well as at the Images of Singapore Bookshop on Sentosa, the National Library, the Gallery Hotel, the Pan Pacific Hotel, The Ascott Apartments, SPCA, HiltonHotel KL, Shangri-la Beijing, The Kerry Centre Hotel Beijing, ThePortman Ritz Carlton Shanghai, The Pines Shanghai, The American ClubTaiwan and onboard airlines SIA, SilkAir, Sri Lankan Airlines.

Woot! Pan-Asian outreach! Rock never die, babe.



In other news, I saw a copy of the book selling in the branch of Popular bookstore near my home. How Heartland!

UPDATE: Hold on a gosh-darned minute! My dad did NOT stand up with tears in his eyes at a launch at Borders! It was at the launch at Mox, and he didn't cry either - all he did was wave clownishly to say "yeah, yeah, I'm the one who sired this crazy brat". But I do still appreciate the gesture. :)

What’s plu.edu.sg?

It's a group for GLBT teachers and educators set up by SQ21's Dominic Chua... read on!..Set up in Oct 2006, plu.edu.sg is a group of queer teachers and educators from a whole range of institutions and backgrounds. We offer support to our members through regular meetings and social events; the group’s primary focus is on professional and social networking. We’ve had more than 10 gatherings so far, and we’re going strong!

Our long-term mission is to achieve a situation in Singapore schools in which each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

For more details (venue, etc), please get in touch with me via email at plu.edu.sg@gmail.com.

Best wishes,

Dom.