Tentang isu boleh atau tidak kalimah "Allah" digunapakai di dalam Bible berbahasa Melayu...

TAHU KAH ANDA SYURGA DAN NERAKA ADALAH KALIMAH HINDU?

BAGAIMANA KALAU PENGANUT HINDU TAK BENARKAN?

Saya mendesak agar ulama PAS dan UMNO melarang orang-orang Melayu daripada menggunakan Al Quran versi Melayu kerana ia menggunakan pelbagai kalimah yang berasal daripada agama Hindu.

Contoh-contoh:
(1) Dosa
(2) Sembahyang
(3) Neraka
(4) Syurga
(5) Bidadari yang berasal daripada Vidhya Dhari dan banyak lagi.

Sesiapa yang menggunakan kalimah-kalimah ini didalam upacara agama Islam telah murtad daripada agama Islam. Mengapakah orang-orang Melayu banyak menggunakan perkataan-perkataan agama Hindu?

Jawabnya:

PARAMESWARA - rajah (satu lagi perkataan Sanskrit) Melayu yang pertama kali datang ke Tanah Orang Asli pada tahun 1344 adalah seorang Rajah yang beragama Hindu.

Erti Parameswara di dalam bahasa sanksrit ialah Tuhan.

Sebab itu orang Melayu daripada zaman dahulu sampai sekarang memanggil Rajah "Tuhanku" dan menyembah Rajah-Rajah ini yang mereka anggap sebagai tuhan sebagai Seri Paduka, Yang Maha Mulia, dan banyak lagi contoh lain yang membolehkan orang Melayu menjadi mushrikin.

on PENGUMUAN : SILA JANGAN HINA PATIK PACAL YANG HINA

kredit to : Tukartiub.blogspot.com

Feedback from Pos Malaysia

Dear Mischa,

We refer to your feedback received through Pos Malaysia Facebook on 16 January 2013 and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

First and foremost, please accept our apologies for the inconvenience and anxiety this matter may have caused you.

For your information, our investigation revealed that the Call Center agent did send a message to PPL Kuala Lumpur on 14 January 2013 at 1.30 pm to hold your parcel as requested by your goodself. We noted that you have made an attempt to collect the parcel on the same day but item was not available yet. For your information, the parcel was received by the centre only after 6.00 pm after the courier has completed his run for that day. Our sincere apology again for the inconveniences as our Call Centre agent should have communicated to you to collect the parcel on the next day.

Under normal circumstances, any messages sent through our system would normally be scanned by the PPL staff at the end of the day so that any actions taken will be communicated to the respective parties accordingly and also to assist in delivery planning on the following day. Unfortunately, the PPL Kuala Lumpur staff in charge has overlooked the message resulting in the parcel to be sent for delivery on 15 January 2013.

The same has been conveyed and explained to you through our telephone conversation on 17 January 2013.

For your information, we have brought up this matter to the PPL Kuala Lumpur Manager. The staff in charge has also been counseled and counter measures have been taken to improve the process to avoid the same issues from recurring.

On behalf of Pos Malaysia Berhad, we would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused with regard to this matter. You may contact our Customer Service Centre through PosLine at 1-300-300-300 from 8.30 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. on Monday to Friday and from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on Saturday (except on 1st Saturday of the month and Public Holidays) for assistance. Alternatively, we can also be contacted via email at care@pos.com.my

Thank you and warm regards.

Fauziah Mat Nuri
Customer Care

Complain on service provided by Customer Service agent, Pos Malaysia

To whom it may concern,

I am not happy with the service provided by your callcenter agent. On 10th January 2013, I sent a parcel to one of my customer using your PosLaju service (ref number EN434696467MY). Due to some policy issues at her workplace, the parcel was returned back. Upon calling PosLaju Customer Service line (1300300300) on 14th January 2013, I was informed that the parcel has been sent to PPL Kuala Lumpur, as the sender's postcode is under the jurisdiction of PPL Kuala Lumpur. I inquired if I could retrieve the parcel by hand, to which the CS agent confirmed possible, and that he will advice PPL Kuala Lumpur to hold the item for me. About half an hour later, the CS agent called back to advice that the instruction to hold the parcel for my collection has been relayed.

Confident that I was given the correct information, I went to PPL Kuala Lumpur to collect the parcel. However, the staff handling parcel self-collection (Puan Farah) informed me that my parcel has yet to arrive at PPL Kuala Lumpur, contrary to what the CS agent had advised me. On 15th January 2013, I went to PPL Kuala Lumpur again, only to be disappointed for the second time. This time, I was informed that the item has been sent out, and that no email was sent from your callcenter by the CS agent who handled my request, instructing PPL Kuala Lumpur to hold the parcel. Quite contrary to what the CS agent had claimed. Puan Farah then recommended that I lodge a complain on the matter, citing that such cases has been on the rise. She also suspected that the agent did not log any case for the call, as no reference number was profided by the CS agent for my record.

I would like the following action to be taken:
1) Trace back the calls made to 1300300300 from mobile number 01*******7 (my personal number), and investigate whether the agent had delivered what he promised in the conversation.

2) If he had in fact provided false information (instruction to hold parcel for self-collect has been relayed, when in fact no such instruction made), I demand a written apology from himself, and necessary disciplinary action taken.

3) Review the performance of the callcenter handling Pos Malaysia Customer Service line. The last time I checked, the service was handled by the CS team at the 10th Floor, Menara VADS.

Please be informed that this complain e-mail as well as future communication pertaining to this issue will be published on my personal Facebook page, my blog, as well as on Pos Malaysia's official Facebook Page.

Looking forward to your feedback. Thank you.


Warm regards,

Mischa Selamat

Definitions of Transgender Term

The Transgendered Community is actually a very wide group of people. Much as the Earth is made up of radically different continents, so too the Transgender Community has many types within it. Whilst labels aren't exact and can have annoying stereotypes attached to them, they can be useful in helping you understand the type of person you are and from there, the type of support, lifestyle and facilities available for you. So let's take a look at some of the categories people talk about shall we?

Before I start, I best say that these aren't Oxford English Dictionary definitions of Transgender Groups. To some a word may connotate more or less and so these are the definitions I use in lieu of the world actually having any decent ones!

Transgendered or TG - Dead simple, anyone involved in activities which cross normal accepted social boundaries of gender behavior can be said to be transgendered or crossing gender boundaries. That could be as clear and radical as physically altering one's body with anything from clothing and make up to surgery and hormones. Or it could be as subtle and hidden as the way you think.

The term transgender is also used occassionally to refer to someone who lives as the opposite of their birth sex without surgery, but that seems to be less and less common these days.

All other groups listed below are classed as Transgendered. For example, I'm transexual so I'm a type of transgendered person. My friend Debs is a Drag Queen, so Debs is also Transgendered. However in reverse, being a transgendered person doesn't make you all of the categories within it - Debs definitely is not a transexual and I'm not a Drag Queen. Transgendered is just the umbrella covering all.

As a rough gauge, 80% of the transgender community is physically male, 20% female from birth. 82% of the Transgender Community is heterosexual, 15% bisexual and the rest homosexual - that is sexual orientation within the transgender community is roughly the same as that anywhere else. 90% of the community only ever expresses itself within their own home. I guess that explains why I get those cheeky looks when I'm buying shaving foam at the supermarket whilst wearing my best Dior!

Transexual (transsexual) or TS - To be Transexual means that you fundamentally view yourself as being of the opposite sex to your physical body. You could have a male body with a female mind, this is called Male to Female Transexual (often abbreviated MtF or MtoF). There is also the reverse, a person born with a female body and a male mind. This is Female to Male or FtoM. In fact this condition affects not only Humans but animals too. Although it's exact causes are yet to be conclusively understood, current medical knowledge classes Transexualism as a birth defect. A part of the individuals brain which deals with gender is formed as that of the opposite sex to the physical body. Fortunately this condition is relatively rare and whilst transexualism certainly isn't the norm, it is a natural phenomena and definitely isn't invented or "chosen".

You may also hear the terms pre-op and post-op Transexual. This is because some transexuals find living with their condition so difficult they take hormones and undergo surgery (SRS or Sex Reassignment Surgery or GRS Gender Reassignment Surgery) to make their body match their mind. This process is called transitioning. Whilst current medical science only offers a sex change as a cure to transexualism, the degree to which a person has mastery of their own mental states often has a bearing on whether a sex change operation is essential. Some will get depressed or view their life as a lie if they are forced to live in the gender role of their physical body and in extreme cases sex change can be the difference between life and death. However it would be wrong to say that the goal of all transexuals is to transition to one gender. There are many more who leave their bodies unaltered and view their unique blend of female outlook with masculine strength and presence as an advantage. Certainly statistically speaking, many transexuals benefit from this combination of female understanding with male competency, as a higher than average number of us are in the higher income bracket with technical or professional skills. Oh come on, you know when God takes with one hand he gives with other!

Cisgendered (or cis) - the reverse of transgendered, basically someone who feels they are of the physical gender they were born in. To some it's a more fancy play on the old concept of normal, yet actually it's a little more specific and a useful word if you're going to look at gender theory. Typically it's used to refer to the thoughts and assumptions made by the majority who are unaware of the transgender phenomenon, ie "that's a very cis or cissexist point of view"

Transvestite, tranny or TV - A transvestite is a person who chooses to outwardly express their inner feelings through their appearance. They could be male or female yet have the desire to show their feminine or masculine nature through dress. Think of it this way. You have a line numbered from 1 to 100. 1 is 100% female and 100 is 100% male. The majority of people would be a comfortable mixture of both genders in the way they think - say 90% male, 10% female. However, some people have a strong feminine or masculine side, maybe 60-40. Having this stronger leaning within they may feel unable to express themselves fully within the constraints of their day-to-day gender and so find release in spending time within the opposite gender role.

By far the majority of Transvestites are heterosexual, marry and live otherwise "normal" lives save the odd girls night out at a TV club or group or they dress at home. The majority of Transvestites do not take their need for expression into their sex lives and topics on discussion at TV groups are normally very clean, along the lines of a woman's magazine - make up, dressing nicely, where to shop for bargains etc.

Cross Dresser or CD - Whilst most Transgendered groups could be considered as a form of cross dressing, within the TG community Cross Dressing is often seen as something more specific; it's when dressing is done for sexual pleasure. It often centers on wearing more intimate apparel such as lingerie or underwear, as well as fetish wear like PVC or leather. There can be a huge gulf in outlook between a Transvestite and a Cross Dresser since the Cross Dresser is motivated by sex, whilst the transvestite is motivated by the need for expression. Therefore Cross Dressers may not feel the need to look convincing or act in anyway like a female would.

For some cross dressing can be part of a complex about their sexual orientation - some people cannot accept themselves to be bisexual or gay and so cross dress because the thin veil of the woman's role allows them to act out fantasies that their own mental conditioning is at odds with. It's basically like saying to yourself it's OK for me to be having sex with a man because at the moment I'm a woman.

There are also cultural differences in this term. In North America, the word crossdresser can essentially be the same as transvestite; it needn't necessarily connotate for sexual purposes. However in Europe there are clear examples of this connection. For example if a celebrity or politician was found in some sex scandal where they were dressed it would be described as a "crossdressing shocker" rather than a "transvestite shocker". This is why I prefer to split the terms transvestite and crossdresser to refer to two different motivations.

Drag Queens - A Drag Queen is the name given to a performer or entertainer who dresses as a woman. The majority of Drag Queens are gay and the woman they portray themselves as is really a caricature of feminity. It's certainly not intended to bear any more than a superficial resemblance to any real woman and many Drag Queens use their act as an opportunity to make fun of women.

I should note here that there are also many Drag Kings - women who impersonate men. Don't knock it, if only Elvis actually did look as good as them!

Sissies - A sissy is a man who enjoys being dominated by another, normally a woman. Their Mistress may make them do a variety of things both sexual and non-sexual ranging from serving her to doing housework. Domination is a big part of being a Sissy and failure to please the Mistress may result in humiliation, forced feminisation, bondage, spanking or other forms of disciplining. For some sex may form the final part of the role play, for others their wife may enjoy forcing them to do the dishes in a skirt!

Intersexuals (Hermaphrodites) - Different from Transexuals, Intersexed people are born with the physical sexual organs of both genders, although they may not be fully formed. For them, choosing which sex to live as can be the most important consideration as some have surgery to remove one set of organs, although their parents are often placed in the difficult decision of deciding at birth resulting in many becoming female since medically this is easier. Some will grow up and like transexuals realise they are in a body that doesn't match their internal gender and seek a sex change. Some choose to remain ambiguous whilst others very clearly define themselves as thinking from only one gender. Like Transexuality, Intersexuality is a birth defect but it's visible symptoms can cause just as much, if not more issues to contend with. It can also have a variety of causes such as Chromosomes.

Whilst considered part of the Transgendered Community, it is rarer to meet an Intersexed person since the condition is apparent from birth. Most will receive medical advice from an early age and do their best to lead otherwise normal lives. The term Hermaphrodite used to be widely used to describe them, but nowadays this term is not used since it's not really accurate. Intersexual is now used in it's place and refers solely to those born with both sexual organs in non-hermaphroditic species, i.e. humans.

Shemales - A shemale is someone who takes hormones and may undergo feminising surgery but chooses to keep their male genitalia. Some do this because it allows them to earn money in the sex industry since once they have the chop, they loose their uniqueness. This allows them to save money for their treatment as transitioning can be very expensive with surgery alone costing thousands, not to mention the cost of hormones which transexuals must take for the rest of their lives. Similar names include Chick with a d*** and Ladyboy. Whilst Shemale is a word originating in the porn industry, Ladyboy is a translation of a Thai word as Thai people have believed in the existence of a third gender for thousands of years. Not all shemales transition like transexuals do as some prefer being both sexes or have commercial interests that require them to have a functioning male genitalia.

Androgynous - To be androgynous is to be on the borderline between male and female. There are people who enjoy creating confusion this way (gender terrorists) or just naturally look that way. One can be androgynous in thought or appearance.

Third Gender Terms - The Third Gender lies somewhere between male and female and has been accepted by many cultures since ancient times giving rise to many names. The Third Gender applies to pretty much all male to female transgendered groups. Terms include the Thai Katoey or Ladyboy, the Indian Hijra or Evening People, the North American Indian Winkte and Berdache or Two Spirit and the Arabic Khanith or Not Clearly Male. In the Roman times the Galli were transgendered priestesses of the Goddess Cybele who voluntarily castrated themselves. There are also similar terms from many other African, Asian and American cultures dating back thousands of years - as I said earlier, transexuality and intersexuality are naturally occurring conditions and although rare have been around as long as humanity.

Autogynephile - this a relatively new term that deals more with sexual arousal in the sense that there are many men - often classed transvestites, transexuals or cross dressers - who find themselves aroused at the thought of themselves being female. One argument goes that this is natural in the case of transexuals as it is normal and healthy to have a sex drive and when you have a clear body image that you find attractive it is appropriate that you find it a turn on.

Another argument goes that fancying yourself as a woman is very different from being a woman and can simply constitute a fantasy of supreme appreciation for women (if the person having it is heterosexual) or of denial of one's latent homosexuality. I guess there are probably people that fall into both categories, although I suspect that there are more men who are comfortable being men yet find the thought of being female erotic than there are transexuals who have autogynephilia as part of their natural sex drive.

Afternote added May 2010: A further point on the subject that was quite rightly raised to me by one reader is that there are lots of cisgendered people who find affirmations of their gender a turn on such as the guy who feels good when a woman makes him feel a real man or how women like to be treated like a woman by a gentleman. Therefore there is an argument that autgynephile is a word invented by cispeople to pathologise the transgender condition. At anyrate, the term is included here for discussion and debate and like all my transgender term definitions, I don't claim that they are all encompassing or complete, nor do I edorse them all. They're merely here and present to serve to inform and stimulate debate.

Always remember that whatever title you feel fits you or someone else, that's not all you are. You might be a screaming tranny but you're also a human being right? Could it be possible that that person who you dismissed yesterday as a sick cross dresser might also be the paramedic who one day saves your life tomorrow? What I'm trying to say is that people - all people - are wonderful creatures with many sides and traits. Use titles to help understand your world and tell others about it but don't make the mistake of thinking that's all you are. Don't let your gender identity rule your life - let your mind rule your life. Much as a beautiful mind will create a beautiful life, so to a mind that traps itself in words or titles can create a life that is hemmed in and restricted. Free your mind and the rest will follow...

colorful sauce: http://www.danistroom.com/inspirations/hel...definitions.htm

Pecah Lobang - Muslim transsexual sex worker, Malaysia

“Pecah Lobang,” which means “busted,” explores what it’s like to be a Muslim transsexual sex worker in Malaysia.

Shot in the Chow Kit red light district, the documentary revolves around Natasha, a Muslim Mak Nyah, who refuses to live life as a man. Unable to secure employment because of discrimination, Natasha turns to sex work and lives in constant fear of the police and religious authorities.

Crossdressing is a crime under Syariah law for Muslims and the penalties are severe. But it wasn’t always enforced in Malaysia. How did the country become so heavy-handed on the transsexual community?

A religious scholar, a physician who conducted sex change surgeries, a sociologist, three attorneys and an outreach worker explain how it all came to be.

–

“Pecah Lobang” menyiasat pengalaman seorang transeksual beragama Islam yang menyara hidupnya sebagai pekerja seks di Malaysia.

Dokumentari yang digambarkan di sekitar Chow Kit ini menceritakan kehidupan seorang Mak Nyah beragama Islam bernama Natasha. Natasha terpaksa menjadi seorang pekerja seks akibat diskriminasi yang wujud di dalam masyarakat terhadap golongan Mak Nyah. Pihak polis dan penguatkuasa agama yang sentiasa memburu pekerja-pekerja seks membuatkan Natasha sentiasa di dalam ketakutan.

Undang-undang Syariah di Malaysia melarang lelaki daripada berpakaian wanita. Akan tetapi, penguatkuasaan undang-undang itu tidak wujud suatu masa dahulu. Bagaimanakah penguatkuasaan ke atas transeksual di Malaysia menjadi ketat?

Seorang ahli ulama, seorang pakar bedah yang pernah melakukan pembedahan penukaran jantina, seorang pakar sosiologi, sekumpulan peguam dan seorang pekerja sosial berkongsi pendapat tentang keadaan undang-undang terhadap Mak Nyah di negara ini.

Write-up copied from http://www.pohsiteng.com/pecah-lobang-busted-muslim-transsexual-sex-workers-in-malaysia/

Award won: Justin Louis Award, Pecah Lobang (Busted) documentary, 2008

Transsexual Yasmin Lee Interview

Transsexual pornographic film actress Yasmin Lee, who played the role of transsexual stripper-hooker Kimmy in The Hangover: Part II, has caused a bit of a stir about whether or not her character was a positive portrayal or a symptom of American transphobia (and I certainly had a few concerns of my own to reconcile).

The ongoing debate at Queerty was eventually participated in by none other than Ms. Lee herself, and I decided to take her up on her gracious offer: If you need further help in understanding this complicated world you can always look me up on facebook.



How did you get involved in the Hangover: Part II, and how respectful were they of your identity?
The studio found me on IMDb as the lead for an indie horror flick, Red Ice, where I played the Succubus. They sent me a message asking if I would be interested in coming in to audition. [By the third round of auditions,] they were flying in girls from all over the world just to read for the part, and I got pretty nervous. I realized that this scene must be really important if they’re going to invest all that money just for the audition. I went in thinking Okay, just be me.When I went in and saw the director, Todd Phillips, sitting on the leather couch in his casual plaid shirt, shorts and sandals, I was thinking Wow, he’s really hot. He also had his golden retriever in the room which made me feel like I was in a Ralph Lauren ad. After various readings from comic pacing to different accents, he and the casting director assured me I did an amazing job. Todd Phillips asked me if I acted full time, what I did for a living. Without hesitation, I said “I’m one of the top transsexual porn stars in the entire universe, specializing in spanking naughty boys.” I don’t know what was going through my head.


He kinda said wow and thanked me right away for telling the truth, and that they weren’t expecting that. The whole process was very much a fish out of water experience for me, but they made me feel very comfortable. Though after revealing what I do for a living I thought that there’s no way I would get the part. As I was walking out, I jokingly said “This reading would have been a lot easier if the director wasn’t hot, it’s such a distraction. I don’t appreciate it,” and smiled. Weeks later, the director himself called me and said that I got the part, but to act surprised when casting called to tell me officially. We had a very intimate talk about the TS community and our struggles. I could tell he sincerely cares.




Millions are going to see your performance. Do you feel the character Kimmy was a fair portrayal of transsexuals? And as a follow-up, you’ve mentioned in the past that 9 out of 10 transwomen are in the sex industry. Could you clarify that? I think there are many people in Western nations who find that hard to understand.
In my personal opinion, and by the way I was born in Thailand, I think that Kimmy is a very fair portrayal of a transsexual woman. Does she represent all transgender people of the world? No. Anyone that has gone to Thailand would agree that among the 300,000 transsexuals living in Bangkok, there are many who are working in the mainstream and are more accepted there than anywhere else in the world. But the majority of Thai transsexuals are sex workers. There are clubs after clubs of Go-Go dancing transgender women. Actually, it’s a very big part of Thailand’s economy, and these girls are loved, accepted and acknowledged by the people, the government, and the media.


What do you have to say to people who accuse you of being a man or a transvestite because you have a penis?
Anyone who accuses me of being a man or transvestite because of my genitals do so out of hatefulness, or in most cases pure ignorance. They’re simply not educated about our community. We are not the norm and people don’t run into TS women on a regular basis. People fear stuff that they don’t relate to or understand, but I find that most people will at least listen. This is the opportunity for you to engage and change someone’s opinion. Maybe they will learn and maybe they won’t just yet, but they never will if the opportunity doesn’t present itself. I know sometimes we feel rage and anger when we feel we are misrepresented or mistreated, but lashing back is never a good way to represent ourselves. I, too, have made this mistake in the past. We really have to take the opportunity to be educators.



Is there anything else you’d like to add?
In final thoughts, I had an amazing time hanging with all the boys and the crew. Everyone from the lighting guy to my people for hair, make-up, and wardrobe assistance, to the studio big fish treated me with love and respect. As a matter of fact, though I’m a very proud transsexual woman I didn’t feel like I was one on-set. I was there simply as an actress and they treated me as such. Not for one second did my gender become an issue. Can’t say the same for Crystal the monkey. She had to play the part as a male monkey but did so fiercely.


I feel that this movie has done a great deal for the GLBT community in terms of exposure. The role of Kimmy was never meant to be a role model, or someone that represents the community as a whole. For me it was a means of income as well as an opportunity to shed light on who I am, and more importantly our community and our struggle for equality. With all the hype and talk about my controversial scene, it will lead to open discussion and then even more opportunities to educate

Source: http://translabyrinth.com/2011/06/01/interview-with-transsexual-actress-yasmin-lee-hangover-2/

Bukak Api (2000)

http://www.veoh.com/watch/v16061055XKhfBBpP?h1=BUKAK+API+%282000%29

The only realistic movie on transsexuals sex worker in Malaysia. VCD are available from PT Foundation (http://www.ptfmalaysia.org).

Seksualiti Merdeka Donation Drive

The 4th annual Seksualiti Merdeka, Malaysia’s only festival celebrating the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities, will take place this year from 1 to 13 Nov.

We have successfully collaborated with journalists, artists, academicians, students, lawyers, activists and members of the public to create platforms in Malaysia to speak up about these issues. Judging from the growth in participation from NGOs, volunteers, and number of audiences (500 in 2008, 1000 in 2009, 1500 in 2010), we believe we are meeting a need that has gone underserved in Malaysia.

Seksualiti Merdeka is a non-profit initiative, relying on efforts of volunteers and collaborators. The festival is therefore wholly funded via donations from NGOs, friends, participants and anonymous supporters. The success of this meaningful festival depends on the financial support from your organisation or yourself.

In return for your generosity, we offer:
1] Your company’s name & logo on all flyer, mural, buntings, web publicity, press release;
2] Your company's materials on the site during the festival;
3] A booth representing your organisation or company during the festival;
4] Your company thanked during every event at the festival.

Should you prefer, you may also opt to donate anonymously. You may choose to sponsor just one of the events instead of the whole festival.

We welcome donations of any amount from individuals or organisations, but we recommend sums of RM500 / RM1000 / RM2000 / RM3000 / RM4000 / RM5000.

We hope to raise RM36,000 this year to enable the smooth running of all the programmes. If you like a breakdown of our budget and expenses, please let us know and we will send it to you.

If you are able to contribute or have any inquiries, please contact:
Jerome Kugan: +6016 802 7347, jeromekugan@gmail.com
Pang Khee Teik: +6012 305 1135, worldwithoutpangs@gmail.com

Thank you.

Pang Khee Teik
Co-founder and organising chair for Seksualiti Merdeka

Petition against discrimination, misrepresentation, slandering and hate-mongering perpetrated by the media towards transgenders in Malaysia

http://www.change.org/petitions/malaysian-television-stations-newspapers-and-radio-stations-stop-portraying-the-transgender-community-in-negative-and-damaging-light

We, the transgender community of Malaysia have had enough of the discrimination, misrepresentation, slandering and hate-mongering perpetrated by the media of our identities and lives. The recent episode of Wanita Hari Ini: Pondan, Ancaman Wanita/Tranny, Threat to Women (4 October 2011) by TV3 as well as the article in Berita Harian (6 October 2011) (Salah makan punca pondan?/ Wrong food consumption can lead to transsexualism) were very telling of the deeply discriminatory agenda of these media entities. We are appalled by the irresponsible and unethical reporting of the named media.

We demand that the media stop portraying the transgender community in such negative and damaging light. We strongly condemn the publishing of articles which are groundless and damaging to our lives and aspirations.

Response to Wanita Hari Ini 04/10: Pondan, Ancaman Wanita

http://vimeo.com/30074770

Dear TV3,
After viewing the talkshow Wanita Hari Ini "Pondan Ancaman Wanita" on 4th October 2011, I was utterly disgusted in the way your station has portrayed women and transsexuals in Malaysia. Not only has the programme stereotyped women as only working as Makeup Artists or Wedding Planners, but also suggested that women are weak and whiny when faced with the co...mpetitive working industry.
It is very unprofessional for the hosts themselves to be not educated in the area of discussion before the show. What you are showing on television confuses everyone about the issue and incite hate towards the prejudiced. The term "Pondan" and "MakNyah" are 2 very different classes of gender expression. "Pondan" refers to effeminate MEN, which are Lelaki Lembut. Whereas "MakNyah" refers to Transsexuals which are males that desire to be totally female, usually undergoing surgery to alter the body. Pondan or Lelaki Lembut are usually flamboyant men that IDENTIFY themselves as MEN/LELAKI.

A point that was brought forward in the show was, "women are threatened because the pondans are monopolizing the makeup industry". This is wrong as Culinary Arts, Makeup and Hairstyling industries are dominated by men. Masculine men in fact. The title instead should be "Lelaki Ancaman Wanita", because these men are doing what used to be thought as women's job. We have come a long way to recognize that women no longer are subjected to careers in beauty only, but also very capable in previously male-dominated careers like police force, entrepreneurship, civil engineering... etc. Equal career opportunities are given and the best person gets the job, there is no grounds for women in complaining that their work is being taken from them. This violates the Malaysian Constitution that guarantees equality and non-discrimination on the basis of gender.

I am also appalled when pondan/maknyah are accused of "stealing" the husbands from women. Blaming others of the unfaithfulness of ones husband is very childish and illogical. Happiness and trust between man and wife requires more than just sex and food, there is so much more to marriage. Both sides should seek family counselors when faced with cheating, instead of putting the blame on some innocent person. It is the husband that is cheating, not the transsexual, and so she does not deserve to be held responsible for the men's actions.

Equally inappropriate are the panel for discussion. Fatin Sarjat, a university student; Dr. Edward Chan, who is an unqualified psychologist; and Azwan Ali, who is a crossdresser.
I have checked with Dr. Alvin Ng, President of Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology (MSCP), that Dr. Edward Chan is not a registered clinical psychologist and is NOT QUALIFIED to explain the situation to the mass public. He's views on transsexualism may not be calibrated with the world's standard and thus cannot be used as a reference on the topic.
Azwan Ali, is a crossdresser. He is a Pondan in all its definition - a soft BOY/effeminate MEN. Crossdressers are people that dress up as the opposite sex for the thrills of it, but is totally comfortable with their sexual organs. He cannot represent the maknyah community because he never had the need to be a woman. He was having fun being flamboyant, which he still is adorning large rings and bracelets on the show.
Cik Fatin Sarjat is included i believe for the views from the younger generation, but it is not appropriate for her to tell her views about religion on this issue, when she herself is not being religious. Her hair is let loose, and dyed golden, whilst commenting on how pondan is wrong in the words of the Quran - foolish!

I would like to remind your station, that all citizens of Malaysia are protected under the Federal Constitution and Defamation Act 1957. Under no circumstances may any discrimination or defamation be broadcast to incite hate towards Malaysians, regardless of gender. I hereby insist that your station release a press statement to apologize for the slanderous broadcast made to enact fear and hatred towards the transsexual community in Malaysia.

GENDER BASICS (cont'd):

*content are from Lynn Conway's website*

The practice of "surgically correcting" the genitals of intersex infants to make them "normal":

 

By the 1960's, advances in plastic surgery combined with the "Genitals + Upbringing" theory of gender identity led physicians to recommend "corrective" surgeries on many types of intersexed infants. The idea was to make the genitals look cosmetically correct for a boy or girl, and then raise the child in the corresponding gender, believing that the child would grow up to have a correspondingly normal gender identity.

 

John Money of Johns Hopkins University, who gradually became the medical community's dominant authority-figure in "gender-identity studies", was the leading advocate of such treatments. A believer in behaviorist psychology, in which the mind of the infant is thought to be a blank slate having no inherent personality characteristics, John Money theorized that gender identity was solely the product of upbringing and socialization.

 

The motive for doing "corrective" surgeries on infants was to solve the "social emergency" caused by an intersex birth. The very existence in nature of many intersex babies, with their many variations of genitalia, breaks down the strict male-female gender dichotomy of our culture. Thus the existence of intersex babies brings into question many deep religious and legal strictures. Parents and doctors are under incredible social pressure to eliminate these variations. John Money provided a theoretical rationale which validated intersex infant "corrective" surgeries, and made them appear to be "scientifically sound".

 

Since it was easier to surgically "make a girl" than to "make a boy", it frequently happened that XY intersex boys having small or missing penises were turned into girls. The fact that sensitive genital tissue was lost in the process didn't deter the surgeons, because for many years our society did not openly recognize that most women have strong sexual feelings and a capacity for orgasm. If the infant was turned into a girl, doctors didn't worry about whether she would later have strong erotic genital sexual feelings and enjoy lovemaking; they only worried about whether she would function sexually for her male partner's pleasure.

 

Surgeries on intersex infants have been done for many years now, with a frequency of about 1 in every 2000 births. In most cases the surgeries create girls. Amazingly, there was never any organized scientific follow-up to see how these cases turned out!

 

Even in the early years of these surgeries, there were people urging caution, most notably a young researcher named Milton Diamond, now a Professor at the University of Hawaii. While still a graduate student, Diamond made an audacious challenge to Money's theories in a 1959 paper entitled "A Critical Evaluation of the Ontogeny of Human Sexual Behavior". Diamond's insights were based on his own observations in animal experimentation. He further marshaled "evidence from biology, psychology, psychiatry, anthropology, and endocrinology to argue that gender identity is hardwired into the brain virtually from conception" (see As Nature Made Him, p.44).

 

However, the notions that human beings had "advanced beyond the influences of biological evolution in matters of sexuality", and that one's sexuality and gender were socially constructed, had already been deeply imprinted in the medical community. Under the influence of the "gender prophet" John Money, this view dominated medical and psychological thinking for the remaining decades of the 20th century. Infant intersex surgeries were performed by the thousands during those decades, and again without any follow-ups. Only as the century was closing did awful questions begin to arise, as occasional rare follow-ups revealed things hadn't turned out as Money predicted.

 

How these attempted "corrections" reveal that old theories of gender identify formation were wrong:

 

In recent years, many intersex people have "found each other" via the internet and begun to compare notes about their situations. As a result, it's become clear to intersex people themselves that many of the "corrective" surgeries didn't work out according to their doctors' theories. Instead, many intersex people were left genitally maimed by those infant genital surgeries. Many were also suffering from gender identity crises, because of having undergone arbitrary gender reassignments based on what it was "easiest for the surgeons to do".

 

Under pressure from intersex activists, especially the newly formed ISNA, follow-up studies have finally begun on infants who were "surgically corrected" over the years. The first such study, of 25 genetically XY boys who had missing penises as infants (cloacal exstrophy syndrome) and who had been surgically turned into girls and raised as girls, revealed that all 25 developed MALE gender identities.

 

Those kids, although raised as girls, had all exhibited the rough and tumble play of boys when young. By their teens, each of these kids insisted against all evidence of their female genitalia and upbringing that they were boys, and wanted to be changed into boys. Many of them desperately sought girlfriends, just as might any other teenage boys.

 

Instead of reversing their innate gender identities and turning these intersex boys into girls, the infant surgeries effectively turned them into the equivalent of female to male transsexuals! Many of these boys have since undertaken hormonal and social gender reassignment from female to male. Tragically, the effects of their infant genital surgeries preclude the surgical reconstruction of male genitalia and in many cases even preclude them from experiencing sexual pleasure and orgasm.

 

More lessons from intersex people about gender identity:

 

These recent studies call into question the entire existing practice of genital surgery on intersex infants.

 

The studies then do something even more awesome: They turn on its head the theory that genitals and upbringing determine gender identity, triggering a paradigm shift in the medical community's overall thinking about the underlying nature of gender identity. The personal experiences of intersex people who have traveled different gender trajectories (some "corrected" as infants, and some not) are now becoming more widely known about, and are helping build a deeper understanding of the many variations in gender identity that are independent of one's physicality.

 

For example, in intersex conditions such as XY-Turner mosaic (mixed gonadal dysgenesis) a child may appear to have normal male genitalia at birth and be raised as a boy, but then not masculinize at puberty and instead remain slight and feminine appearing. These teens can face great difficulties if their condition goes undiagnosed and/or if they do not become aware of good options for treatment. If they do not have a well-established male gender identity, they may face a difficult choice of whether to undertake testosterone treatments to masculinize and become men, or undertake estrogen treatments and genital surgeries to become women. In some cases, XY-Turner teens have female gender identities and if given a choice in the matter will chose reassignment as females.

 

The article "What do children know?", by Jane Spalding tells the compelling story of such a child who was raised as a boy, but who had a female gender identity and who sought hormonal and surgical reassignment as a female during her twenties. The existence of such cases further refutes John Money's proclamation that genitalia and upbringing establish gender identity:

 

Jane Spalding

 

Misguided by Money's theories for many decades, the medical profession has caused the irreversible physical maiming of thousands upon thousands of intersex babies. For compelling insights into the traumatic life experiences of an intersex person who was surgically "corrected" at birth, and who grew up without ever being told what had been done, see the recent interview of Cheryl Chase in Between the Lines: coming to terms with children born "intersexed", by Victoria Tilney McDonough.

 

Cheryl was the founding Director of the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), and the early leader of the movement to end shame, secrecy and unwanted genital surgeries for people born with atypical reproductive anatomies. ISNA is working to end the idea that intersexuality is shameful or freakish. In the U.S. alone, five children are subjected to harmful, medically unnecessary sexual surgeries every day. ISNA urges physicians to use a model of care that is patient-centered, rather than concealment-centered. For more insight into these issues, see the Discovery Channel documentary "Is it a Boy or a Girl?", which was produced with ISNA participation.

 

Cheryl Chase, Founding Director of ISNA

"When an intersex baby is born, the default is usually to

perform surgery," says Cheryl Chase, who was surgically

"reassigned" female when she was 18 months old.

"Doctors want to 'fix' what is not right, then slap a diaper

on the baby, close the file, and send it off into it's life."