Change you can believe in?

Some religious leaders preach it, but psychologists deny it. The word is change, and the subject is homosexuality. While some individuals in the LGBT community seek to change their sexual orientation, are they in fact chasing an illusion?

In this four-part series, the writer explores the idea of conversion therapy and the notion that Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgendered (LGBT) people can change, if they choose to do so.

Mr Leslie Lung claims that he has changed.

But while the 45-year-old Christian believes he is different from who he once was, he still calls himself a “transsexual”.

“No, I do not reject my identity. In fact, I’m proud of it,” he says. These words would surprise many, especially when the notion of whether Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people can change has been subjected to heated debate.

Mr Lung, who is also a founder of Liberty League, a secular organisation that facilitates discussion groups for individuals dealing with family and sexuality issues, shared with The Online Citizen about his past life of cross-dressing and involvement in the scene, which he was a part of since 14 years old.

Speaking in a sprightly, somewhat feminine voice, he recalled how as a teenager, he would be constantly teased and ridiculed for his mannerisms.

“I felt depressed, to be honest, because of the social expectations of how guys should behave. Also, I had difficulty dealing with my sexuality and the Christian view of it,” he confesses.

But with help from friends, counselors, and church ministers, he soon got over his depression, even though it was a long process. He even dropped the notion of going for a sex-change operation. The key, he says, lies in accepting himself, but living a chaste life as demanded by the Bible.

“If God has made me this way, then it doesn’t make sense to reject my gender identity. Yet at the same time it is quite clear what the Bible says. It’s quite clear what’s right and what’s wrong,” he adds...

Click here to read the full story on TOC.

Men, get your prostate checked

This male organ often becomes enlarged with age, leading to problems such as renal failure. However, if detected early it can be treated with medication alone.

TERENCE LEE reports

For Mind Your Body (Straits Times)

25 July 2008

Unfortunately, quite a number of the men do get it.

By the time they hit 80, one in two men in Singapore will have an enlarged prostate gland.

Only men have this organ.

Senior consultant urologist Associate Professor Chia Sing Joo gave the figure during a Prostate Awareness Month 2008 press conference last week.

This prostate disease - medically called Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) - if left untreated, can lead to complications like bladder stones and even renal failure.

If detected early, it can be treated with medication alone.

Delays will worsen the disease and surgery might then be needed to remove part of the prostate gland, said Prof Chia, who is from Tan Tock Seng Hospital's general surgery department.

Survey results show that 44per cent of men did not visit the doctor despite experiencing symptoms of BPH for at least six months.

The survey was conducted with 480 men above 50 who attended a prostate awareness forum on July 5.

However, Dr Fong Yan Kit, chairman of the Prostate Awareness Month and consultant urologist at Raffles Hospital, said the actual nationwide percentage could be even higher as those at the forum are most likely already aware of the issue.

'This is just the tip of the iceberg,' he said.

A common misconception is that the symptoms - such as a constant urge to urinate - are part of ageing.

Said Associate Professor Kesavan Esuvaranathan, president of the Singapore Urological Association: 'The men think it is normal. All their buddies have it, so it's okay. They think it's just like their hair turning white, nothing to worry about.'

About half of those who went to see a doctor about urinary issues already have their lives disrupted by it, the survey also revealed.

'Elderly men who want to enjoy their retirement and play golf or go on vacation with their spouses will find it tough because they have to constantly visit the loo,' said Prof Kesavan.

Their sex lives may also be affected.

Also, having a family history of BPH and lifestyle habits like lack of exercise, smoking, drinking and a diet with high fat content could increase a man's chances of getting the disease.

There is also another reason men experiencing symptoms associated with the disease should see a doctor early: it may be a sign of prostate cancer, the third most common cancer among men in Singapore, said Prof Chia.

'Symptoms of BPH and prostate cancer are almost indistinguishable - you can't really tell one from the other,' he said.

As part of the Prostate Awareness Month, the Singapore Urological Association is organising a series of subsidised prostate examinations this month. The subsidised rate is $8 for men aged between 50 and 75.

The full cost ranges from $30 to $65, depending on the hospital.

The remaining screening exercises are scheduled as follows:

Tan Tock Seng Hospital, today, 9am to 4pm

Changi General Hospital, tomorrow, 9am to 4pm

Singapore General Hospital, Friday, 9am to 4pm

This is the fifth year the Prostate Awareness Month has been running.

Staff sent out email asking members to vote at Aware EOGM

26 APRIL, 2009 – CHURCH of our Saviour (COOS) staff sent out email calling for church members to vote at AWARE's upcoming EOGM, a spokesman has confirmed yesterday.

For a while, it had been unclear whether the leaked email messages, readable in various forums, were authentic.

Speaking on the sidelines after Sunday's 10.30am service, the church spokesman verified that only Shawn Tay and Linda Seah's email messages are genuine. Both are staff of the church.

Mr Tay sent out an email on 17th April calling for church members to join AWARE and support the new Executive Committee members. He is from Choices Ministry, a department specialising in homosexual counseling.

In the email, Mr Tay called for “all responsible females to sign up for membership with AWARE immediately, and also to attend this all-important EGM so as to vote against changing the Constitution.”

As for Ms Seah, who is a zone pastor, she sent Senior Pastor Derek Hong an email on 16th April stating that “the number of members registered on Tuesday night is 13 out of 40 who turned up.” As of the time of this piece’s publication, the church has not been able to clarify what this means.

Both email messages were sent only after news of Aware's takeover broke on The Straits Times.

It is also unclear if the rest of the leaked email are authentic...

Click here to read the full story on TOC.

David Widjaja’s autopsy report released, results not disclosed

THE file on David Widjaja’s case remains wide open.

While the autopsy report on his death has finally been released, the details of the alleged stabbing incident remains sketchy.

The family received the autopsy report on 4th April (Saturday) from Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

The report has been sent to a team of doctors in Jakarta for analysis, says William Widjaja — who is David’s brother – in a TOC interview on 6th April.

They did so because they could not understand the medical terms used in the document, he claimed. William also declined a request to send a copy of the report to TOC, saying “it’s better to leave it to the professionals.”

Nevertheless, a press conference will be held once the results are known. This was deemed necessary by the family as many Indonesians are clamouring to know what has happened...

Click here to read the full article on TOC.

Danger, no sweat

A runner who doesn’t sweat can’t cool down and risks heat exhaustion. TERENCE LEE reports

For Mind Your Body (Straits Times)

11 June 2008

You need to sweat it out if you are a runner. Literally.

Sweating is the main way the body loses heat, therefore it’s crucial for runners to sweat naturally, said Dr Low Wye Mun, a sports medicine doctor at The Clinic @ Cuppage.

Few realise it, but heat exhaustion can occur even when you are not under the searing sun. That means it could happen even you were running a marathon at night. In fact, it happens any time the body is unable lose heat during exercise.

“Wearing light and well-ventilated clothing instead of long-sleeves and long pants helps in the cooling process,” said Dr Low.

If you covered up excessively, heat from our body cannot dissipate because sweat
will remain trapped under the clothing. Keeping the body well-hydrated is also crucial in preventing heat exhaustion.

Dr Low recommends that a runner drink about 250ml of fluids for every 15 to 20 minutes of exercise. Although water is sufficient for hydration, sports drinks boost performance by replacing the salt and glucose lost during such events.

While heat exhaustion is not life-threatening, it can develop into heat stroke. And if left untreated, complications like brain cell damage, organ failure, collapse, and even death may result.

However, heat exhaustion can be difficult to detect during a run.

According to Dr Lim Jit Kheng, a sports orthopaedic surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, detection of heat injury requires the measurement of the body’s core temperature using a rectal thermometer. While available at all endurance events, this is obviously not an option for runners.

“Furthermore, the symptoms for heat exhaustion are also quite similar to normal physical exhaustion, which include lots of sweating and a reduced but still palpable sense of balance, a feeling commonly expressed as ‘hitting the wall’.”

Once the body temperature rises above 41 deg C, heat stroke sets in. The victim stops
sweating and the skin dries up. Other signs also include unresponsiveness, tiredness and loss of balance. By then, serious medical attention is needed.

To prevent heat injury, both doctors suggested adequate physical preparation for the endurance event. That means not jumping straight into a 42km marathon when you have not conquered shorter distances.

Also, if slated to run in scorching temperatures, it helps to first acclimatise your body by training yourself progressively in hot and humid conditions.

In essence, do whatever it takes to prevent it in the first place. But what can you do if you feel the onset of a heat stroke?

Said Dr Low: “Stop the exercise, move to a cooler place and cool down through the use of cool fluids, fans, and cool wet towels. To paraphrase: its either drink or die.”

Painting of the year is, well, not quite a painting

By TERENCE LEE

For The Sunday Times

July 13, 2008

"A painting” that is actually a series of three photos of animal organs has been named the UOB Painting of the Year.

It raised some eyebrows, in more ways than one. Entitled Anatomical Fantasies Of
Meat, the work by 25-year-old undergraduate Joel Yuen beat 1,200 other entries to clinch the prestigious award, now into its 27th year.

One of the photos includes a pig’s tongue, heart and stomach turned inside-out, as well as a chicken’s spinal bones tied together and suspended with nylon strings.

Mr Yuen, who is from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media, yesterday received $30,000 in cash prizes.

Some contestants, who asked not to be named, found it strange that his entry had won.
Firstly, it was not a painting but a work of photography.

Secondly, his subjectmatter was reminiscent of British shock artist Damien Hirst, whose 1995 work featuring a rotting cow and bull was banned by New York City public health officials. They had feared the stench of the carcasses would cause visitors to vomit.

UOB could not be reached for comment on this issue.

But Mr Choo Thiam Siew, chief judge and president of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, said the panel’s five judges unanimously agreed that Mr Yuen’s work was not vulgar at all.

“Even though it’s a photo, it looks a lot like a still-life painting. And it had a
powerful message, showing how humans are indiscriminately slaughtering,” he added.

Mr Yuen himself was surprised to learn that he had won the award.

“As for Damien Hirst, I’m not really a fan, and I noticed the similarities only after I started working on my piece,” he said.

This is the first time an entry from the photographic category has won the Painting of the Year award, after the category was introduced in 2003.

Also, the cash prize this year for the award was increased from $20,000 last
year.

All winning entries, including Mr Yuen’s work, will be on display at the Esplanade Recital Studio until Aug 2.

Secret TURN ONS

Research has been unable to pin down exact causes of sexual fetishes. TERENCE LEE reports

For Mind Your Body (Straits Times)

July 25, 2008

Two weeks ago, a 36-year-old man caught sniffing a housewife’s armpits was sentenced to 14 years jail and 18 strokes of the cane.

He had molested 23 women, from girls of nine to women in their 50s, in a similar fashion over 15 months.

This is not the first such case here or abroad.

Sexual fetishes, when people are sexually aroused by specific materials or objects and are generally unable to achieve sexual satisfaction without them, are real and diverse. They become fixations, and are more than just sexual kinks.

Psychiatrists say that they are far more common in men than in women, and men prefer to keep their fetishes a secret. However, their obsessions do get them into legal trouble sometimes.

“Most men with fetishes don’t consult us. They’re too shy to do so and they find the problem embarrassing,” said Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre.

Dr Brian Yeo, consultant psychiatrist at Mt Elizabeth Medical Centre, agreed. “If their fetish could be easily accommodated by their partners, they would see no need to visit a psychiatrist,” he said.

However, Dr Calvin Fones, a consultant psychiatrist, observed that it is very unusual to have consensual agreement between spouses regarding sexual fetishes.

“If something’s done once, the woman finds it kinky. But if done 10 or 20 times, then she thinks it’s perverted. Such fetishes are seldom mutually enjoyable,” he said.

Men with sexual fetishes often suffer from low self-esteem and are unable to relate to the opposite sex, said Dr Yeo. As a result, some men resort to molestation, underwear theft or even stealthily take photos up women’s skirts to achieve satisfaction.

Research has been unable to pin down exact causes of sexual fetishes, but psychiatrists agreed that they usually develop from young.

According to Dr Fones, a sexual fetish usually develops when a teenager or adolescent associates an object with sexual gratification.

“It sticks in his mind and persists until adulthood, like a bad habit,” he said.

While it may be challenging to undo the past, Dr Wang believes a person can still take control.

“The sexual urge is a very basic, primal instinct, but mature adults can decide to satisfy them only under the right circumstances,” he said.

“If a person has a strong urge to press himself against someone’s buttocks, I would teach him to focus on other things, such as distracting himself by listening to music on his MP3 player.”

He said sex therapy is another solution. By improving a man’s sexual relationship and gearing him towards mainstream sexual practices, it is hoped that he will overcome his fetish.

Said Dr Yeo: “For my patients, I’m more pragmatic. If they have to view pornography, I usually move them towards more mainstream stuff, such as heterosexual porn."

Sidebar: One man's motor fetish

“I have sex with cars.”

That was the confession 38-year-old mechanic Briton Chris Donald made to The Sun in March last year.

He also claimed an affinity to motorboats and a jet ski.

Psychiatrists have deemed his motor fetish harmless, and he has even set up a website devoted to his fetish.

There are many forms of sexual fetishes, from the usual obsession with feet, shoes and panties, to the downright unusual.

There is lipophilia, which is an obsession with fat people, and also Capnolagnia, which is a fetish with smoking.

Transvestism is a male arousal from wearing female clothes, while hypnofetishism denotes a fetish for hypnosis.

Coprophilia is an obsession with faeces and formicophilia is an attraction to smaller animals crawling on parts of the body.

Some fetishes may be downright harmful.

For example, apotemnophilia is a fetish with self-mutilated body parts.

There is also crush fetish – a desire to see a sex partner crush insects or animals under the feet.

Lastly, there is even impregnation fetish – which is arousal from the risk of impregnation through unprotected sex.