‘How to spot a gay’ checklist published by Malaysian newspaper
Image: Image: Sinar Harian.
A Malaysian newspaper has come under fire for publishing a checklist of pointers to help people identify if someone is gay or lesbian.
The article, featured in Sinar Harian, featured bullet points with ‘distinctive qualities’ in LGBTI people, according to a report in The Guardian.
The points stated that gay men were easy to identify because of their love of beards, going to the gym to check out other men, and branded clothing.
“Their eyes light up when they see handsome men,” the article stated.
The checklist also claimed that lesbians tended to hug each other, hold hands, and belittle men.
Homosexuality is currently illegal in Malaysia and and carries a 20-year prison sentence.
An 18-year-old student was beaten and burned to death last year, and a 27-year-old trans woman was attacked with a knife and shot three times a few months later.
The Malaysian Government also ran a contest for young people to make anti-LGBTI videos.
A competition launched by the health ministry asked people aged 13 to 24 to create videos against “gender confusion” to “prevent” homosexuality and being trans.
The competition guidelines suggested gay people, trans people, and tomboys were examples of people experiencing gender confusion. The government offered a $1,000 cash prize for the best video.
Responding to backlash from LGBTI activists, the government claimed its aim was not to discriminate.
