Friday 21 November 2008

Immoral Intentions

“Don’t look now but someone is checking you out.”

Being a typical nondescript male specimen, I hardly get second glances with the female crowd so my wife’s comment perked my ego up a bit until I managed a glance at the so-called “checker”.

I saw a thin, slightly effeminate bloke who was chatting away with another man – beefy, middle age perhaps - who had his arms wrapped around the former's shoulders.

Rev Homer J. SimpsonThere was no denying the highly visible intimacy the duo exuded.

Initially I thought it was the bigger man my wife had referred to, but it turned out that the one eyeing me out was the smaller guy.

I’m used to the cross dressing community in public, and while last night’s incidence was only the second such over the last few months, what concerns me was the totally pompous manner in which the couple exhibited their “relationship” to others.

A sort of “Up yours!” statement to those who disapprove of such behaviour.

In Spain, feathers are being ruffled with the conservative views of their Queen Sofia when it comes to homosexuality and gay marriages.

The book “The Queen Up Close” has Queen Sofia saying that she did understand why "they should feel proud to be gay."

"That they get up on floats and parade in the streets? If all of us who are not gay were to parade in the streets, we'd halt the traffic in every city”

Queen Sofia of SpainMy first encounter with the gay couple phenomenon here was decades ago during a Merdeka celebrations in the city when my friends and I chanced upon two men smooching away right in public’s eye in Jalan Bukit Bintang after the parade.

Being the hot-blooded young men that we were, we expressed our disgust – which the couple just laughed off - and went off to see if we could discovery some female coupling instead!

We went home disappointed in that respect.

I was once “propositioned” by a man who sat next to me in one of the now- no-longer around Bas Mini Wilayah.

He started out with small talks and then remarked that he likes boys in uniform and that I would look great in one.

Ouch! I left it at that and exited the bus as soon as I could.
The surge in liberalism of late in this country especially in this respect is at odds with its overall conservatism especially as Islam is the official religion, and all the other religions practiced freely.

Homosexuality is something that can be said to be man made with the basis for its acceptance stemming from the human rights domain where morality has no stand in its jurisprudence.

The gay community here is simmering just below the surface with everyone knowing of, and recognizing their very existence but ignoring the issue or closing one (both?) eyes to it.

It’s a phenomena that points to a breakdown in the institution of family that is the hallmark of society’s growth. Where do we get the next generation if every couple is of the same gender?

Cloning? Stem cells? More morality conundrum there, I’m afraid.

With the exception of religions, policing morality is really a tough call for any authority as they call for a most subjective judgment as to what should be and what is wrong where the laws are concern.

I wonder if we are now ready to accept public gay couples? Looking at the way things are, it would seem that the answer is yes.

Could it be that more of us no longer cares about morality?

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