A day in their shoes
Hey ya'll!
I'm here today to talk a little about the COSTA trip we had last semester to the Chow Kit area where we were introduced to the life of transexual sex-workers in Malaysia. I must admit that many of us went there with rather superficial preconcieved thoughts. It really is not difficult to see how you enter a strange environment bringing with you suspicions. It's actually quite normal really because most of us really didn't know what to expect!
Questions like
"What should I say?"
"What questions can I ask her?"
"Do I refer to them as 'him' or 'her'?!"
were running through most of our minds. Yet, I can say that as the session went on, we managed to break down the barrier that social stigma and convention has built around us. And that is what it is really all about.
were running through most of our minds. Yet, I can say that as the session went on, we managed to break down the barrier that social stigma and convention has built around us. And that is what it is really all about.
At the PT foundation we learnt a lot about HIV and Safe Sex, but more importantly the social stigma that surrounds most transexual and homosexual people. Just in case you were not aware, PT which stands for Pink Triangle is a LGBT rights group whose symbolism has historic roots from the time of the Nazis. Homosexuals who were herded (along with the Jews) into the Death camps often had a pink triangle stamped into their uniforms.
The woman we talked to revealed a lot about life, more specifically about loving life and really living it the fullest to what you are.
The woman we talked to revealed a lot about life, more specifically about loving life and really living it the fullest to what you are.
At the end of the day I will not go as far to say as we completely understood what went on in the life of a transexual sex-worker, but we most certainly learnt to look at them no different than one would look at a fellow human being.
This is what you newbies can expect from our COSTA trips. We're not gonna take you somwhere like a muzium or a theme park (let's leave Genting for our end of the year trip!)...because really, it's all about the people and it's all about the various different cultures and lifestyles that we may not know of, or may vaguely know of and have a wrong perception about.
Former VP Aaron Raj strutting the streets of Chow Kit
The entrance to PT Foundation Malaysia. PT is a LGBT foundation in Malaysia that also works with the government it raise awareness for HIV.
The dark narrow entrance to PT masked the warm welcoming atmosphere we recieved inside! This is us helping them make Safe Sex purses.
A rather interesting Safe Sex poster by PT and The Body Shop featuring a rather phallic looking national Flower wearing a condom!
the members of COSTA with Danisha (in white) and Danny (in black behind Danisha) of Pink Triangle.PEACE OUT
