Thursday, October 04, 2018

NYC in support for the Malaysian LGBT community following recent violent hate attacks

Protestors for LGBT Rights in Malaysia, September 2018. Photo Credit: @MalaysiaLGBTQ Twitter

FROM THEFAYTH'S MAILBAG, A NOTE FROM LGBTQ MALAYSIA

"Since last Thursday, September 27th, for three consecutive days, the streets of NY were painted in pink as a sign of support and solidarity with the LGBT community in Malaysia, as many supporters and protesters gathered in front of Malaysia's Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's hotel who was in NYC for the United Nations General Assembly.

Behind this initiative and the protest is a group of former Malaysians, volunteers and activists based in NYC, who felt that as the hate campaigns against the LGBT community are raging through Malaysia, the only hope left for the members of that community is to turn to the West and ask for its support in their struggle.

3rd day that the streets of NY in front of Dr. Mahathir’s hotel were painted in pink as a sign of support and solidarity with the LGBTQ community in Malaysia that is under #unacceptable violent attack after he declared that Malaysia will not accept their rights. @DebonairPierre pic.twitter.com/p2NnHk0hDO
— LGBTQ Malaysia (@MalaysiaLgbtq) September 29, 2018

The peaceful protestors were hoping to increase the global awareness of the violation of the human rights of the LGBT community in Malaysia and get the attention of the Western media and the public support.

Since Malaysia’s general elections on May 9, 2018, there has been a significant increase of instances of persecution, discrimination, and violent hate crime against the LGBT community.

This hostility towards LGBT is evident both from within society and from the administration.

Protest for LGBT rights in Malaysia - NYC Sep. 28, 2018 Video Credit: LGBTQ Malaysia Youtube

Within a spread of a few days, Blue Boy, a local club in Kuala Lumpur was raided by the police in attempt to mitigate the LGBT culture from spreading into the society, a transgender woman was beaten and abused in the street, a lesbian couple was publicly canned in the streets of Terengganu by the orders of the Sharia court, and the list goes on.

This behavior is encouraged and fueled by the statements of the highest-ranking governmental officials, including those of the Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad himself, who was quoted saying that “faith will save you from being gay”.

In addition, the authorities are organizing “camps” and “seminars” with the purpose of curing the LGBT disease. There were also statements that a regulator would be set up to monitor LGBT activity online.

Last Friday, Dr. Mahathir stated that “There are certain things that we cannot accept even though it is accepted as human rights in the West. This includes LGBT and same-sex marriage”. He then added that - A couple with their own children, or even adopted children, is considered a family. But two men and two women is not considered a family.”

As state supported and sponsored homophobia is increasing, members of the LGBTQ community in Malaysia are beaten, caned, abused, humiliated and terrorized. They are deprived of their basic human rights, accused of being a social disease and are in midst of an unprecedented attack."

FOLLOW Malaysia LGBTQ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MalaysiaLgbtq