As part of its bid to “curb the problem of homosexuality,” the Malaysian government has begun holding seminars aimed at helping teachers and parents spot signs of homosexuality in children.
According to a report in the Guardian, the Malaysian government is particularly targeting Muslims who make up more than 60 percent of Malaysia‘s population of 29 million people.
So far, the Teachers Foundation of Malaysia has organized 10 seminars across the country. Attendance at the last event on Wednesday reached 1,500 people, a spokesman for the organization said.
“It is a multi-religious and multicultural [event], after all, all religions are basically against that type of behavior,” said the official.
According to the Guardian report a handout issued at the seminar stated that signs of homosexuality in boys, “… may include preferences for tight, light-colored clothes and large handbags.”
Apparently, according to the handout, the tell-tale signs of prospective lesbians are harder to spot. It is suggested that shunning the company of boys and wanting to sleep in a bed with girls might be a clue.
Amnesty International condemned the move posting on its blog, “It might sound like something from Victorian England, but this is modern day Malaysia … it reflects a worrying trend towards increased homophobia in the country.”
Same-sex sexual activity in Malaysia is illegal. Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has twice been tried for sodomy. Despite national and international protests, he was not released until he had served out four years of his sentence, in 2004, when the Federal Court of Malaysia acquitted him of all charges.
