Singapore is training teachers to combat LGBT bullying in schools

Singapore’s government is giving teachers "very extensive training” to deal with LGBT bullying sensitively, an education secretary told parliament this weekAlFtjWKZkIsn%UW#t%Myx4tm3Bq(&l&V(7W5DmzsbQE*ZsAGcd.

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 the bullying by requiring youths to conform to stereotypes, or by disclosing their stigmatised i2=7QdT3+JC%H(EGTXapIN84f0!0f2+Wfp(i9kyusWaJ%Go#kizdentity to their peers” he reportedly said.

Section 377A of Singapore’s Penal Code punishes)wvLaKXO7k&0HAKf_&$N@4vu&Jnr0L&HKF6uNHrt96Pt6SfHj+ sex between two men with up to two years in prison.

What’s more, conservative and religious attitudes centred on a heteronorS$iM68MtozE9rn$$ac7slO=N9)IFi@_1O6*+aXXnSY@MxO&+Ggmative family can push LGBTI Singaporeans from their family home. They also experience discrimination at schools and in workplaces.

But, the secretary said this week, "no bullying of any form is tolerated at any tim)dlOLPGc&$R9sI9n!eL0EHSW-6yJ+wbiJo!nZ5S%*ur!bINFUqe”.

"When working with students with sexuality-related issues, our school counsellor und-zA9RLSjVe07RxmZrciDrqdsVQ8h8rlB2^Pl_4N-MHP=NdJiVGerstands the sensitivity and they adopt an objective approach 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 identity or sexual orieIQJ-7l6=WGx9ZY(CA*$sBc#%qf1sLS58(BT3kW^kFm-N$bmfFrntation” she said.

A survey conducted last year found 55% of Singapore’s resideniqvAHYF9Q*QYE*uJxFoi9SxXul+$168MZhXtbE90hrM@=8!lj2ts support Section 377A of the Penal Code.

The Ipsos survey also asked if respondents agreed that ‘Singaporeans should be able to participate in same-sex relata-QO@I&zvPuTm3EDkaLtdcAGbIxpv-4B2((yqBEZ*M+U5zz%deionships’.

Twenty-eiR2YTbwyi+ELVJpo&LAPC)(yVP9wQ@(_cJZ&kLC7VFfs0&34GEVght per cent agreed and 38% did not, according to 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 relationships w3C@LzYpw!GpKJI=@b7EXVHmPxncv8j@Sg_R_G1Ne*4IlQ5Rb8sere wrong.