When I first came to Malaysia, it was the 60s, and I was from a pretty (then) conservative corner of Australia. I found Malaysia – and Singapore – amazingly free and liberal in their attitudes to the transgendered and cross-dressers. And you can still find those corners of liberalism and tolerance – there is usually a transvestite cabaret in K.L. for example.

But the tolerance, it seems, was not strong enough to stand up against religious intolerance or Asian conservatism. We are now going backwards, and the law is backing the discrimination. When a Minister can stand up and publically deny a certain type of education or job to a transgendered person without an ounce of shame, it is a sorry day.

And on a more cheerful note, Ru – I think my grandson that he can dress however he wants…

Perceptions and upbringing are all too powerful, if a person doesnt make the conscious effort, I doubt he/she would change at all.

The people should not elect such ignorant Minister to the parliament.

That’s just really strange.

It’s not the being arrested in your own home that’s the problem. I have no problem with pedophiles being arrested in their home, for eg. It’s the reason for the arrest. It’s the stark staring terror about different sexuality, when it’s perfectly clear enough men and women are mating that the human race ain’t in danger of going anywhere.

One wonders where the Minister would draw the line on where men may be regarded as ‘soft’ in their behaviour – or indeed, on what ‘womanly’ behaviour is like, as clearly women do not all behave the same way. Perhaps he needs to go back to school himself, and have soft male and intelligent female teachers enlighten him on a few points?