My apologies, readers... I think I'll have to postpone the introduction to my office senpais... But here's something for youguys to read, and ponder... Ripped from The Sun...


Hard talk on hidden prejudices
Shanon Shah

Conversations in my head, after stumbling upon a website:

Ronnie Paris, Jr.
Location: Tampa, Florida
Cause of death: Beaten to death by his father, Ronnie Paris, Sr.
Date of death: January 28, 2005
Paris, a three-year-old, died from swellings on both sides of the brain caused by his father, Ronnie Paris, Sr. Paris Jr. had been slapped against the head numerous times, until the child went into a coma. The father did not want to 'raise a sissy,' as the child had seemingly not been masculine enough for the father.

Unnamed transwoman
Location: Surco, Peru
Cause of death: Incinerated
Date of death: Nov 26, 2004
This unknown victim was roughly twenty-two years old. On the night of Nov 26, four people dropped her from a car, then set her body on fire.
(Source: The Day of Remembrance website, http://www.gender.org/remember/ day/who.html)

Shanon 1: Why have you listed these gruesome details here?

Shanon 2: Because lately, I've been getting sick of pondan and pengkid jokes. (pengkid = Malay slang for butch lesbians; female-to-male transgendered people) I've never understood the need to make fun of them, or to peddle hatred and fear towards them as though it were a patriotic or religious duty.

Shanon 1: But why are you so hung up about this? You're not even a pondan yourself!

Shanon 2: Well, I found this on the website, too:

Unknown Transperson
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Cause of Death: Slit throat
Date of death: Nov 11, 2005
Notes: If you have any information on this murder, please contact the city police hotline at (03) 2115-9999 or by sending an SMS to "POLISKL" at 32728.

This victim remains unknown, but was likely of Chinese of East Malaysian descent, but living within the local area. The victim's body was discovered head-first in a garbage bin, wearing a dark T-shirt, white shorts and padded bra. Police revealed that there was a single slash wound on the neck and numerous bruises on the body.

Shanon 1: And?

Shanon 2: Don't you see? Malaysia is also no stranger to incidents of violence towards transsexuals!

Shanon 1: What are you saying? There's no proof that any of these 'incidents' were motivated by hatred towards transsexuals. They could've all just been theft-related violence. You want to get arrested for making these unwarranted claims?

Shanon 2: Listen, when four people in Peru drop a transwoman from a car and set her body on fire, I have difficulty attributing their actions to 'theft'. When a father in Tampa, Florida beats his three-year-old son to death because he thinks his son is a 'sissy', I doubt that it's 'theft-related' violence. So I wonder about the Malaysian incident.

Shanon 1: OK, fine. But why are you worrying about these pondan and pengkid murders? Don't you have other things to worry about? The illegal occupation of Palestine and Iraq, for example?

Shanon 2: I can weep and act for the Palestinians and Iraqis, as well as for people who have died because of transphobia.

Shanon 1: Trans-what?

Shanon 2: Transphobia. You know, when transsexuals are kicked out of their homes, denied employment and publicly ridiculed. When many of them have to resort to sex work and petty crimes in order to survive, and are then accused of being transmitters of disease and threats to public order. When they are then arrested and humiliated even further. When they are beaten and killed. Just for being transsexuals.

Shanon 1: So drama lah you. Anyway, so some people can't stand pondans and pengkids. Big deal. You have to admit they're freaks anyway. Oh, sorry, am I guilty of 'transphobia'?

Shanon 2: Listen, in the District of Columbia, Tyra Hunter was involved in an automobile accident. When rescue workers discovered that she was a transsexual, they screamed obscenities at her and stopped administering treatment. She later died in hospital. You might not call that 'transphobia', but I'd call it a crime against humanity.

Shanon 1: Fine. You win. Oh, the poor pondans and pengkids. They get to transgress the very order of nature, and they have the likes of you to defend them. People with common sense get attacked for having a moral compass.

Shanon 2: Is your 'moral compass' telling you to justify these deaths?


Shanon Shah is a singer-songwriter whose debut Malay album, "Dilanda Cinta", was released last year to rave reviews. He also works on human rights issues, including gender, sexuality and HIV/AIDS.

Those who had experienced what the author said, might get what I'm getting at...