Because They Are Shaming Kepochis
Ā Nothing makes me feel more at home in Malaysiaās back-updated culture than when Iām at a wedding and an aunty reminds meĀ ādonāt have boyfriend now okay, too earlyā but then moves on to another girl who has just finished her degree and goesĀ āeh when you getting married la! so long already, waiting for what? youāre not going to stay this pretty forever! and your oven isnāt going to stay warm foreverā
*rolls eyes so far back into my body that I see my unfertilized eggs*
donāt you just LOVE when older relatives press you, especially as a women in this ever-changing world, to excel academically claiming that that is how you attain wealth/success but will water down my worth for a husband in two seconds depending on whether or not I won the āgenetic lotteryā (not to mention the blatant colourism that always pops up) or my ability to bare children. Does it make me any less of a woman because maybe I donāt plan on having children and experiencing motherhood? Do I become less desirable to partners as I age? Does it make an infertile woman less worthy of love and respect from a partner? because that is what this perspective of perpetuating shame unconsciously instills in us.
I was scrolling through my facebook timeline to find a long list of comments regarding this video of two Indian teenagers in secondary school and see phrases like this. (actual quotes)
āBodoh perempuan ini, mencemear kan name kluarga dan bangsa,jee...ā
āNowadays all make love in school n lose virgin there.. superb.. nalo pogum.ā
āNowadays people never think before act..ddnt respect their own family n no morality..omg..age kolaru..padike anupuna...hmmm...nasama pochu...ā
ācan love but cnt public city like this... we are Indianās.. Love is not problm... but publicity is over... N make shame to our indians.....ā
āDonāt spoilt Indian community name. School is the place get education not for entertainment. Do something really make proud to parents. Embrassing at this age.ā
Point taken, itās a school and there are rules regarding PDA (public display of affection) but does this really show anything other than that these two individuals really like each other? For all we know they could be excelling academically or be amazing sportspersons but it doesnāt matter because they displayed affection and are tarnishing the name of us āIndiansā right? wrong. Itās 2015 and people have the audacity to dip their toes into someone elseās pond and either blame or pity the parents because you definitely can confirm that these parents are ashamed of their children.Ā
Is THIS issue really worth bringing up to the Ministry of Education to investigate? No, it is most definitely not. The people that are commenting that this is what our national education has come to..... how about you actually do a proper reading into the actual state of our national education curriculum and how it turns our students into word-vomit robots for exams or how the level of english being tested is preposterous or how the youth have no proper sex education and then maybe we can have a conversation about it. Ā
I absolutely despiseĀ this culture that strives to shame teenagers for having totally natural feelings. (note: I donāt believe in throwing your whole life away and falling tragically in love with someone so much so that you neglect your personal growth and fulfillment) but you know what I believe in? I believe that individuals at that age CAN have endearing relationships. Relationships that have strong foundation built on respect, trust and ever-growing love. I believe that you can still build a career, earns an honours degree while maintaining a healthy loving relationship. I believe that you can be independent while supporting. It may work for some and it may not for others.Ā
Some malaysians are amazing really. They have the need to constantly poke their heads into everyoneās personal business because theyĀ can be nosy assholes ready to judge a person at a blinkĀ care for the personās future and well-being right? They think two people hugging and kissing each other on the cheek is definitely so ridiculously shameful because a personās capability to feel attraction is such a sin in our culture isnāt it? They care about belittling two teenagers because theyāre afraid that they might have sex but donāt bother to have conversations about how to practice safe consensual great sex or maintaining healthy nurturing relationships. I donāt know about you but Iām really tired of a culture that is so sex-negative that think as soon as two teenagers kiss on the cheek their going to spawn babies like rabbits. You think itās okay to shame teenagers for experiencing attraction then you teach them to lie to you. When they lie to you, there is zero trust. When you punish a child for their honesty, they will resort to lying. You want teenagers to be mature and responsible for their actions but you reduce them to reckless children that have no control over their choices.
*sigh* hereās to a more progressive community.