Gay malaysia
Recent data shows rates of new HIV cases are on the rise in Malaysia, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).
This expand has been attributed in part to chemsex, which refers to the intentional use of psychoactive substances before or during sexual action. Chemsex has been identified as a global public health issue for its likelihood to elevate HIV risk and other health issues like sexually transmitted infections (STIs), addiction, violence, and suicide and suicidal ideation, among others.
GBMSM who engage in chemsex oftentimes encounter obstacles within health concern settings to accessing traditional evidence-based injure reduction services, including HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), HIV/STI treatment, and syringe services programs. Additionally, the criminalization of drug use and same-sex sexual deed in Malaysia further impedes access to these essential services. Moreover, even when such services are accessible, they often lack the necessary support tailored to the specific needs of GBMSM emotionally attached in chemsex.
Leveraging visionary mHealth tools could help expand access to harm reductio
Situation of LGBT People in Malaysia
This short briefing paper gives an overview on the situation of LGBTI people in Malaysia based on reports from ILGA, Foreign Ministries, the United Nations and mayor Human Rights NGOs.
In August and September 2018 the story of two Muslim lesbians who were publicly caned under Sharia law in a public forum in the state of Terengganu despite international and social protests made international headlines. (Human Rights Watch: Malaysia: Two Women Tackle Caning for Same-Sex Conduct, 21 August 2018 und BBC Earth News, LGBT rights: Malaysia women caned for attempting to possess lesbian sex, 3 September 2018) This torture is not yet reflected in major reports enjoy from the US State Department and Amnesty International who were published before.
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Englisch "Voice of the Malaysian People “ – Abbreviation SUARAM) together with FIDH – International Federation for Human Rights (FDIH) published an annual report on human rights in Malaysia, on two pages many local reports from 2017 are listed of discrimination and persecution of LGBTI people.
In the ILGA State Sponsored Homophobia Report 2017 pages 130-131 ther
Malaysia
Same-sex relations for men and women are Penal Code offenses under colonial-era “unnatural offenses” and public morality provisions. Consensual lgbtq+ relations between men carry a hefty maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and whipping. Similar to its commonwealth counterparts, the statute is rarely used to formally prosecute individuals, but rather as a tool to harass, undermine, and stigmatize people who identify as or are perceived to be LGBTIQ. Moreover, state Shariah criminalize consensual lgbtq+ intimacy and diverse gender identities and expressions with sentences that include widespread caning and imprisonment. Police powers are wide, and raids are oftentimes used as tools to intimidate queer people through public morality laws, minor offenses laws, and declare Shariah enactments, or under the guise of reasonable suspicion to search without warrants.
In September 2018, two women were publicly caned for attempting to be “lesbian.” State Shariah provisions that criminalize transgender and gender-diverse people are routinely used to harass and intimidate them. These provisions were challenged in 2011, and a Court of Appeal judgment recognized that the state
The life of gay people in Muslim Malaysia
Posted By Talon Windwalker in Features, Malaysia |
While existence as a gay youthful person growing up during the 1980s certainly was rough, I know that many people had it much worse. And many still do. As I contemplated living in Malaysia, I had to demand the question What would life be like for me as a same-sex attracted man in Malaysia? While the Malaysian culture is diverse and split among three major ethnic groups (Malay, Tamil, and Chinese), the majority are Muslim. You see and perceive its influence everywhere you go. In large, metropolitan KL, it feels less conservative.
As I pondered my personal question, I broadened my query out to perhaps an even more important one—What is being like for Muslim queer people? Islam is not known for its tolerance of the LGBT people and its lifestyle, even though in many Muslim countries sex between men is not uncommon due to the prohibitions of interaction between the sexes. Relations between women are generally ignored.
I reached out to some friends, and in turn a couple of brave Malays stepped forward to be interviewed.
Saiful* is a 33-year-old lgbtq+ male who is Malay. Members of the Malay ethnic group basically h