Dear Caster Semenya

Even if this post never reaches you, which I doubt will, I would like to share a story. Once upon a time, a child was born, as intersexed as you, in a country called Malaysia. She was registered as a boy and her name was Zulkifli Ahmad. In a world where homophobia and xenophobia exists, she became a beacon of hope. She, like you, too identified herself as a woman.

A lot of stupid, heartless people liked to make fun of her, they liked to hurt her, but she did not care and she went on to make a lot of films that showed the problems in which the Malaysian society faced. Recently, she had passed away, leaving a large spot for people to fill in, which is almost impossible. Not a lot of people understood her vision and yet she became one of the most celebrated icons of her time, and her name was Yasmin Ahmad.

So you don't NEED to feel inadequate for who you are. What you need to do is raise your feet to this hostile world and give them a BIG FAT FUCK YOU.

Love,

Liyana T

Abandoned

An abandoned baby was found - at least, alive . Not that I'm surprised. Most likely in this case it's an underaged mother afraid of persecution, or was raped, etc. etc. Unfortunately, cases of baby abandonment is even more rampant in highly patriarchal/conservative communities. In this case, the Middle East (all Abrahamic faiths), Greek islands, Russia, heck, anywhere where patriarchy can be found. In Brunei too, in a year there are about two or three abandoned infants. What I don't get is this, why in the world would it be better to kill an innocent infant in comparison to what other people say? Why do YOU think that being criticized by other people who do not care nor feed nor wish you well is important? Is it some sort of sociological conditioning component? An instilled fear of others' judgements? Sigh.

3 a.m.

sitting here made me realize something. My husband's family are working class people, most of which actually work as infantrymen in the army. Last year when my senior class graduated, some of my friends (I'm proud to say WOMEN and men) joined the army and automatically became lieutenants, this was in lieu (pardon the pun) with the fact that they owned bachelor degrees. Hearing them talk I also realized that they would not be the ones who wold be battling in the fields. They would be, if there was war, within closed quarters under air-conditioning, as consultants as to how best they could win the war. They would not be involved in the trenches, dying. They are considered the 'educated few' whose values and resources are much prized over other people'. But knowing this bothers me. I look at these infantry men, they work hard, they suffer more. Stories supplanted to me by my friends who quit the military showcase that they as leaders were forced to instill discipline and in the course of doing so, break their own souls. They quit because they did not have the heart nor the soul to punish people over something trivial all in the name of discipline. They are people, whose worth I'm sorry to say if it upsets the middle and upper class, equally as worth in life, in death. And yet from the evidence we know this not to be true. The middle and upper echelons will always be protected. Their lives more cushioned and satisfactory, than those below. Their knowledge, albeit fucked up as it were is considered as gold.

There is something wrong with all of us.