(This blog is only compatible with Internet Explorer.)
Friday, September 14, 2007
The One About Homosexuals in the Army.
Girls love gossip. But recently I realised that guys love it just as much, as long as it concerns them in some way or another. I happened to overhear two of my friends who are currently serving National Service now, talk about homosexuals in the army. I made quite some interesting discoveries and one of them even directed me to the following websites:
These websites contain an article written by a Singaporean homosexual soldier. Due to his homosexuality, he was actually demoted to a lower "grade" which denoted his physical status as a soldier. In some ways, it could be said that he was stereotyped as being weak as compared to the other soldiers who were straight. This is definitely a very controversial topic, and many have debated the reasons behind this. None the less, the article is definitely an eye opener.
For more on this topic, check out our "special interview" with Mr. X in our "Grab Bag" Section!
My Eyes Are Open, The Brin (:
ms. johnson and the brin bit this at ; 10:47 AM
Who We Are, Really.
Hey guys! Welcome to our humble blog! (heh heh) So, somehow or another you’ve managed to stumble upon our little blog eh! Well, you’re in for a treat! My name’s Brin and together with my friend Ms. Johnson (she refuses to disclose her first name for fear of stalkers; she is very delusional.) we will be investigating stereotypes in South East Asia, with special focus on Singapore!
A stereotype can be defined as “a preconceived and over-simplified idea of the characteristics which typify a person or thing”.
In other words, a stereotype is a perceived image we associate with a group of people and let me tell you guys, most of the time this image is just a whole lot of &@^#! (Ms. Johnson: *gasp* BRIN!)
*Cough cough* Oops, sorry! Anyway, as I was saying, stereotypes are all over the place in South East Asia! In most cases, these stereotypes can greatly affect an individual's life in a negative manner. Stereotypes cause a lot of tension between different groups of people. In extreme cases, this problem could pose a threat to a nation's stability and prosperity. (Ms Johnson: And trust us, THAT’S BAD!)
Indeed! In this blog, we’re not going to show you guys the "impending doom" that would arise should stereotypes not diffuse.(Ms. Johnson: Are you sure that’s the right word to use, Brin??)
CAN YOU STOP INTERUPTING ME!!
(Ms. Johnson sulks)
ANYWAY, we will be looking at this issue in a rather unconventional way! As someone once said, "Laugh at yourself, before someone else does." This philosophy is indeed one which we should live by.
(Ms. Johnson: Maybe in your life...)
I heard that!! AS I WAS SAYING, we intend to show you exactly how ridiculous stereotypes are, in order to prove to you that stereotypes should never be taken seriously. Seriously! (*Ms. Johnson smirks*)
Also, from time to time, we’ll include special interviews with very important people who you will soon get to know! You can find these interviews in our Grab Bag section (Step 3). We’ll be paying special attention to stereotypes in Singapore. Seriously, you might be surprised at the stuff we’ve managed to dig up! Also, don't forget to leave us a message on our tagboard at Step 4.
We hope you laugh along with us (not at us, please!) as we explore the various stereotypes prevalent in South East Asia. Remember! Take everything with a pinch of salt (why do people say that?)! Cheers!
Regards,
The Brin (:
(Ms. Johnson: AND ME TOO!)
The Grab Bag.
Hey guys! Welcome to our favourite section of the blog! We had a great time filming these videos and meeting these interesting people. (heh heh.) Be sure to scroll down,
all the way so that you won't miss any interesting bits and pieces! Do be patient and let the videos load. Have fun! With love, The Brin and Ms. Johnson. (:
The Singapore Stereotype Quiz: Do You Dare Face Your Inner Stereotype?
Be brave my friends! CLICK IT! (You know you want to. *wink wink*)
One bright sunny morning, Ms. Johnson sets off into the quiet neighbourhood of Bishan. Suddenly, she happens to spot Ah Long and Ah Mei who are on their way to
the local koptiam shop. She decides to jump at the opportunity for a juicy interview about the Ah Beng and Ah Lian (Chinese gangsters stereotype) stereotypes in Singapore!
Relaxing in Corners: A Maat in Denial!
Whilst prowling the canteens of NUS, The Brin and Ms. Johnson discover Nizam (a.k.a ABANG) who happens to be waiting for his friends (a.k.a BRUDDERS).
In his skinny jeans and slippers, he seems to fit in with the ideal Maat (Malay male teenager) stereotype. However, when we ask him about his Maat roots, he gets gravely
offended and the nosey reporters begin to fear for their lives...
Gin is as Thick as Water: An Anjadi in Singapore!
Just as Ms Johnson is about to go out and get some Roti Prata for breakfast, she hears someone blasting really loud music from the void deck of her block. She goes
off to see who is causing all the noise pollution in the area and meets Sangeetha, the epitome of the typical Indian teenager stereotype a.k.a Anjadi. Ms. Johnson was definitely
in for a BIG SURPRISE when Sangeetha whipped out her leopard print scarf and started doing the bhangra right before her very eyes...
After months of searching, Ms. Johnson and The Brin manage to find Mr. X who is willing to share with them some secrets about life in the army. They meet him one
lonely night and question him about stereotypes prevalent in army life.
The Brinster (Designer/Artistic Prodigy) Ms. Johnson (Evil Inspiration/Steven Speilberg's "Tool")
Iskandar a.k.a Mr Relax-One-Corner Charlene and Dominic a.k.a the Techno-Si-Bei-Zai Couple Priscilla a.k.a Ms. Dey-Bhangra-Dah Andrew a.k.a Unknown-Guy-Who-Walks-Past-The-Toilet Mr X. a.k.a Mr. Please-Don't-Sue-Me Margaret a.k.a Ms. My-Hair-Not-Girly-Meh
Not forgetting our beloved tutor,
[[~*~*~THIRU~*~*~]]
for the endless amount of inspiration he has bestowed upon us. Without him, this blog would cease to exist.
(The Brin: Seriously, because then we dont need to do this project, what.)
(Ms. Johnson: OI!! You want an "A" or not?!!?)
(The Brin: Ooops. Yes, an "A" would be nice. Thiru rocks!!!)