(Free Malaysia Today) - A government-endorsed parenting guide that describes symptoms of homosexuality has kicked up a storm on the Internet, with human rights and sexuality activists expressing shock and disgust.
Sin Chew Daily today reported that the Education Ministry had endorsed the guide as helpful to parents and teachers.
It was launched during a seminar in Penang yesterday. The event, billed as “Parenting in addressing the issue of LGBTs (lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders)”, was officiated by Deputy Education Minister Mohd Puad Zarkashi.
The guide listed four symptoms each for gays and lesbians:
- Muscular body and a fondness for showing off the body by wearing clothing, such as by wearing V-necks and sleeveless tops
- A preference for tight and bright coloured clothes
- An inclination to be attracted to men
- A tendency to carry big handbags, similar to the kinds used by women
- Showing attraction to women
- Distancing themselves from women other than their girlfriends
- A preference for hanging out, sleeping and dining with women
- Absence of feelings for men
When asked to comment, activist and Seksualiti Merdeka co-founder Pang Khee Teik initially said: “I don’t even know how to respond.”
However, he proceeded to flay the Education Ministry for being “only interested in teaching hate, promoting inequality and playing politics”.
“The Ministry of Education is now officially a bully,” he said. “I never presumed to be in the position to teach the meaning of education to the people running the Ministry of Education. But it has come to that.”