Private matters should remain private, LGBT or otherwise

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail recently sparked criticism when she said that it was "haram" for Muslims to support the LGBT community. 

She stressed that as a Muslim, she does not condone the community. 

However, Wan Azizah, who is also the Minister of Women and Family Development, had earlier said that the LGBT community has the right to exist in Malaysia if they keep their "practice" behind closed doors, without "glamourising" their private lives. 

She reminded the LGBT minorities to respect the fact that the official religion of Malaysia is Islam. 

Following the criticism, her dearest husband, PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim came to her aid, calling Wan Azizah an intelligent leader and supporting the statement issued by his beloved wife.

“It is what you perform or you display publicly which is against the norms of the majority of Malaysians,” he said stressing that there was no contradiction between both their views on matters pertaining LGBT. 

Yada yada yada.

A matter of privacy

Now, what I managed to gather and understand from the statements issued by these politicians, is that, as long as two consenting adults of any gender carry on with their sexual activities in full privacy, behind locked doors and within four walls, it should be their private matter and not anyone else’s business.

As much as it would be nice if everyone could live their lives freely without the need to live in secrecy and hide their relationships with their loved ones, I suppose having a government representative giving the assurance that the authorities will not meddle with LGBT affairs, as long as it is kept private, is quite comforting.

However, I do wonder: Why should the rule of keeping private matters "private" only apply to the LGBT community?

I mean, what if two consenting heterosexual adults who aren’t legally married to each other decide to have sexual intercourse behind locked doors and within four walls, would it still be regarded as a private matter which does not concern anyone else?

Fairness and equality for all

One of the ideas that we should aspire to have in our country’s political system, in my honest opinion, is fairness and equality for all – that all Malaysians, regardless of status, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation are treated equally by the authorities under the system governing us all.

Unfortunately, at the moment, the double standard practised in our country regarding the freedom given to Muslims and non-Muslims to indulge in sexual activities of their choice (in their private, of course) is blatantly obvious.

While consenting, non-married, non-Muslim adults are free to spend the night together, Muslim couples who do so are held under a different light – not only is their privacy often invaded upon, but they also face the risk of being publicly humiliated and prosecuted. Never mind that these "activities" are done in private.

This invasion of privacy does not only affect heterosexual Muslim couples. Even other Muslims who do what they want in private also face the risk of being detained by the religious police. 

Come to think of it, despite what both Wan Azizah and Anwar have said, I doubt Muslim gay couples would be allowed to have their privacy and have sex behind closed doors.

As such, how fair is it when the LGBT community is given the green light to carry on with their "activities" in private when the Muslims continue to live under the microscopic lens of the religious authorities?

Trustworthy leaders

If Wan Azizah is indeed an intelligent leader as claimed by her beloved husband; if Anwar is indeed the best man to lead the country as claimed by his beloved wife; and if they both are dignified leaders who are honest and trustworthy, they should publicly support the freedom of every single consenting Malaysian adult regardless of race, religion and sexual orientation, to enjoy any form of "activity" in private.

Although I have an annoying feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me not to be too naïve, and that being born as a Muslim in this country means one is automatically stripped of one's rights to be treated fairly and equally, I shall still be hopeful.

After all, Islam demands its leaders to always stand for justice as a matter of principle, whether for Muslims or non-Muslims.

In that regards, it is my utmost hope that Wan Azizah and Anwar, two proud Muslim leaders in our country, support the need for everyone to be treated fairly and equally,  when it comes to "activities" conducted in private. 

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FA ABDUL is a passionate storyteller, a growing media trainer, an aspiring playwright, a regular director, a struggling producer, a self-acclaimed photographer, an expert Facebooker, a lazy blogger, a part-time queen and a full-time vainpot. - Mkini