AS MR Leo Hee Khian points out, there is an increased number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) interest groups within our tertiary schools ("Distinguish between helping gays and supporting an agenda"; yesterday).
These interest groups often highlight bullying and suicide among people who self-identify as part of the LGBT community. Consequently, these groups promote the normalisation of homosexuality as the solution.
This trend is disconcerting, as "tolerance" and "normalisation" are not the same thing.
Tolerance presumes disagreement towards homosexual behaviour, but seeks to "live and let live". Normalisation, however, seeks the approval and celebration of homosexual behaviour.
Hence, unless we are prepared to take on faith the unproven assumption that one's sexual behaviour is amoral and intrinsic to one's identity, there is a leap of logic in justifying normalisation as the best way forward.
Given the above, how then should LGBT groups be managed by our schools? Are the schools simply remaining neutral, and allowing students to decide on their own?
Claims of neutrality are not valid. If we accept that humans have a social dimension, neutrality is a myth because it ignores the reality of social and institutional influences on individual choice and belief.
Some ideas and preferences become popular only because they are institutionally and socially reinforced or conditioned.
Therefore, in making a choice to intervene or not to intervene, schools are making a choice which requires the weighing of opposing values.
A deliberate choice to allow such influences to continue may be based on a belief that normalising homosexual behaviour is desirable, or that the tenets of liberal philosophy should be adopted.
Yet, neither is widely accepted in Singapore.
Hence, given the state of affairs, schools should ensure that the line from "tolerance" to "normalisation" remains protected, until a broader social consensus is reached.
The education sector is especially sensitive as our youth are the future of society.
Han Junwei
