MUSLIM BY BIRTH, MALAY BY SOCIETY, GAY BY CHOICE

Abstract

The relationship between religion and homosexuality is an uneasy one. Debates over whether various religions condemn or accept homosexuality are never settled, often leaving homosexual adherents to their own resources to make sense of their lives. Gay Malay-Muslims are confronted with several statuses that need to be resolved in order to participate and be integrated in Singapore society. As a sexual and ethnic minority, they have to deal with issues of sexuality, ethnicity and religion. The ways in which they handle this triplex of disadvantage inform us about their strategies of coping with marginality. This thesis examines what it is to be Muslim, Malay and gay, which can be used as a bridge towards understanding the many facets of being a homosexual person in Singapore.