The Lens: Singapore's anti-discrimination law fails to protect LGBTQ workers
If you are interested in being a regular contributor for The Lens, please apply by clicking this link.
Thoughts from last week
Claudia Loh, 16, Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School
Claudia Loh says education is important to help change attitudes around gender identity. Photo: Handout
I think gender identity and sexual orientation were not included in Singapore's new law against discrimination in the workplace because the general atmosphere of the world, especially in Asia, is more conservative.
The older generation tends to think gender identity and sexual orientation are choices that people make for themselves. For them, any discrimination would be warranted since a person's choices around gender and sexuality were conscious decisions.
However, this is not the case. One cannot decide one's sexual orientation, and it is perfectly fine to express yourself however you wish in terms of gender.
However, the older generation still makes most of the laws, which leads to a lack of protection for those who face prejudice.
Education is paramount if the Singaporean government and companies want to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for the queer community. Thanks to misinformation, being queer is still seen as abnormal and is heavily stigmatised in society.
The government could do better to educate the public on the queer community – they simply identify differently from what is considered 'normal'.
These people are humans, just like everyone else. This could be done by inclusivity, with more TV shows accurately portraying queer characters to allow more representation and increased understanding.
Queer voices should be encouraged in society in order to erase stigma, for example, in the form of literature, to better understand and appreciate equality.
Also, the government should create laws and regulations to enforce equal treatment for those in the queer community, making it illegal to discriminate based on gender identity or sexuality.
Read and observe
Hippos are known to be fiercely territorial animals. Photo: TNS
A New Jersey man whose wife was killed in a horrific hippopotamus attack last year during a safari in Africa is suing the US company that arranged the trip, alleging it failed to ensure their safety and did not adequately screen and supervise the tour guides.
The couple were on a guided walk in Zambia in June when a hippo charged out of the water, grabbed Lisa Manders by its mouth and crushed her head and body, according to the lawsuit filed against African Portfolio, a safari tour company. The company denies the allegations.
The lawsuit alleges that the tour guides – including at least one armed with a rifle – walked away without helping. Lisa Manders, 70, suffered catastrophic injuries and died shortly after, the lawsuit says.
Paul Slager, a lawyer representing Craig Manders, said: 'There are basic safety standards that businesses are expected to follow ... And those were not followed.'
Slager said the lawsuit seeks damages that have not yet been determined and accountability for the death.
The company's lawyer, Rodney Gould, said it was not negligent or reckless in connection with the death.
He said African Portfolio only arranged the lodging, adding that the owners of the lodging, Chiawa Safaris in Zambia, provided the tour guides.
'It's a horrible tragedy when somebody goes on one of these trips and is injured or killed,' Gould said. 'I think it's important to understand what African Portfolio's role in this is. It's a tour operator. It arranges trips.'
African Portfolio said Chiawa arranged the walking safari and guests were accompanied by an experienced and highly trained guide, a ranger and an armed scout.
It said Chiawa told authorities that safety measures were implemented before the attack and 'repeated warnings' were issued to guests to return to the safety of the vehicle 'during the incident'.
Associated Press
Research and respond
Do you think African Portfolio should take responsibility for the incident? If so, how?
How can safaris better protect their participants so that incidents like these don't happen?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
04-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
The Lens: Knock-off ramen and soju hit South Korean food industry
If you are interested in being a regular contributor for The Lens, please apply by clicking this link. Thoughts from last week Vijay Sathappan Narayanan, 16, Island School Vijay Sathappan Narayanan attends Island School. Photo: Handout From K-pop music to K-dramas, South Korea is etched in pop culture history. This can be seen best in the rise of South Korean food products, which in recent months have been accompanied by an increase in knock-off goods, especially in Asia, but even in Africa and Russia. Such trends impact consumers, local producers and South Korea's international credibility. Buldak Ramen, a brand of instant noodles produced by Samyang Foods, has been extensively copied by counterfeiters. Such knock-off goods mimic South Korean and halal logos, which could negatively impact consumers' safety. Another instance is that of the soju brand Chamisul, which has been replicated in Vietnam and Thailand, with suppliers marking down the product by nearly 30 per cent, thus diverting revenue away from South Korean suppliers. It is estimated that the South Korean government lost around US$2 billion in tax revenue in 2021 due to such supply shocks, which led to mass lay-offs. The widespread presence of counterfeiters can tarnish the reputation of South Korean cuisine and the food industry, with perceptions of such products as 'low quality' or having safety issues diminishing consumer trust and affecting suppliers' integrity. In response, authorities and large players have increased their legal and financial efforts. By partnering with the Korean Food Industry Association, over 190,000 counterfeit food items have been blocked, allowing original suppliers to regain market share. The South Korean government should consider investing in anti-counterfeit packaging technologies or AI-driven tracking systems while adopting more stringent legal frameworks. In conclusion, addressing such roadblocks is vital to protect consumers and preserve the food industry's reputation. Through a multidimensional approach of technology, finance, and legal measures, the government can ensure that we all continue to enjoy high-quality Korean food. Read up on this issue in last week's The Lens Read and observe Japan considers ATM limits for those over 75 amid rising financial fraud cases. Photo: Reuters With more Japanese elderly falling victim to scams, the police are considering limiting how much money this vulnerable group can withdraw or transfer from automatic teller machines (ATMs). The National Police Agency is considering setting a daily withdrawal or transfer limit of 300,000 yen (HK$16,298 or US$2,101) via ATM for bank accounts belonging to Japanese people aged 75 and older, according to The Mainichi. If approved, it would mark the first time that such restrictions on ATM usage are mandated in Japan. While Japanese banks are currently not legally required to set such limits, some have capped daily withdrawal and transfer limits at 500,000 and 1,000,000 yen, respectively, across all users. The proposed move comes as police data shows almost half of the victims in Japan who lost money to fraud without meeting their scammers in person last year were elderly. Total losses from the so-called 'special fraud' rose by almost 60 per cent to 72.1 billion yen last year. Around 45 per cent of the 20,951 victims were aged 75 and above. Some typical fraud methods involve scammers instructing victims to transfer money to designated accounts via ATMs or buy prepaid cards and disclose the relevant codes. However, banks across Japan are worried about the potential inconvenience faced by users and the impact on their ATM operations from the implementation of the police's proposal, according to Japanese media reports. 'We'll continue to discuss the matter so that the user's convenience can be taken into consideration and the burden on financial institutions can be reduced,' a senior police official said, according to The Japan News. The Osaka prefecture, which is one of the areas worst hit by such fraud, is already taking drastic action to protect its elderly residents. Staff writers Do you believe this strategy would help reduce scams and fraud targeting elderly victims in Japan? What are some potential consequences or drawbacks of the proposed law? Is it fair that only elderly citizens are subject to these withdrawal limits?
South China Morning Post
17-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Singapore's ‘sugar daddy' scammer jailed for exploiting ‘large number' of underage victims
Singaporean man was sentenced to six years and nine months' jail and six strokes of the cane, for manipulating 31 victims, including underaged girls as young as 13, into sexually exposing themselves under the ploy of being their 'sugar daddy' over three years, local media reported on Wednesday. Advertisement Hee Lic Yuan, 32, worked as a business analyst at a bank from 2019 to 2021 when he committed his offences. His victims were aged between 13 and 22 years old. Hee would approach young women and girls through social media , posing as a wealthy man seeking sugar babies, CNA reported. He offered payments in exchange for explicit photos, videos, or sexual services. His requests sometimes began more innocuously, such as asking victims for photos of their armpits, according to Mothership. But they quickly progressed to include fully nude photos and videos. In some instances, he would send sexually explicit images or videos of other women, asking the victim to imitate them. Advertisement While he initially made the payments as promised, he later threatened his victims into sexually exposing themselves without paying.
South China Morning Post
06-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
The Lens: After a fatal road accident in Malaysia, was this TikTok apology sincere?
If you are interested in being a regular contributor for The Lens, please apply by clicking this link. Thoughts from last week Tiffany Taw, 14, German Swiss International School Tiffany Taw attends German Swiss International School. Photo: Handout On March 6, an 18-year-old driver in Malaysia without a valid licence killed three teenage motorcyclists in a traffic accident. The driver's sister, Nur Athirah Najwa, posted a video online admitting her brother's involvement but pleaded that the public pray for his recovery instead of blaming him. She did not acknowledge the deaths caused by the crash. This sparked criticism of the seeming lack of empathy for the families of those who died. I agree with the public. Nur Athirah completely disregarded the innocent victims who lost their lives as well as their grieving families who are going through an extremely difficult time. While I understand her concern for her brother, it was wrong to focus solely on his condition when families are mourning the deaths of their loved ones. Additionally, regardless of intent, her brother was still the culprit of the accident; he should bear at least some responsibility for this tragic event. While his sister had nothing to do with the incident, she should have expressed her condolences to the victims' families. Following the outrage, Nur Athirah uploaded another video apologising for her insensitivity. Many accused her of using this video to pacify the customers of her father's business. This reflects a broader issue that is becoming a trend on social media. Celebrities these days apologise after making mistakes – such as insensitive comments – simply to appease followers and fans and fix their reputation. In reality, a verbal or written apology on its own is not enough to resolve problems. In this case, a Facebook user wrote, 'Doing a [TikTok] live just to apologise will not bring back the dead'. On the other hand, the public may have been too critical of her apology. There was no proof of insincerity or that she was only appeasing her father's customers. Read up on the issue in last week's The Lens Read and observe 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' – set in 16th century Japan and focusing on real-life black samurai Yasuke – is the latest entry in the hugely popular video game series. Image: Ubisoft French video game developer Ubisoft is receiving complaints in Japan for what critics claim are historical inaccuracies and the desecration of a Shinto shrine. Assassin's Creed Shadows is the first game in the series to be set in Japan. It takes place during the 15th and 16th centuries and allows users to play as a warrior called Yasuke, a real-life historical figure known in pop culture as the first Black samurai. However, there is little surviving historical documentation of Yasuke's life, including whether he was considered a samurai. He is believed to have arrived in Japan from Mozambique with Portuguese priests around 1580 and later served Oda Nobunaga, a daimyo (feudal lord) known as a unifier of Japan. Critics of the game argue that there is no evidence that Yasuke was a samurai warrior. They say a foreigner should not be a protagonist in a game about Japanese history. Mathew Thompson, an associate professor of premodern Japanese literature at Tokyo's Sophia University, said he believed the people offended by the game had fixed views. 'There are many groups in Japan that have [set] views of certain historical topics, and this pushes their buttons,' he said. 'These groups tend to take a conservative or even nationalistic approach to history,' he explained, adding that a game which took liberties with Japan's past was bound to provoke their anger. The developers have also been criticised for showing a real 1,400-year-old Shinto shrine in the game without contacting its caretakers. Messages on social media called the depiction 'offensive' to the Shinto religion. 'If you borrow Japanese culture and history for business, you need to respect it,' a comment on the Japanese newspaper Sankei's website read. 'I think any country would find it insulting to see their temples being destroyed.' Staff writers Research and respond Do you think the video game developers deserved this backlash? Why or why not? How should the developers respond to the public's comments?
