Live and Let Live, Respect Lifestyle Choices

http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/119037

Live and Let Live, Respect Lifestyle Choices

Oh Chin Eng

Dec 4, 09

5:58pm

I refer to the Malaysiakini report ''M'sian transsexual fighting deportation in UK to be punished''. I think most of us already know this news about the Malaysian transsexual that wants to get married in the UK. So this is what I got to say.

Well, I'm emotionally disturbed by the public's response towards the marriage of Fatine Min Baharin with Ian Young. Our Malaysian Immigration Department has alleged that Fatine has overstayed in the UK. If found guilty, she'll be barred from leaving this country for two years.

This couple haven't harmed you personally nor threatened the security of UK and Malaysia. They are not a threat to anyone. If we don't want people to stop us from doing what we like, then why stop others from doing what they like? Within limits, of course. In this case, it's their individual right to choose their own life partner.

Now we are hurting them for no reason. Now Malaysia seems to be a threat to this couple. She is so afraid to come back to Malaysia because of the discrimination and hatred for people like her. Her act is unacceptable by the Malays, according to her. She might also be caught under the Syariah law for marrying a person of the same sex.

Their marriage may seems to be against the norm of Malaysians but culture and tradition should not be a rule or obstacle for someone to live their life. Sometimes our norms, beliefs, cultures, and traditions can kill. Some of these are not even relevant to us in today's world.

The world is evolving, we are moving forward and things have changed. Don't hate people who are different then us. These people deserve the way of life they want to be. No one is born with the same personality. You may enjoy something that others don't and vice-versa. So respect others and don't be selfish.

We can't expect others to be like us. Anyway by being together, Fatine and Ian don't intend our harm our environment, they don't commit any crime, they's don't terrorise any countries, they don't make you lose your job, and neither do they intend to kill, rob, steal or smuggle drugs.

All humans are different. That is a fact. Therefore, we must accept the differences among us. We should celebrate the differences in us and stay united in our diversity.

Some people choose to stay single, some choose to get married to someone chosen by their parents, some people prefer to have inter-marriages, some people choose to have partners from the same gender and to Fatine and Young, they chose to marry one another.

They have every right in the world to stay together. So what if they are straight or not straight? So what if they are bisexual? So what if they are gay or lesbian? So what if they are transsexual?

So what if they are 'pengkid' or a tomboy? So what if they don't have any feelings towards other males or females? And so what if they date an animal?!

You might against it but it's their life so let them do what they want with it. After all, the world should be happy because they are happy.

If it's against their religions, let God judge and punish them, not us. God never said we could discriminate and condemn people who are different from us, right?

No matter what Fatine chooses, it's her decision. She has already made up her mind. It's her choice. This is what she wants. This is what makes her comfortable. She's happy with it. So just accept and respect it.

Accept the fact that she's a woman now with the characteristics of a man. We can't change her back to a man.

Malaysians must stop letting themselves be associated with the term 'close-minded'. We must dare to accept changes, whether in our government, our education system, our lifestyles, our way of thinking, and any other aspect of life.

This is one of the problems in Malaysia besides then issue of bureaucracy, racism, poor career opportunities, retrenchment, gender bias, corruption, an exam-oriented education system, cronyism, lack of freedom of expression, violation of human rights, crime, political instability etc.

These problems make our future generation want to work overseas and never want to come back. If the government is nice to its people, I believe, the people will be willing to die for their government. Treat others as you would like to be treated!