6:00 AM
Adam
A letter sent to the editor of Minivan News by an anonymous reader, published on the paper's website on 26th Septemper 2009.
***
Dear Editor,
Whether we accept it or not, like any other country in the world, there are loads of gay people in the Maldives too. Being gay is not something you adopt or acquire, it is who you are and you are born with it. Anyone’s son or daughter can be gay or lesbian. They are referred as a taboo and have always been forced to live in the closet. But what we are forgetting here is that we actually deprive a gay person from his rights. His basic right to live, been accepted by the family and society, right to choose his sexual partner and love are all denied.
I think it is time the Maldivian government start thinking about gay rights. Maldivian gays are not going to go anywhere and they are never going to change into straight people. This is who they are and will always remain as gays. And always a new gay person would be born into the Maldives too.
Homosexuality is assuredly no disadvantage, it is nothing to be ashamed of, no vice, no degradation, it cannot be classified as an illness; it is considered to be a variation of the sexual function produced by a certain arrest of sexual development. Many highly respectable individuals of ancient and modern times have been homosexuals, several of the greatest men among them (Plato, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Alexander the great etc.). It is a great injustice to persecute homosexuality as a crime, and cruel too.
Modern medical research has clearly proved that homosexuality is not a disease; it cannot be wiped off from a gay person. He or she will remain so in their sexual orientation and it is more genetic in evolution. So how on earth can we penalise someone for his sexual orientation?
If a man and woman have the right to practice their sexual desires freely between them, why can’t a gay couple do so? People blame that homosexual acts are against human nature, but what exactly does it mean by human nature? Gays have been here since human evolution, it’s just that they haven’t been more open before than now. So how can you say it is against human nature. Gays have always been forced to practice their sexuality in discreet, behind doors with fear.
Legally in 2003, Brazil introduced a UN draft resolution titled, "Human Rights and Sexual Orientation, "which addresses the topic of equal rights for gays and lesbians. It called upon all states to promote and protect the human rights of all persons regardless of their sexual orientation". Maldives has good record of following all UN resolutions, charters and accords but why is it then the Maldivian government doesn’t accept this resolution?
Another barrier hindering the acceptance of homosexuals in Maldives is the religion. Being a 100% Muslim country the Maldives believes that it is going to be against the religion to allow and give the homosexuals their rights. According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association ILGA there are at least seven Muslim countries today which still retain capital punishment for homosexuality. Maldives has also been found to give severe punishments which include long-term imprisonment and sometimes torture. Not to forget also the shame and belittlement a gay person faces from Maldivian society.
Do not forget there are Muslim countries which HAVE legalised homosexuality. They are Iraq, Jordan, Turkmenistan, Albania, Uzbekistan, Palestine, Indonesia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Turkey, Kosovo, Turkish Republic of Cyprus, Chad, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
It is time we need to know the rights of the homosexuals in our country because homosexuality is universal. They are everywhere in this world; rich and poor countries, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus etc, whites and blacks, low and high class societies. They can be doctors, nurses, civil servants, engineers, singers or politicians. Gay Maldivians are also proud to be Muslims and Maldivians and will always remain so. Just Think!
Regards,
Anonymous
***
Dear Editor,
Whether we accept it or not, like any other country in the world, there are loads of gay people in the Maldives too. Being gay is not something you adopt or acquire, it is who you are and you are born with it. Anyone’s son or daughter can be gay or lesbian. They are referred as a taboo and have always been forced to live in the closet. But what we are forgetting here is that we actually deprive a gay person from his rights. His basic right to live, been accepted by the family and society, right to choose his sexual partner and love are all denied.
I think it is time the Maldivian government start thinking about gay rights. Maldivian gays are not going to go anywhere and they are never going to change into straight people. This is who they are and will always remain as gays. And always a new gay person would be born into the Maldives too.
Homosexuality is assuredly no disadvantage, it is nothing to be ashamed of, no vice, no degradation, it cannot be classified as an illness; it is considered to be a variation of the sexual function produced by a certain arrest of sexual development. Many highly respectable individuals of ancient and modern times have been homosexuals, several of the greatest men among them (Plato, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Alexander the great etc.). It is a great injustice to persecute homosexuality as a crime, and cruel too.
Modern medical research has clearly proved that homosexuality is not a disease; it cannot be wiped off from a gay person. He or she will remain so in their sexual orientation and it is more genetic in evolution. So how on earth can we penalise someone for his sexual orientation?
If a man and woman have the right to practice their sexual desires freely between them, why can’t a gay couple do so? People blame that homosexual acts are against human nature, but what exactly does it mean by human nature? Gays have been here since human evolution, it’s just that they haven’t been more open before than now. So how can you say it is against human nature. Gays have always been forced to practice their sexuality in discreet, behind doors with fear.
Legally in 2003, Brazil introduced a UN draft resolution titled, "Human Rights and Sexual Orientation, "which addresses the topic of equal rights for gays and lesbians. It called upon all states to promote and protect the human rights of all persons regardless of their sexual orientation". Maldives has good record of following all UN resolutions, charters and accords but why is it then the Maldivian government doesn’t accept this resolution?
Another barrier hindering the acceptance of homosexuals in Maldives is the religion. Being a 100% Muslim country the Maldives believes that it is going to be against the religion to allow and give the homosexuals their rights. According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association ILGA there are at least seven Muslim countries today which still retain capital punishment for homosexuality. Maldives has also been found to give severe punishments which include long-term imprisonment and sometimes torture. Not to forget also the shame and belittlement a gay person faces from Maldivian society.
Do not forget there are Muslim countries which HAVE legalised homosexuality. They are Iraq, Jordan, Turkmenistan, Albania, Uzbekistan, Palestine, Indonesia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Turkey, Kosovo, Turkish Republic of Cyprus, Chad, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
It is time we need to know the rights of the homosexuals in our country because homosexuality is universal. They are everywhere in this world; rich and poor countries, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus etc, whites and blacks, low and high class societies. They can be doctors, nurses, civil servants, engineers, singers or politicians. Gay Maldivians are also proud to be Muslims and Maldivians and will always remain so. Just Think!
Regards,
Anonymous
Posted in: Letters
