For 2 years, parents didn't know about Aware's sexuality programme.

From ignorance to OUTRAGE
For 2 years, parents didn't know about Aware's sexuality programme. Then events unravelled over the last 7 days
FOR two years, the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) conducted sexuality workshops and talks to schools, and he did not complain.
By Benson Ang and Han Yongming
09 May 2009

FOR two years, the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) conducted sexuality workshops and talks to schools, and he did not complain.

Now Mr Twoon Kok Yam, 50, the vice-president of a shipyard, feels strongly enough to sign an online petition against such programmes in school.

One good thing coming out of the Aware saga, said Mr Twoon, was that it brought this programme out into the open.

He learnt that anal sex and homosexuality were represented as neutral in these programmes, as recommended by Singapore's foremost feminist organisation. (See report on right of facing page.)

Mr Twoon has two sons, 21 and 19, and one daughter, 14, in Secondary 2.

'Anal sex. Pre-martial sex. Orgasm. Is this suitable material to be taught to my daughter?' he asked.

'Students' minds are very impressionable, and they think whatever is taught in schools is correct.'

'But the messages behind such programmes may not be agreeable to everyone.'

Mr Twoon's wife, production planner Grace Goh, 48, added: 'Kids always want to try things out. What if they try this, and it becomes too late for them to turn back?'

Like all parents, they worry that their children will be subject to bad influences, like booze, drugs and promiscuity.

For MrTwoon, the family - involving a heterosexual couple - is still the basic unit of society.

When MOE suspended the programme, he was relieved.

So was housewife Mun Ho Pheng, 50, who also signed the petition.

She has a daughter, 15, in a girls' school and didn't even know that some sexuality programmes were being taught in schools by external parties, like Aware, the Singapore Planned Parenthood Association and the Family Life Society.

She thought only teachers taught MOE-approved programmes to students.

The online petition to MOE was started by Madam KF Khoo last week, who was concerned that Aware's Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) programme indirectly endorsed homosexuality and anal sex as 'normal' or 'neutral'.

The online petition has since garnered more than 7,400 signatures, although it is unknown if unique individuals are behind each signature or if the numbers are being racked up by a few activists.

Aware was recently involved in a leadership tussle between the veteran members and new members who were elected to the executive committee (exco) during Aware's annual general meeting in March.

The fight was played out in the media and culminated in an extraordinary meeting last Saturday, where a vote of no-confidence was passed, and the new exco resigned soon after.

The Aware exco was then replaced by veteran members.

But since Aware's new guard drew attention to what they saw as pro-lesbian and pro-gay sentiments in the CSE programme last week, MOE has received about 100 e-mails and phone calls expressing similar sentiments as the petition.

On Wednesday, MOE suspended the CSE programme conducted by Aware and other vendors and explained that it is 'reviewing ways to provide parents with more information about sexuality education in the specific schools their children are in.'

Aware responds

In a letter to Aware members yesterday, president Dana Lam-Teo said she stands by Aware's CSE programme.

She claimed MOE found certain responses in the programme to be 'explicit and inappropriate'.

She then said: 'We are prepared to review these (responses) and make any changes so long as the principles and objectives of the CSE are not compromised.

'We hope to be able to resume the CSE programme before long.'

Children need to be educated about sex. Like parents need to be educated about sex education, it seems.

They cared but...

IF they cared so much about the CSE programme, why didn't they attend the Aware extraordinary general meeting (EGM) last Saturday?

Mr Twoon Kok Yam said that although he applauded ousted president Josie Lau's team for highlighting aspects of Aware's sexuality programme, he felt that her team could have managed their internal affairs more effectively.

He also didn't attend because he was busy with church on that day.

On the other flip side is 59-year-old nurse Ow Yeong Sou Yong, who is single and has no children. She also didn't attend the EGM although she supported the old guard.

She said: 'I'd prefer Aware to be run by a multi-cultural, multi-religious exco instead of only Chinese Christians.

'But that still doesn't change the fact that I don't agree with the sexuality programme the way it is now,' she said.

Statements in guide deemed...

NON-CONTROVERSIAL

VIOLENCE: Unacceptable in a relationship, whatever the provocation may be.

PILL: The Pill is used to reduce the chances of pregnancy. However, it does not protect you from infection.

SEXY/HOT: All very personal concepts - what is hot for you may not be hot for another person - there is no universal definition of hot. What is more important is that the person feels good about herself.

CONTROVERSIAL

ANAL SEX: Can be healthy or neutral if practised with consent and with a condom.

VIRGINITY: A concept which is really difficult to fix, traditionally virginity is related to the hymen. But perhaps we can also think of virginity as a state of mind?

PRE-MARITAL SEX: People might place pre-marital sex as negative, but it is really neutral. The key is whether the couple is aware of the consequences and responsibilities and is ready for them.

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