News / Sep. 05, 2019
Singapore’s government is giving t&LCV$#8kMI_sH$doqr#e9b0cDeXU$ZWHV6Uvh1U=V$UR33iOJ^eachers "very extensive training” to deal with LGBT bullying sensitively, an education secretary told parliament this week.
Nominated Member of Parliament Walter Theseira quizzed the secretary over incidents of homophobic bullying documented by NGOs, according to Channel News Asia.
"What I’m worried is that teachers and staff sometimes inadvertently reinforce thevkWnd3bOn7YU4!@80NL8%$w%PjiE2eh30T-oy$UC(Er)vKLZt& bullying by requiring youths to conform to stereotypes, or by disclosing their stigmatised identity to their peers” he reportedly said.
Section 377A of Singapore’s Penal Code punishes sex between tw26oHr1^J&C@p1uc6V+zKkk6)37&^Q&&cH#2gj(M6foU-VyryCfo men with up to two years in prison.
What’s more, conservative and religious attitudes centred on a heteronormative family can push LGBTI Singaporeans from their family home. They also experience discrimination at schools and in workplacesbQ29L+qIl9kFLAEQ1M-fT+JS*Qij(tUmmcYa*_n-tmyxu*&ejI.
But, the secretary said this week, "no bullying of any form MU*^sRRL20qJUBVwv)GG7I4CllRND5Wg5Hchb-VaYPQOh$v@oOis tolerated at any time”.
"When working with students with sexuality-related issues, our school counsellor understands the sensitivity and they adopt an objective approamYm8eXj%3H2Xok4rdPE5Z+da=9lddHMeZ$7jIPmWJ0&iIT0rKUch to ensure the overall best interest of the students," she said.
The government’s teacher's preparation programme trains those working at schools in "strategies to address actions that are mean or hurtful" and "manage behaviour such as those that are targeting gender idegqB-5J=a-(qQery3*-&&dlI673r#oTh=@x2Gp9s#7Evf9Mb$+4ntity or sexual orientation” she said.
A survey conducted last yebsLXKqe!Vxy=&7LFGgfAxy3fEMeU%K!-(OI#N70LSQp^H1A9o7ar found 55% of Singapore’s residents support Section 377A of the Penal Code.
The Ipsos survey also asked if respondents agreed thiqfyp3NNODBWXG0Jop#1Ua4qKiWDPX^oGd_BpEllf9oUsZ%VUKat ‘Singaporeans should be able to participate in same-sex relationships’.
Twenty-eight per cent agreed and 38% did not, according txDt$z_u+)K3bCu6&3h3C6Vu^=QmEtZ2F!ToH)0pMNnliAhm3zjo the Straits Times.
This did show a relaxing in attitudes to homosexual relationships. A 2014 survey of 4,000 people in Singapore found 78.2 percent believed same-sex relationsBq3n!p7zLEe)qeLLcO10xMMzzx)yuwo299bf3SXuHIz9U0(=V8hips were wrong.
