Posted on 01 March 2014

“Just because they have a genetic tendency to be asexual does not mean we should condone it.”

Reader contribution

Dear New Nation,

I read with concern your latest article about the benefits of asexuality. As a concerned parent, it is critical that there is no change to the existing policy of encouraging heterosexual married couples to have healthy relationships and to build a stable family unit.

There are many asexual people in Singapore. Many have done well in their careers in the private sector and in the government. Quite a few of them do creative work for the government. No one has been persecuted for their celibacy/ asexual lifestyle. In fact, thousands come out openly to celebrate Friendship Day and Singles Day every year on February 14. By and large, Singaporeans accept that they choose their own asexual lifestyle and no one interferes with them.

I have friends who are asexual. I do not hate them, condemn them or call them names. These friends are reasonable people and I have no issue meeting them socially. But I do not agree with the practice of asexuality. It is my personal belief and that would not change regardless of the hate mail I have received. My friends who are asexual know my belief. They accept that they won’t change me. We remain friends.

Asexuality is wrong because it threatens the basic family unit. Many people will say that asexuality is genetic. Just because they have a genetic tendency to be asexual does not mean we should condone it. I hear the same from wife beaters, gamblers, kleptomaniacs, pedophiles, homosexuals, lesbians and so on. Now, in putting them on a linear list like this, I risk being misunderstood as comparing the asexuals, for example, with drug addicts, wife beaters and so forth. In no way am I saying that. Not at all. This is the deception I see occurring around the world with regards to morality.

I hope they will be counselled to act against their own dispassions. The difference between man and animal is this: As human beings, we don’t have to yield to our primal instincts. We cannot just avoid whatever we feel like avoiding, however we please. We have the freedom of choice and the capacity to do what is best for humanity, for our nation and for civilisation.

Sexuality programmes in schools are so yesterday:

Pro-asexuality guide making the rounds online in S’pore