FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (uploaded 28/11/05)
TRANSSEXUAL WRITER PROTESTS OFFENSIVE REMARKS IN SUNDAY TIMES (SINGAPORE)
INTERVIEW WITH ROCKER
28 November 2005, Singapore. Ms Leona Lo, a transsexual writer based in
Singapore wrote a scathing letter today to The Sunday Times, Singapore,
to protest offensive remarks published in its interview with rocker John
Molina. In "The Email Interview: Rocker John Molina" (The Sunday Times,
Nov 27), the interviewer made reference to Ms Jessie Chung from Kuching who had
undergone sexual reassignment surgery to "become" (writer's quotation) a woman,
and said the general opinion is that "a normal man can never fall in love with a
man-made woman". He asked for Mr Molina's personal thoughts on this.
In her letter to The Sunday Times, Ms Lo said the writer's remarks
contain at least two popular misconceptions about post-operative transsexuals,
namely, "that straight men cannot fall in love with us and that we are
man-made." She wrote, "Let me set the record straight. Transsexual women
throughout the world have had loving and enduring relationships with straight
men. Lynn Conway, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
Emertia, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States of America, and Jessie
Chung are two excellent examples. For a complete list of transsexual women
successes, please log on to www.lynnconway.com. Heterosexual men who are
sexually secure have no problems falling in love with and remaining committed to
transsexual women. However, based on past experiences, I have to concede that
Singapore men may have a problem in this area because they are generally not
very secure about their sexuality, which may explain the inherent skepticism in
the interviewer's question."
Transsexuals Man-Made?
Ms Lo wrote, "The interviewer also said that the general opinion is that the
sexually reassigned transsexual is 'man-made', presumably like the waterfalls at
Jurong Bird Park. This may suggest that we are artificially constructed women
from body to soul. Let me reassure you that every part of my and every
post-operative transsexual's body is natural, barring breast implants. By the
same token, biological women who go for breast implants, vagina rejuvenation and
botox are also 'man-made'. Would it be fair therefore to suggest that normal
men will never fall in love with them? Why pick on transsexuals only?"
Turning her attention to the rocker's reply, Ms Lo wrote, "I have reserved the
best for the last - Mr Molina's reply. He makes the offensive grunts "ewww..."
twice in his response to the interviewer's question about whether he can ever
fall in love with a transsexual, presumably to express his disgust. Mr Molina
is entitled to his own opinion. What we have to say is just as you are not
interested in dating us, we are not interested in dating you either, much less
fall in love with you."
Discrimination against Transsexuals?
Ms Lo took umbrage at the fact that the shocking personal remarks were published
in The Sunday Times, Singapore's leading English daily. She wrote, "What
is most shocking is the offensive remarks were allowed to be published in
Singapore's leading English daily. If Singaporeans are not allowed to post
personal racist remarks on blogs and internet forums - you could get jailed
for this - why then are these offensive remarks about transsexuals being
published in The Sunday Times? Are our lives cheaper than the average
Singaporean's?
"We have endured taunting in our school days, insults during National Service,
the incredible pain of sexual reassignment surgery, followed by discrimination
at work and social marginalisation. We will be victims no more," she wrote.
Negative Media Representations of Transsexuals
While Ms Lo acknowledges that the Singapore media is more balanced in its
representations of transsexuals today than in the past, she feels more could be
done to redress the few myths that continue to be published - unchallenged -
about transsexuals. She also recommends a more scientific approach to be
adopted in future media portrayal of transsexuals. She said, "Journalists
should approach experts who are conversant with the the Harry Benjamin
Guidelines for interviews, and not rockers."
MEDIA QUERIES
Leona Lo, PR Consultant, Healthcare (Freelance)