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Following the announcement that Section 377A of the Penal Code will be repealed in Singapore in August as mentioned in this post, it's officially been repealed yesterday! 29th November 2022 shall be the most important date in Singapore's gay history and to be honest, should be a day for the whole community or even country to celebrate annually in the future, like a gay public holiday.
One of the biggest reasons for my leaving Singapore is the fact that I couldn't live an honest life there and I wasn't patient enough to wait as I believed I won't be afforded equal rights in my lifetime. Fast forward 14 years and there's this first step in the right direction. Granted it's progress, it's still evident that things are moving too slowly. As an indication of how slow it's been, the history around 377A since its inception in 1938 when Singapore was still under British rule is neatly summarised in this article.
Unless there's an extremely unlikely chance of exponential development from here on, I wouldn't consider moving back. This is especially because the Constitution will be amended to protect the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman from legal challenges i.e. my marriage with Ision will never be recognised in Singapore.
Ever since coming out in my early twenties, I felt increasing alienation in my home country. My way of thinking, though absolutely normal to myself, was seen as too fringe and radical by society. My sense of self was so strong that there was no way I could find my identity in Singapore. Interestingly, if I were born in this age where people lived on social media, I'm not sure if I'd still make the same decision of leaving because social media could be a legitimate refuge.
This month's musical post is a new composition celebrating my sense of identity in today's world where I urge everyone to not blindly follow anyone or any movement. As views become more polarised, it's important for one to stay true to oneself and be mindful of echo chambers so you don't get trapped in them. Listen to your own voice and let that be the truth. This song mixes English and Chinese lyrics and has many of the elements of my past works all combined into one neat package which I'm pretty happy with. Tell me what you think!
[我不要比]
你的照骗修到你不像人
只活在网路里，寻觅欢喜
这只是 make-believe
装神弄鬼，自欺欺人而已
Please let yourself breathe
You'll see life
其实可以很容易
我不要比， I just wanna be 自己
不费吹灰之力
表里如一， you get what you see
你不高兴， 我才懒得去理
活在我影子里，不必得意
要抑制 jealousy
我劝你还是早一点放弃
Please set yourself free
You'll thank me
放飞自我翱翔万里
我不要比， I just wanna beat 自己
就是那么臭屁
知己知彼， I am my enemy
势均力敌, 打得才会过瘾
You wanna be woke, don't wanna be broke
If you don't do a thing, you're nothing but a joke
Fake tan, fake news, fake friends, fake tush
Have faith in yourself and let that be the truth
你是否还在犹豫，是否还在考虑
自我怀疑扰乱了情绪
牛鬼上帝蛇神帮不了你
因为凡事都得靠自己
我不要比， I just wanna be 自己
不费吹灰之力
表里如一， you get what you see
你不高兴， 我才懒得理
我不要比， I just wanna beat 自己
就是那么臭屁
知己知彼， I am my enemy
不到最后， 不知谁会胜利
[Don't Wanna Compare]
Photoshopping your pics till you don't resemble a human
What's the point
Living only online looking for happiness
This is only make-believe
Your pretending to be someone else fools no one but yourself
Please let yourself breathe
You'll see life can actually be very simple
I don't wanna compare
I just wanna be myself
It requires no effort
Identical inside and out
You get what you see
I don't care if you're not happy
Living in my shadow
You shouldn't be proud
You need to control your jealousy
Take my advice and quit sooner than later
Please set yourself free
You'll thank me
Let your sense of self soar
I don't wanna compare
I just wanna beat myself
Yeah, I'm that cocky
Knowing myself and my foe
I am my enemy
It only means something if you fight one as strong as yourself
You wanna be woke, don't wanna be broke
If you don't do a thing, you're nothing but a joke
Fake tan, fake news, fake friends, fake tush
Have faith in yourself and let that be the truth
Are you still hesitating or still considering
Allowing self-doubt to affect your mood
Demons, gods or Jesus Christ can't help you
Because you can only depend on yourself
I don't wanna compare
I just wanna be myself
It requires no effort
Identical inside and out
You get what you see
I don't care if you're not happy
I don't wanna compare
I just wanna beat myself
Yeah, I'm that cocky
Knowing myself and my foe
I am my enemy
You won't know the victor until the end
