Seriously lah Stupid TeoChew...u stupid also dun need to announce rite? Just post lah, ppl will noe liao. and besides, ones sexual orientation does not affect his job rite. not like he go around doing stuff with kids...He is a GREAT teacher, ok? Only one who can joke around in class and still teach effectively. and his notes are good. as in, hello? u prefer comics or just words? I dun really care about his personal life. as in....thats his own business. And wad is the problem with coming out? treat it like a self intro lah...dun geddit leh. wads the fuss?

Is the government close to abolishing Section 377A Penal Code ?

Under PM Lee liberal stewardship towards this group of Singaporean, gays and lesbians in Singapore seems to have it all, compare to his predecessor.
There are now over 10 gays and lesbian pubs and Disco around tiny Singapore . If one wishes to view countless naked men from all walks of life in their birthday suits on an open hot tub together, just head down to several established gay sauna around town. Within these sauna are small cubicle with a single bed for desire couple to "have fun" .
There 's also the popular GP @ fort . ( gay park at fort road). This heavy vehicle carpark comes to life after 7 pm daily with countless gays men in their japanese, european marque looking for suitable mate for the night. This park which is only lighted by moonlight is a heaven for the promiscuous gay who wishes to conduct its activities close to nature.

Trackback from Singapore Schools Prefer to Teach Dishonesty:

For a branch of government supposedly dedicated to imparting knowledge to young people, their own actions are driven by ignorance....

Trackback from Gay teacher's outing a milestone in debate:

Sitting silent in the middle is the largely conservative majority who may yet change their opinion of gay people if only they get to know them. That is why Mr Fong's coming out is so significant....

i wonder if otto is the male gay or the female gay when doing gay sex.....

I wonder when you fuck your girlfriend you are on top or she is riding you.

Sibeh bo liao leh.

Trackback from Why We Need More Otto Fongs:

Effeminate boys, boys clouded with suspicions of homosexuality, boys who don't fit in - be they gay or straight - are not protected by schools. Without individual compassionate teachers - like Mr Fong - to look out for them, many get lost in the cracks....

Trackback from On Otto, part 2:

Their preferred solution is that gays and lesbians should continue to carry the burden of silence and discrimination so that others are not inconvenienced by being forced to reexamine their attitudes and actions....

Trackback from On Otto, part 1:

Can you reconcile Goh's 2003 statement with the government's 2007 statement? Do we have cause once again to seriously question the sincerity and integrity of our government's words?...

It takes an intelligent person to get ahead by saying one thing and doing another
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`I am told it is like making love-it is always easier the second time! The first time there may be pangs of conscience, a sense of guilt. But once embarked on this course with constant repetition you get more and more brazen in the attack`

Mr fong is a great teacher and i am honuored to have him as my form teacher.

he may be gay outside but in class he is the ebst teacher i have known. Prbably the only one who can engage us and make us learn at the sae time.

To mr fong:
sir, u hve succeeded for once and for all, u have educated us about urself and no matter what happens to u after this, even if u get sacked or u resign, u have my respect and i am sure every RI student would agree with me

I am one of his students and i think it is PERFECTLY fine to have him as my teacher
I dont care whether he is a gay or not
He is my teacher and thats all I care

Lian Chao! all thiz tok ...

God didn't create your cock for poking another man's asshole, OK!!!

And not to mention another woman's asshole!

Of course. God created your cock to be poking into some woman's mouth and between her breasts.

Trackback from Regardless of race, language or religion:

I think we need to amend our pledge to “regardless of race, language, religion or sexuality”. ...

Trackback from A salute to Otto Fong:

To Otto, Alex Au and other homosexual Singaporeans, take comfort that there are enlightened heterosexual Singaporeans who will support you guys....

Trackback from This Man Is A Hero:

But make no mistake, he has plenty of guts. Or is in a position where he will need them. So I wish him all the very best....

Trackback from Coming Out Entry:

Straight people's sexuality can simply recede and become invisible, and resurface every now and then. They just come out of nowhere....

Trackback from Casualties of a Progress that Isn't:

Being a cat, Molly is not very comfortable with dogs, but does this mean that she wants dogs to be locked up or put to sleep?...

Trackback from Uncanny Echoes: Consistency or Striking Staleness?:

Using the same logic, Christian teachers will espouse Christian values, Muslim teachers Muslim values, Chinese teachers Chinese values, foreign teachers foreign values (!!!!)......

It is very sad that, had he been open right from the start with regards to his sexual orientations, he wouldn't even have gotten the job. Despite what's said in Parliament about recognising the contributions of the gay community, or how gay people should be incorporated into mainstream society, employers in Singapore are still adverse to employing "such people" in their organisations-- and it's not just government service. It applies even in the corporate sector, and MNCs, at that.

Thank you, everyone, for being suckers to my own publicity campaign!

that "there is no need to announce one's sexual orientation" is obviously a double standard appliable only to non-straights... for goodness sake, the person who made such a comment should reflect on how he announces his sexual orientation openly as a straight person every single moment... every time that he flashes his wedding ring, or mentions his gf or spouse, or refers to the woman beside him as 'my wife', he is openly and loudly declaring his sexual orientation. so how is it that he can announce his sexual orientation openly and without prejudice and a non-straight person must keep his 'orientation' secret and live a life of lies?

For those who actually took the time to read Otto's blog post, you will notice a very strong argument for his coming out. Some comments here have criticised Otto's decision on the grounds that there is no need to 'announce' one's sexual orientation to the public, etc. But that misses the point. Whether you like it or not, there are many gay teenagers out there, who, just like -- indeed much more so than -- straights, need counsel and care from their teachers. But of course, they are afraid to approach their teachers if they face bullying or abuse because of their sexuality: how can they be sure the teacher will lend a sympathetic ear? By coming out, Otto is leading the way to ensure that we end the hypocrisy in schools that means gay teenagers are isolated, alienated, and in many cases, depressed. Gays have it hard in Singapore: having no one to turn to makes it even harder. What Otto has done does a great service to his pupils -- besides, of course, being an act of great courage.

I refer to the statement "Are RI students going to be intolerant and idiotic to refuse being taught by an openly gay teacher?" by Tramina.

For your information, I am a student from the said school, and no, I haven't met a single student who has openly expressed disgust at his sexual preference.

Yes, he is a great teacher, and even though I haven't been taught by him, I have read his artistic works and they are great. Not a single student has commented that his teaching style sucks - they admire his creative way of teaching, too (I heard he draws in class, for better explanation). In fact, Mr Otto Fong has been long recognised as one of the better teachers in our school.

Oh, and by the way, I'm straight. =D

Trackback from Singapore, Economics and Pop Culture:

the classic Depeche Mode song, "People are people", that I used to and still continue to enjoy since my secondary school days. ...

Trackback from lost in york:

I've been thinking about the issue of the legality of homosexuality in Singapore for some time now, especially more so every since Otto Fong, a teacher in RI, published his 'open letter' declaring himself homosexual, and the Ministry of Education ...

What do you know? There really is more to this "heroic" act:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sammyboymod/messages?msg=152243.122

Otto attended a PLU meeting before the confession. He also kept silent about his intended voluntary departure even though many assumed/ were accusing MOE of sacking him.

In case you missed it:

Friday, September 7, 2007
An Open Letter

I am Otto Fong. I have been teaching Science in Raffles Institution for the last eight years.

Being a teacher has been the most rewarding part of my professional life thus far. My students continue to amaze me daily with their wit, maturity, independent thinking and leadership. It is very fulfilling that I am a part of an institution that moulds the future generation of Singapore’s leaders.

Leaders are people who can rise above the tide of popular opinion, people who are guided by the conviction of rightness and justice and in being so guided, lead others towards that right path.

Recent events leading to my action

Recent events have made me decide to write this open letter. In April this year, Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew – one of the school’s greatest alumni – called homosexuality a “genetic variation”, questioning the validity of criminalising gay sex. In July, MP Baey Yam Keng expressed support for the repeal of Section 377A of the penal code (which criminalises gay sex acts). In August, Malaysian columnist and ordained pastor Oyoung Wenfeng released his inspiring new Mandarin book “Tong Gen Sheng”, encouraging gay men and women to come out of the closet.

A few evenings later, I attended a forum organised by People Like Us on gay teachers and students. A few brave twenty-something guys asked, “Why has there been so little guidance available to me as a gay teenager?” It was a question that I had asked myself often, growing up.

When I became a teacher in 1999, I looked back on the good guidance my own teachers gave me as a template, and tried to be a better teacher to my students. Besides teaching them Science, I spent considerable effort in imparting good social values: give up your seats to the needy, save the handicapped parking lot for those in wheelchairs and their caretakers, respect people regardless of profession or social status.

How hate is perpetuated

Yet, in the eight years I have taught, I have done little for that small group of students who are gay. When the religious group Focus on the Family masqueraded as sex guidance counselors and gave a talk full of misinformation about homosexuality to our students, I was furious but kept my mouth shut.

When my niece returned from school saying, “Gays are disgusting!” I knew she learnt that hatred from a classmate, who had in turn absorbed that hatred from a parent. I knew that this hatred has been perpetrated for generations. But hatred grew out of fear, and hatred, as a line in a movie goes, “leads to the Dark Side.” This is the same environment of hatred I grew up in, as a gay teenager and student.

Until Section 377A* is repealed, there will be precious little the Ministry of Education can do to help these students. As a teacher, I am bound by my professional duty to follow the directives of my superiors.

While these events helped crystallize my decision to come out of the closet, my motivation remains deeply personal.

My family and I

As far back as primary six, I have been aware of my attraction towards classmates of the same sex. For those who argued about nurturing factors of the family, my brother and sister grew up under the same parents and remained heterosexuals despite growing up with me in close proximity.

As a teenager, I was very quick to sense society’s aversion towards the ‘sissies’ in my classes. I worked hard to distance myself from them. While I was successful in modifying my outward behavior, my sexual orientation remained unchanged. My denial gnawed at me, and the suppression of my true self resulted in self-destructive behavior during my overseas university years.

Fortunately, my American fraternity mates were supportive. I began to see a counselor who helped me accept myself for who and what I am.

Returning to Singapore, I came out to my family. My father, mother, brother and sister, out of love for their son and brother, walked the long road to acceptance. It was not easy for them, but they loved me before I came out, and they love me after. When I finally settled down with my longtime companion (we have been together for more than nine years), my entire family made sure my nieces and nephews included us in their lives. I loved my family too much to keep them in the dark, to deny them the chance to really know me. And they loved me too much to let some old prejudice tear our family apart.

I kept my sexual orientation a secret at work, and only a handful of my colleagues knew about me.

I don’t want to be a bonsai tree

Not counting my childhood, I have spent more than twenty years in the professional closet. I am nearing my fourth decade on Earth. While I have had some successes in life, I am not content to be just average. As I have often told my students, “Why be average when you can be your best?”

Do you know what a bonsai tree is? A bonsai tree is an imitation of a real tree. It is kept in a small pot with limited nutrients, trimmed constantly to fit someone else’s whim. It looks like a real tree, except it can’t do many things a real tree can. It cannot provide shelter, it cannot find food on its own; its life and death are totally reliant on its owner. It is the plant version of the 3-inch Chinese bound foot for women: useless and painful.

Being in the closet, pretending to be straight, trimming our true selves to suit the whims and expectations of others, is just like being a human bonsai tree. By staying in the closet, we cannot even hope to be average, much less above and beyond average.

I felt that in order to reach my fullest potential as a useful human being, I must first fully accept myself, and face the world honestly. I have lived long enough to know that what I am is not a disease, an aberration or a mental illness.

Hate is not a religious value

Many people have cited many ‘reasons’ for hating homosexuals, just as many people tried to justify their views that the Earth was flat, that the darker skinned should always be inferior, and that women should subjugate their lives to men. The teachings of the world’s great religious traditions offer many words of wisdom, but the interpretations of their human followers are not infallible. As Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount (yes, a personal Bible was given to me by a great lady and I honored her by reading the book), we must love our neighbors as ourselves. It is a simple teaching, but one that’s rarely followed by those who seek to oppress people different from themselves. The path to enlightenment always faces stubborn resistance. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you...”

There are some people who are using homosexuality to advance their personal ambitions vis a vis religion. They claim that the homosexual ‘agenda’ is to make the whole world gay and threaten the stability of the family. Yet, let us examine the evidence: Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the first countries to legalise gay marriage, are more stable than ever – their population has not been converted by gays and their heterosexual divorce rates have even decreased since gays have been afforded legal rights. (William N. Eskridge, Jr and Darren R. Spedale, Oxford University Press, 2006).

The only agenda gay people have is to be able to live with the same rights and dignity as our heterosexual brothers and sisters. Our very vocal opponents are the ones actively preying on innocent people, recruiting them to their cause by spreading fear and misinformation. I hope thinking people will quickly see that it is this small group of vocal objectionists who have a more dangerous agenda, that their fight with gay people has nothing to do with what’s right or wrong, but is merely a litmus test of their political influence. For peace and prosperity to continue, Singapore must always uphold secularism, where each different segment of the population respects the beliefs and rights of the others.

Can a country with no natural resources afford to drive away its own citizens?

There is a very pragmatic reason that you should support the rights and dignity of gay Singaporeans: in this globally-competitive era, Singapore needs her gay sons and daughters, just as we need our Singaporean Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, immigrants, men and women, old folks and young. Most importantly, we need those gay sons and daughters because those gay sons and daughters are Singaporean Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, immigrants, men and women, old folks and young. Can a country without natural resources continue to flourish when it starts to drive away its own children?

As I said before, leaders are people who are guided by the conviction of rightness and justice and in being so guided, lead others towards that right path.

I am still a teacher. My main purpose and joy is to teach our youngest citizens, the same ones who will be the leaders of our nation tomorrow. But, I feel I am shortchanging both society and myself by staying in the closet. I must be true to myself. If my colleagues and students, both gay and straight, see that being true to one’s own self has great value, perhaps we can produce a new generation who is truly courageous. A new generation of young people who are proud to be themselves, no matter what difference they have from their classmates. Then I will have succeeded in providing them a better education than I had the opportunity to receive during my years in school.

So here’s what I am, and I am a friend in need at the moment

So here it is: I, Otto Fong, have always been and always will be a gay man. When you ask about my spouse, I will say he is a man. I am as proud being gay as you are proud being straight. I am not, as some people like to label gays, a pedophile, a child molester, a pervert or sexual deviant. I did not choose to be gay, just like heterosexuals did not choose to be straight. I am not going to hell (not for being gay anyway).

I am not going back in the closet. When you ask me who I am, I will answer: I am a son, a brother, a long-time companion, an uncle, a teacher, a classmate, a colleague, a part of your community, a HDB dweller, a Singaporean. And I am also gay.

I would like to enjoy the respect that all other Singaporeans enjoy. I will not let the closet bind my feet, because I am made to sprint. I am not interested in being a bonsai tree, my DNA is programmed to climb higher. My heart aspires to reach my fullest potential as a human being.

I hope, dear friends and colleagues, that you look back and remember what I am, and see that I am not someone you fear. I am essentially the same person – flawed, imperfect, but brought up properly by two loving parents to lead a productive, beneficial and meaningful life. My friends and family love me for who I am, and I hope you can too. I come out to you with as much hope and trepidation as when I first come out to my mother and father. Your support and understanding are very important to me at this moment.

Thank you, may you prosper in health and soul.

Yours sincerely,

Otto Fong
8th Sept 2007

* Section 377A is a law that allows certain sexual acts between consensual heterosexual adults but forbids the same sexual acts between consensual homosexual adults.

Quote "Singapore needs her gay sons and daughters, just as we need our Singaporean Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, immigrants, men and women, old folks and young. Most importantly, we need those gay sons and daughters because those gay sons and daughters are Singaporean Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, immigrants, men and women, old folks and young."

Mr Otto Fong

You can represent your gay community but don't misrepresent Christians.

GOD send fire and brimstones to destroy 2 cities, Sodom and Gomorrah. That is how the word Sodomy is derived. Sexual immorality is abomination in the Bible. Men using each other for their own unnatural cause.

Rom 1:24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves.

Rom 1:26 For this cause, God gave them up to dishonorable affections. For even their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature.

Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another; males with males working out shamefulness, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was fitting for their error.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not think fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do the things not right,

God loves You but not your Sin, Repent before it is too late.

Sebastian

Aha!

You are advocating murder?

Did you get the writer's permission to post his letter online ? If not, I think this is downright rude, an intrusion into his privacy, and potentially an infringement of his copyright.

Tomorrow.sg is turning into a tabloid (if it isn't already one).

While I sympathise with your view that it is important to seek permission before reposting his letter, I think that since the original writer has posted his stuff online in the first place, it is already a foregone conclusion it will be reproduced elsewhere. This explanation doesn't mean it is right, but for a smart person like Mr Fong to expect otherwise would be foolish and naive. And rightfully I don't see him protesting here.

Worse things have been said for comic relief. Theres no room for scruple or objectivity in the name of entertainment
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`According to her comment, the finger went in once, out once`

ah, all talk kok one lah! you gay, you gay loh! why must go kao peh kao bu and tell everyone har? too free is it? got so much time go tutor weaker students lah! machiam like hero like that. sorry hor, like to poke man's backside, or kena poke not hero orh. you like men then like men lah! why need to tell everybody? so sampat like that. i like to keep cichlid fish, i go write comeing out letter and tell every mothers son or not? no, i keep my fish. i mind my business. no trouble look for trouble this kind of peeple. hong kan

Hi pennythots, the issue you raise seems to imply that it is the "gay agenda" which is responsible for transforming it into an act of bravery. I would say that the comments speak for itself, that many of the comments applauding Mr Fong for his bravery are his students, are they part of the gay agenda as well?

On another note, it seems that you are saying one should hide his sexuality in order to make people like you more comfortable.

Ah, yes, those innocent, naive, gullible days of hero worship. I thought Superman was cool, until I grew up. I was quite a smart kid too.

It is not a dissimilar comparison.

The level of embarrassment and discomfort felt by the people to whom one declares openly to that one is gay, is greater than the level felt if one declares that one is straight. That is a fact, putting preconditioning and bias aside.

The issue I raise, is this : when and why does a gay agenda transform this very public announcement that causes embarrassment/discomfort/distress to others, suddenly become an act of bravery and it appears heroism even.

I am guilty of approximating the level of embarrassment to an open announcement of occasional sexual conquests. You can offer a better analogy if you are able to.

pennythots, have you read the entry before you typed your comments? if you want to make an analogy, make sure that it is not disanalogous. there were no sexual conquests in his posting at all... if i say on my blog that i am male and i have a girlfriend, i am declaring my sexuality as straight, certainly not offensive at all. but if i say on my blog that i am male and i have a boyfriend, suddenly it becomes offensive and associate it with sex, sex and sex when there is no such statement being made. if you think about it, it is those people who think up all the explicit sex acts in their head when noone makes a mention of it that are the perverted ones...

What if a teacher posted entries on his very public blog espousing his straight sexual preferences and occasional conquests?

Would there not be at least some embarassment and discomfort felt by his employers, the parents of his students, the public at large, etc.?

Would he be seen as being brave to publish these entries?

Does the issue of gay rights automatically bring a different perspective, so that a person committing a faux pas becomes a brave person and a hero?

I don't think there is any question that Mr Fong came out. The issue here is why is MOE pressuring him to take it down when it is not a crime.

For the students who thinks that their Mr Fong is "creepy" or disappointed that he had lied to them in the past, this is the bullshit that gay men have to put up to live here in this country. That they have to live a lie every day when they come to the front of the classroom. Lie to their friends and family to protect them. Can you imagine living in a world where you have to constantly deceive the people in your life? Is this really what you (or indeed your God) would choose you to live?

I did a search in Technorati using "Otto fong" and found an entry summary which mentioned that Otto Fong was leaving RI. The entry was written 18 days ago but cannot be accessed:

http://technorati.com/posts/tag/Otto%2Bfong?page=2

Test madness 1
Philo test was okay, Chinese test was good, Geography Quiz was terrible (not counted in CA). Only 7 out of 28 passed ... of my science life in Raffles Institution. (exaggerating). Mr otto fong is leaving us, and Ms Grace

18 days ago in LARDVA FLOW ALERT!!! · Authority: 2

Something's fishy here. He is leaving and he came out of his closet but then deleted the blog. He also maintains another blog.

http://sirfong.blogspot.com/

Why did he come out of the closet in a separate blog?

AC, please grow up lah. Life isn't a porno flick.

We should have a gay school for all gay teachers and students to be in. Something like a special school for people with disabilities.

That will be one big orgy of a school.

this sound familiar .. have you watch X-Men ? Are you saying there is a need to distance minority from the majority ?

It all about discrimination .. .

The gays would be admitting they have a problem like the disabled if they agreed with you.

There is a reason why the idea for such schools has been popular for a long time
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`Near the end of the war, the camps became sites for horrific medical experiments. Eugenics experiments, freezing prisoners to determine how exposure affected pilots, and experimental and lethal medicines were all tried at various camps`

Trackback from The Online Citizen:

Copy of Otto Fong's Original Blog Entry...

Yeah. Otto was my teacher too. It gives me the creeps to know that he is gay.