Wow that was interesting.
Yesterdays overwhelming reaction to the post were quite a surprise and I ended up stressing my brother and his wife about it (and me too by the way).
Not that he didn’t agree with what I wrote in the post, but more the idea that his daughter, my niece, could end up as the primary focus of an hungry internet zombie horde that demanded to know all the ugly details.
More brainz pls!
I am not going to disclose the name of the school or the teacher. The schools management did side with the teacher and my niece had to accept her first (and hopefully only) detention. It is completely unfair of the school but I am not going to throw a young child out in front of a selfie needing crowd, where she will only end up in the center of two sides where they for all the wrong reasons focus on her, what she wrote and then afterward anally dissect if she wrote anything right or wrong out from an somehow adult perspective that got no interest in her wellbeing or person.
On forums and on Facebook this has been discussed at length where it were also concluded by, I guess straight people who don’t have any contact to the gay community at all, that “LGBT’s are known to sensationalize issues”, that I should post my IC, my full name, home address, employers name, my age, document the names of my niece and brother for verification, as well as give up the name of the school and teacher for documentation.
But if you are demanding all that, then you missed the point of the blog. I wrote about it to highlight the differences of what my nieces of the same age are going through. How different educational systems see personal essays (teachers are part of that system) and give you something to think and reflect about. That is all. I mean maybe the educational system in Singapore is not so good or perfect after all.
It is not that important to name the teacher or the school. Are they idiots? Sure they are. But I would still feel bad about naming them even if they are part of an educational system that I feel are fundamentally wrong.
I got some overwhelming interesting and positive comments to the post, and I can fully accept that there are guys, men, like Tony who feel that we are a threat to his masculinity.
We really aren’t.
I got a nice email from an UK politician and I got an offer to send my niece to a liberal pro LGBT school in California (for a “tiny” amount of money of course).
The family are doing fine and do well on their own, but thanks for all comments and support.
Yes it is fine that not everyone agrees with me too and I can take the criticism, and dear Tony I will always be available to take an honest face to face argument on why there should be room for “someone” with a sexuality like mine and that “we” are no danger to anyone at all. Not you especially.
I don’t have an issue with people who don’t understand our need to be accepted, I get that it makes some feel uneasy when we are open about our sexuality, when we dare to show affection in public, or that some just don’t know what to do or behave when they are near an openly gay person (Beware! You will get a hug and we will infect you if you get too near), because new things and thoughts are just so darn scary to humanity.
My niece got an right to be anonymous for a little while longer, she got a right to just be the child she is and live a life where she or her parents don’t have to deal with someone who jump in front of them to take a selfie, immortalize them on instagram, or demand intimate details of their life’s.
Thank you for all the fish.
Now Internet. Just relax. There will be a new topic for you tomorrow to throw yourself at.
My So-called Lesbian Life 
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I thought your posts on this topic were far and away above and beyond what one can expect from say their friends explaining their problems. Clearly explained the problem, gave a brief analysis of affected areas.
That is all you really need to get the story out there and the topics up for discussion.
While this issue is of passing interest having lived in Singapore for nearly a decade, I was motivated to comment, mainly due to the quality of writing even on such personal material. It stands out amongst the numbing overload of what I usually endure.
And as an odd ending point, Sarah Jane, that name I keep coming accross as First name: Sarah Middle name: Jane. Never as a just a first name….. I only note this cause my sister has it as a FIrst Middle Name.
Thanks for the interesting topic, and quality writing, enjoy your weekend.
*hugsies* I just wanted to offer a note of encouragement. I hope things work out without any nasty emotional scars for the poor young lady.
My biggest fear for my little daughter is that her teachers will pass on their prejudices to her once she starts school. I find it disturbing that they are allowed to unfairly punish your little niece just because what she wrote went againt their beliefs. This is why Singapore needs to amend article 12 in the constituition which protects us from discrimination regardless of religion, race, descent and place of birth to include sexual orientation.
I wanted to congratulate you on protecting your niece and having such a healthy attitude towards them. It’s clear that she and you, and your brother’s family deserves your privacy! Anyone who says otherwise is just savage.
lovethroughallseasons.blogspot.com
I think that you should pay more attention to details when touching on controversial topics, such as the story you wrote about your niece. By that, I do not mean that you should hold back on criticisms or the sharing of truthful experiences. What I meant was that since your story involved allegations directed at certain people, industries, or countries as a whole, you should consider the consequences they would lead to and be prepared to prove your points. Of course, you are not required by law to do so, but I find it to be a writer’s moral responsibility to back any work which might have significant impacts on the image of others. Not doing so would be unfair to those sitting on the other end of the allegations. Please do consider my advice for greater cautiousness. Words have social implications.
The school in Singapore being an institution of public education has to adhere to its current government ethos and right now it is pro(traditional)-family; while schools in Netherlands are at the opposite end. Nothing shocking.
However, I see both forces trying to negate the other, and until both are willing to have a rational discussion will view each other with suspect and hatred. There would be no end to this balance really till one is willing to hear each other out at the root.
My two cents worth.
Ummm… No. This isn’t simply a case of two opposing forces who are unwilling to meet in the middle and who merely wish to “negate” one another. The LGBT community and the inclusive social attitudes of the Netherlands and their school systems are open to families both traditional and non. They are NOT the ones trying to villify a demographic of people for daring to be different. That would be Singapore and the Conservative community mindset.
I’m pretty sure that for almost 20 years, the government of Singapore had opened their doors to diplomats/businessmen of LGBT orientation. Even the late LKY had reversed his position somewhat (I’ve lost track of how “evolved” his opinion has become). So what are we saying here – that our government cannot maintain a degree of consistency in their judgment on “morality” issues here, or that Singaporeans are discriminated in favour of these foreigners, with one rule for the foreigners and another for the Singaporeans? Regardless of what and how we spin here, the teacher/school is on the wrong side of history. A student’s work should be assessed by the quality of their work themselves, not by the sexual orientation of their protagonist. And while I don’t believe in vilifying the teacher, I do think that we should put forth the name of the school/institution here. If they truly believe they are right, then there’s no need to hide behind the anonymity; stand-up for what you believe (ironically, this little girl did exactly that and was given a detention, really?). A school/institution’s responsibility is to educate the next generation. I believe the parents’ do have a right to know the stand of the school/institution and they can choose for themselves if they want to subject their children to this kind of bigotry indoctrination.