TNP Strikes Again

I will not traumatise the readers of this blog by copy-pasting the entire article from TNP. To summarise, the articles is yet another report on how gay men spread AIDS through clubs and saunas.

Another door next to the counter leads into the main premises. Through an opening on the door, we saw a few walking around topless with towels wrapped around their waists.

And notice, that TNP bolded the sensational statements - as if the fact that men walked around topless in towels was some unforgivable crime. Heard of locker rooms, anyone?

These illicit clubs advertise their services on the Internet. They also rely on members to bring in new patrons. Whenever a new club opens or an old one closes down, word gets around quickly, one member said...... One operator even proclaimed: 'We are an exclusive club! We don't need any publicity!'

Number one, these clubs are not illicit - they are registered businesses. And what exactly is incriminating about clubs not wanting to advertise?

But there are other health clubs and spas who do legitimate business. And these operators feel the shady joints give the industry a bad name.

The TNP seems to be implying that these gay clubs are the only ones with shady reputations. What about the hundreds of "massage parlours" which serve heterosexual male customers? Aren't these a bigger health risk than one or two gay saunas, at least by sheer numbers and ability to blend in with the legitimate businesses?

Andy said: 'It's always possible that one infected guy goes on to infect others in the club because he is angry and he wants to drag others in.'

It is possible, but not probable. Very few of these people exist - it is mostly an urban myth, of the needle inside the pay-phone, of the girls who hitchhike on motorbikes and give their riders a parting gift.

'If the Government can ban Nation and other gay parties because it thinks that they promote gay sex, how can it turn a blind eye to these men's clubs? The parties are held only once a year, but these clubs are open every day.'

Gay sex =/= promiscuous sex. Gay sex =/= AIDS

If the government can ban Nation and other gay parties because they think it spreads AIDS, why aren't they doing anything about the hundreds of Singaporeans who have paid sex with own girls, right here, around Orchard Towers and Geylang. Why isn't there anything done about Singaporeans travelling overseas and having paid sex with the girls there, in Batam, and other places?

I agree that HIV/AIDS is a real problem, and the gay population, as well as the straight population needs to be educated about the dangers of unprotected sex. But it does not help that papers like TNP run these articles to exploit the shock value, sensationalise the issue, and in the end, we are forced to take two steps back from where we are. Stop pointing fingers - it does not help anyone. Instead, start looking for ways to reach out to people and educate them, gay or straight, without bias. People at the MOH, stop being so darn homophobic and censor gay-affirming outreach programmes.

Until this can be done, they have no right to point fingers at gay men.

Singapore