ZhiWei's view on Singlehood

For Singlehood:

"In relationships, a single person is one who is not married, or, more broadly, who is not in an exclusive romantic relationship." - Good O'Wiki

Being single can have its on pros and cons. 

Single men and women are able to actively pursue their dreams in career or through any other medium. Every single one of us has dreams. There are always something that we dream of doing or having. Being single is like being released from a cage and given the freedom to fly freely like the birds in the sky. We can go wherever we want and do whatever we want. Life without the burden of a relationship or marriage is what many of us will love to have.

Living a life of quietness and isolation ain't that bad as well. Imagine yourself on a Hawaiian Island all alone and quiet. The only sound you hear is the calm Pacific water washing against the golden sand. The air is cool and refreshing and it brushes across your face. As you slip into a quiet undisturbed nap, you feel like as if you are floating up into the heavens...

Well, not a bad description of what it feels like to be single. But being single also creates problems.

Sure the Hawaiian Dream sounds attractive but even when place in that position, one day somehow you will want to step out of the foldable chair and find life-long companion. People who remain single usually will face with problems like loneliness. Singlehood deprives people of the close companionship and the close intimacy that is all humans' needs. Sometime in our life we will want to have someone to love and care for just as much as we need their love and care. 

Car is a luxury we have. Wine is a luxury we have. Time is not. Even as you read this, what you had eaten for the previous meal is history and you cannot go back to change what you have eaten. The same goes for us as we seek relationships. We have to face the fact that as we grow older, especially beyond the age of 40, the chances of us successfully finding a spouse get lower. Even if we find success in doing so, how much time do you think we will have to enjoy the love and intimacy that can be found in a marriage or relationship?

Indeed being single grants us the freedom many married couples do not have. But after achieving all that we want, there bound to be the desire for us to settle down and start a family. Even when married, we still can enjoy some of the freedom that single men and women have. We still have the ability to travel the world and live the Hawaiian Dream. We still can feel the joy of flying freely but why not share this joy with someone we love?

Just like darkness is the absence of light and death is the absence of life, I feel that singlehood is the absence of intimacy. Therefore, we should not think of marriage and relationship as a cage. Instead, we should think of it as the freedom to love.

-ZhiWei

Hannah's views on homosexuality : blessing or a curse?

Is homosexuality a blessing or a curse? when we see people of the same sex hanging out together, often, what would we think?

Gathering some information and research, I have found out that the mainstream moral values of Singaporeans are conservative and homosexual acts are unlawful, I have also discovered that based on statistics,
A survey found that 69 per cent of Singaporeans have a negative view of homosexuality, 23 per cent are positive and 8 per cent ...(www.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/About%2BMe/Columns/Story/A1Story20071107-35072.html - 39k -)
This truly meant that Singaporeans were still against the idea of having gays sticking around the country.

On a personal basis, I have taken a stand on NOT supporting the gay movement. For one, I think that it is definitely more of a curse rather than a blessing to have homosexuality practiced in this nation. For two, I believe that homosexuality is NOT a natural thing. Infact, I believe that this has regards with psychological issues. However, though I may not approve, it does not mean that all disapproves too. There is still 23% who are positive about this act.

How has homosexuality become a curse rather than a blessing to me? -you may ask. Here are my reasons. First, I would like to define the word homosexuals, and their practice, homosexuality.
Based on the online dictionary, homosexuals, is the sexual orientation to persons of the same sex. , and their practice, homosexuality is defined as, sexual desire or behavior directed toward a person or persons of one's own sex. which meant that an contemptible act is involved in the process of homosexuality.
Many through this act has got themselves into serious, deadly illnesses that cost their lives. Some, got influenced by the people around them, and also influenced the others into this practice, there are also cases that actually surfaces that psychotic gays using children if they had no sex partner.All these were the main concern of not supporting the gay movement, but of course, not supporting their movement does not mean we discriminate, we are still people who understand the value of humanity.
There are much more cases of why Singapore society disapproves of the homosexuality movement, but only this much would be mentioned.
Thus, weighing the pros and cons has enabled me to define that homosexuality is still a social stigma and more of a curse rather than blessing in society in today's context.

Donovan- Homosexuality-A curse or a blessing

In Singapore, the government has decided not to appeal Section 377A of the Penal Code. Abolishing the law would "send the wrong signal" and push gay activists to ask for more concessions, such as same-sex marriage.But homosexuals are still given space to live their own lives as long as they do not actively advocate their lifestyle.
Indeed, if homosexuals actively advocated their lifestyle(e.g. gay parades) this would, especially in the eyes of parents promote homosexuality which many would find offensive and morally wrong. While times have changed and there are activists who try to urge the law to be repealed, Singapore is still a rather a conservative society and gays are not allowed to set the tone. The tone of the society remains straight.

In western countries, homosexuality is generally more accepted. Most western countries have laws that protect homosexuals from violence or discrimination. But in many other countries, they are not safe from discrimination. Homosexuals are often frowned upon by society and religions consider homosexuality a taboo. Homosexuals are shunned by the public and in some cases, a homosexual person can be fired from a job because he is a gay, even if he is a good worker. Homosexuals can also be denied renting a house or eating at restraunts because of their sexual orientation. And, not forgetting ocassions where the law prohibits gay-marriages , denying homosexuals from getting into intimate relations with each other. This is definitely a curse to being a homosexual especially if they live in countries with strict laws on homosexuals.

On the positive side, homosexuals can contribute to the economy, especially in the pink dollar industry. Companies that tap into such markets can benefit , especially when one considers the amount of money homosexuals can inject into the economy. There are currently companies that embark on marketing strategies targeted at homosexuals, even trying to raise the number of homosexual customers, due to their economic importance. For homosexuals, this is one good point for them and the country's economy too can benefit.

But for the vast majority of the time, homosexuals have to live in a society where they are discriminated and shunned by the public, being labeled as "untouchables".
Therefore, in my opinion, homosexuality is definitely more of a curse than a blessing.

Kang Liang's entry on Homosexuality: Blessing or Curse

Homosexuality has become a very big event in our modern life as we can see with our own eyes around us. Homosexuality defines that the people who are of the same gender are in love and even up to some sexual behaviour. In the past, when we hear about such things, maybe most of the people will be really disgusted about it, but for now, as people are more highly educated, they seems to be more open and it maybe treated as a trend. We will not be able to decide if it is either a curse or a blessing; it is up to the people to make the choices that they find suit them most.

We shall now look at some views of people supporting homosexuality which will include the benefits which made them chose this path. To some of the people, for some of their personal reasons, they have lost confidence in their opposite gender, and therefore they will divert their attention to homosexuality which they find it is a more safer route to take. Others will find that they will have more confidence for doing something that is always considered WRONG in the past. By doing so, they can expand their social cycle not only to opposite gender, but also to the same gender.

Lets now look at people from the other coast which follows the tradition of life which does not support homosexuality. They have listed out the disadvantages for not supporting homosexuality. Homosexuality to them is very foreign as they are males and females on this earth for a reason and thats for reproduction. To them, by doing the thing the other way round, which means homosexuality, means you are trying to make a North pole of a magnet to attract to the North pole of another magnet which is always impossible and in the end there is no product formed which is a waste of time. To them, by going against their religion, or family traditions, they are like breaking their own arms or legs which mean in the end a high price must be paid, but the efforts are not paid off. In the long run, homosexuality will lead to social and even economic problems as homosexuals will not be able to give birth and also families may break up when they have different opinions on the homosexuality issue. To better cope or to cure the society, they have come up with a proposal to maintain the law of penal code 377A which imprisons people for having sexual behaviour between same genders in public and even in private.

Sides of the arguments have submitted proposals for the penal code 377A, one is to repeal the code and one is to maintain the status quo for the code. Even though there may not have an answer now to either repeal the code or to maintain it. In my opinion, I do not support homosexuality as to my views it will not have any advantages. Be it either it is a curse or a blessing it is really up to the people to decide their fate.

Shenglian's views on homosexuality

Homosexuality is getting to be a common sight in the Singaporean society today,where people of the same sex behave intimately even at public places.This has led to much discussions amongst different people from the society.In my opinion,I feel that homosexuality is a curse.
As you may have known,homosexuality does indeed widen people's social circles,where they can make more friends not only from the opposite sex,but among the same sex as well.They can get to spend more time together also.
However,getting involved in such relationships are considered as "unhealthy",according to concerned Singaporean parents,and also some individuals who are against the idea of homosexuality.The more time they spend in such relationships,they will tend to get more confused about their sexual status,where they will then tend to behave more in a feminine or masculine way,which is treated as "undesirable" by many locals,therefore leading to the statement that homosexuality is a curse.
Another cause for homosexuality may be that some had been hurt by past relationships with the opposite sex,so they have turned to getting involved in homosexual activities,so as to relieve the pain of being in a relationship where opposite sexes are involved.
Although it may be true that one will be happier in such relationships,but what's the point of having counsellers in Singapore when people do not consult them for help in such cases?They should have approached a counseller for advices when they have failed in their love life,or relationships with the opposite sex.So homosexuality is viewed as a curse more than as a blessing.
Henceforth,in my opinion,I feel that homosexuality is a curse,since it does more harm than good to Singaporeans.

HOMOSEXUALITY

A homosexual refers to a person who is attracted to both sexes.Is it a blessing or a curse?In my opinion,i feel that homosexuality is a curse.Being a homosexual causes alot of problems.

For most religions,being a homosexual goes against their beliefs.Unless your family is very secular,having to explain to your relatives that you are a homosexual will put you in a tight spot as they will look at you differently.Some very traditional parents will still force their homosexual child to marry the opposite sex as they are afraid to damage the family name.I feel that this will cause the homosexual to be very sad as he'she is not able to be with his'her loved one.Instead he is being forced to marry someone whom he does not really love.He will not be able to find TRUE HAPPINESS.

In today's society,many of the older generation have stereotyped homosexuals to be wierd people.This is not true as you cannot judge a book by its cover.Many talents in the society are homosexuals: tim gunn and karl lagerfeld.Our society needs talents like these to design our clothes and stuff like that.It doesnt matter if they are gay or not.I feel that everyone is important even gays and lesbians.Just as long as they dont do gross stuff in public,I think they should be appreciated just the same as a straight person(:

love,
MIMI =D

Rachel's Entry on Homosexuality:Blessing or Curse

Homosexuality refers to sexual behaviour or attraction between people of the same sex, or to a sexual orientation. Singaporeans, with their fast-paced lifestyle to uphold its cosmopolitan reputation, have neglected the issues and problems posed by homosexuals. Before we say whether homosexuality is a blessing or a curse, we should consider how it will affect people's way of life and cognitive impression. In a country like Singapore, we might be modern but there is still a majority of us who are traditional in our beliefs and heritage, and might feel uneasy when discussing the subject of homosexuality. It largely remains a taboo topic in many Singaporean households and parents do not encourage their sons or daughters to be associated or accept homosexuality. Hence it brings us to our topic of whether homosexuality is really a blessing or a curse in this modern era.

The present open attitude towards homosexuality may be a blessing to people who have problems dealing with their sexual preferences. Now they are able to come 'out of the closet' and confess their sexual preferences and tendencies towards their own gender. It 'permits' these people to come forward and be honest towards everyone, including their family, friends and the public. It does not directly affect the population as a whole and might even be accepted into our society in the future as it will not pose any adverse effects towards the general public.

Moreover, being homosexual would not necessarily mean that the person should be shunned or treated any differently. In addition, we might have friends or relatives who are homosexuals but we would not be able to find out about it as they might be afraid of all the negative publicity they might face if they ever admitted their sexual preferences. Therefore, you can consider the acceptance of homosexuality as a blessing in this case as it provides a platform for homosexuals out there to stand up bravely and admit that that they are homosexuals.

Another way that homosexuality might prove to be beneficial and a blessing in disguise would be that family and friends can rally around these homosexuals and actually improve family relations and foster social cohesion and family bonding. Some would argue that families might become estranged with their daughters or sons because they simply can't accept the fact that they are homosexuals. However, the saying that "Blood is thicker than water" is put to the test. Trust becomes an important key in this case as it depends fully on whether these parents can accept their kids for who they really are. Most of the time, parents would rally and suppport their children's decisions as it concerns their happiness and might determine the outcome of the relatiomship between parent and child. Therefore, most parents are more forthcoming nowadays and will encourage their children to pursue thier happiness and find their better half no matter what consequences they might have to face in the near future. Through such an incident, it might help to improve relations among family members and also reinforce the bond that both parents and children share together.

It might prove to be a blessing as it also helps to alert the public of the rising trend of homosexuals and educate them on how to embrace these homosexuals into our society. For example, the penal code 377A is getting a lot of attention and publicity. It has made the general public sit up and notice that there is such a law and that homosexuals are suffering in silence because of the general public's selfshness and shallow mindset that homosexuality should not be tolerated and should be forbidden.

However, recently much media attention was given to this topic as a result of some artists in Singapore speaking out for these homosexuals ... asking for homosexuals to be given their well deserved rights. As expected, it has sparked some controversy among many Singaporeans and the government. Some people question how Singapore is going to advance and catch up with our American counterparts if we do not even have an open mindset and accept homosexuality as a way of life in our society.

However, there are always people who reject the idea of homosexuality as it might tarnish Singapore's squeaky clean reputation and righteous government policies. As such, there is much stimulating debate about homosexuality being accepted into society as the government has to cater to the majority of the general public in Singapore.

This might prove to be a double-edged sword as people might view this issue with different perspectives, hence it might prove to be both a blessing and curse after all.

Even now in Singapore, when people mention homosexuality or breathe the word homosexuals, they would cringe or be in for a backlash. This is how the majority of Singaporeans react when posed with such an issue even though they say they are all out for Singapore to become more modern and open minded. This is such an ironic statement as it shows us how shallow people's mindsets are. It is even worse when you tell your family about it. They would just brush it aside and think that you are insane to ever harbour such thoughts.

Furthermore, the general public has not been educated on the subject as we remain a very conservative society and country, therefore this issue will be met with more criticisms than acceptance from the general public because they are not ready to accept the fact that common gender can love each other and build a home together. Hence, there would definitely be discrimination for homosexuals regardless of their gender as the public is not ready to take that big leap forward to break the traditional rules that have been put in place so many thousand years ago. Therefore, homosexuality might prove to be a curse in such aspects.

When faced with such a situation, there would be legal and social impacts that will affect the public. For example, the penal code might be there for a reason and for now, homosexuality is more of a hindrance than a curse as it is now illegal to allow homosexuality in Singapore. Another impact that will affect the society would be the erosion of social ethics and moral values as there is confusion and no order if this law was ever changed.

It might also lead to an increase in the number of people affected with Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STD) and this will affect the population as a whole. Another way it may pose as a negative social impact would be the fact that acceptance might not be widely received by the public. Therefore, to prevent such a situation from happening, the government needs to take steps to educate the public and the younger generation to help them come to terms with this issue. Therefore, there would be problems that the government will have to overcome first before they make homosexuality legal in Singapore.

To conclude, I believe that Singapore is taking many baby steps to becoming more modern and open. Therefore, I sincerely believe that homosexuality is just another way of life that people will have to embrace eventually and might turn out to be a blessing as it will open the floodgates to making Singaporeans more open-minded and liberal in the future. Therefore, I believe that in time to come, Singaporeans will come to terms with this situation and just accept it as another way of living. So, do you believe that Singaporeans will be able to make it happen?