 by Reese DoWittVideo Blogs
More Video
TV Shows
Navigation |
One country's sexy is another's cute and angstyAvril Lavigne is a threat to the youth of Malaysia. The 23-year-old pop singer is so smoking hot that members of a Malaysian Islamic opposition party do not want any of their impressionable youth seeing her in concert. Lavigne will have to shake her moneymaker in front of some other country’s young pliable minds because this opposition party isn’t having any of it. The Malaysian conservative group is convinced that her moves are “too sexy” for their teenagers, and they believe her August performance must be stopped.
The group appealed to the Malaysian Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Heritage to cancel the concert and the Ministry agreed. "It is not timely. It's not in the good spirit of our National Day. If we go ahead with the concert, it is contrary to what we are preparing for," said a senior official from the Ministry. Apparently, National Day is a countrywide day set aside to prepare against the evils of wristbands and tube socks.
Malaysia has a history of strict guidelines, which have led many female performers to cancel their shows. The Malaysian government’s rules require that all female performers wear conservative clothing that do not bear any “obscene” images. Additionally, all clothing must cover you from the chest to the knee. (Why am I getting flashbacks of "dress-down days" at my Catholic elementary school?) Beyonce moved her scheduled concert to Indonesia as a result of these mandates, and Christina Aguilera opted to not perform there at all. Gwen Stefani decided to perform, agreeing to cover up her trademark washboard stomach. She called her decision to wear a bit more clothing on stage “a major sacrifice” (and I will add, a terrible loss to that nation).
In 2006, the Malaysian government censured The Pussycat Dolls, though not for their singing. The band was fined $3,400 back in July for “unbecoming behavior” during their concert in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia’s Minister of Culture, Rais Yatim, said the Dolls’ concert featured “scantily dressed performers” and “sensuous elements.” Not to speak ill of the Dolls, but let’s get real here: If you take all that away from the Dolls, you really don’t have much left, so why invite them to perform?
Other strange rules for performing in Malaysia are that the artist must refrain from jumping, shouting, hugging and kissing. (I can only imagine that a bad experience with the Barney and Friends Tour led to the decision enforce these mandates.) It seems that countries with such strict conditions leave very little to the art of live performance, limiting the performer to well, singing — in absolute stillness, while wearing a curtain. With all these rules, why even buy concert tickets in Malaysia? Why not just sit in front of your brand new radio that you bought with your ticket money and imagine Avril in whatever you want? Submitted by on August 20, 2008 - 1:00pm. |
User loginRecent blog posts
Active TopicsNew forum topicsRecent comments
|
News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
ha
"...limiting the performer to well, singing — in absolute stillness, while wearing a curtain."
Love it. :)
*siiighh* speaking as a malaysian...
I don't really agree...
I lived in Malaysia for 9 years, and my stepdad's Malaysian and I come back here every year, and I love this country. I actually remember going to the Gwen Stefani concert last year, and honestly, it wasn't that bad. You wouldn't even have noticed there was a difference to her normal style except that such a fuss was kicked up in - and I hate to say this - Western media. I read all about it in London before coming home and then came home to find absolutely negligible difference!
It's plain offensive to say that the rules are strange or to portray them as bizarre just because they're just different. Remember, Malaysia is a Muslim country, it's a conservative country, and when they say no hugging or kissing is allowed, they mean Madonna-Britney style hugging and kissing. Homosexuality is still illegal here, and that's not fair or likeable, but we have to respect the cultural differences that exist here.
I'm amazed that anyone
I'm amazed that anyone on here would say we should 'respect cultural difference' when we are talking about this sort of oppression and judgement.
Very TRUE!!!
ROTFL!! I'm completely disgusted(and totally amused!) by MY country's crazy decisions and rules...im totally ashamed that at this age of technology and this modern era, although my country's policy is to move forward towards modernisation, the government is still very stuck with their third world mentality.
Im not much of a fan of Avril's, but knowing that great artists such as Ms. Beyonce and Christina Aguilera decided to completely skip performing in Malaysia is just such a shame. They could have increase the country's popularity among the their fans and brought other fans from neighbouring countries into malaysia. Instead, now the government is "promoting" the country's "popularity" by BANNING international artistes. Truely saddening and I therefore, would like to hide my head under my laptop, ashamed by my country's ignorance, crazy policies and backward thinking.
Meanwhile,
PETITION FOR SEXUALITY RIGHTS IN MALAYSIA
http://www.petitiononline.com/psrmsia/petition.html
A sad Malaysian
Its really really sad. Malaysia wasnt like this until fairly recently. Why even bother having concerts? Eventually, no International Star would want to come to Malaysia to perform. Too much hassle, may as well perform in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia etc.
The Government should better focus on other pressing matters in the country like the high inflation rate, blah blah..... cos i think the least of the government worry should be Avil Lavigne or any other scantily dressed women.
Give us citizens a break. Concerts by these women will not convert us into brainless women, but careless governing would! My as well ban internet, MTV etc.
Its all politics....unfortunately
http://lezhangout.blogspot.com --where globetrotter girls hangout--
Strange?
I don't really agree with the term 'strange'.....Yes, they are different, but Malaysia is a completely different country! Those rules may seem unusual placed in our Western society, but it's merely their culture! This is also the reason I don't agree, nor disagree with things stated in the article. We don't live in Malaysia (most of us) and therefor are completely unfamiliar with the Malaysian moral and such. Okay, maybe not completely unfamiliar, but when you don't live there, I don't think you should judge their rules.....
Since when does AfterEllen mock religious beliefs?!
So let me get this straight.
You've created this website that's gaining international recognition, and you're (probably) hoping to pass on the message that anyone should feel free to come out and be gay if they are; nobody should judge others on who they are.
But somehow, when somebody wants to practice a certain religion you oppose the freedom you so vigorously supported when it came to gay rights?
If there's a country (like Malaysia) where over half the population is muslim, then, in the spirit of letting everyone be who they want to be, shouldn't we let them be who they are, be it more conservative than us?
Kind of a disappointing article.
my point is...
I think that the point is that you, as a Country leader, should let everyone express his/her self and let the people choose freedomly to go or not to go to a show that might offend their religious point of view.
If you forbid the show you won't give the opportunity to choose... that's the wrong part in all of that, in my opinion... It's the problem that comes up when religion rules a Country... they should be separated. If you believe (God, Allah or whatever) you'll live following a certain life style... being respected and respecting others... DON'T BUY THE TICKET if you think the show is too sexy, easy: don't go to the concert. don't forbid others to go!
sorry for my english...
_____________________
..make it count..
No disrepect was intended
No disrepect was intended at all in the article. The remark about jumping, shouting and kissing and hugging was from a list of general performance guidelines in Malaysia not from religious law.
And yes, in the contexts of performance art to place limits on movement and vocal settings is "strange" given that you are paying the artists such as musicians to put on a show. This is especially true in the case of say Gwen Stefani who does jump on stage and shout etc...
In no way was I implying that the Muslim relgiion was "strange" in any way. I spent a lot of time in Malaysia and studying Muslim religion and have the utmost respect for the religion and their belieifs.
Thanks for your feedback.
Unintended Stereotype
I have absolutely no doubt that you didn't mean any disrespect, and I didn't mean to attack you personally in any way.
But when people (not just you, it's the better part of western society) continually write articles similar to yours, an overwhelming sense of mockery starts to develop towards all cultures non-western.
Which I think is a shame since we have so much to learn from them (I'm not conservative or anything, but you have to admit that drunken naked girls splashed all over youtube exceed even the wishes of the most perverted lesbian around).
Compare it to people mocking gays. Even people who have absolutely nothing against homosexuality might still make some innocent jokes about it, no disrespect intended. As long as the author is pro-gay rights, nobody really minds the laughs. But as long as people still make those jokes, the stereotype persists.
I used to live in Asia which is why it bothers me when uninformed people (I'm definitely not talking about you here) mock foreign cultures. And although they probably wouldn't make most of the comments they make had they been better informed, it's articles like yours that make it seem like their comments are O.K.
I think that there's a
I think that there's a difference between using light humor to elucidate a point about cultural difference and viciously mocking a country's traditional customs and values. In our contemporary culture, I realize that it may be difficult to recognize that difference. You are right: Western media does have an unfortunate and immature habit of mocking and disparaging non-Western cultures, especially those within the Islamic diaspora. Understanding and civil discussion are what we need most right now.
However, I do not think that our statuses as foreigners and / or liberals means that we should avoid all comment regarding certain laws and customs in foreign nations. There is a nasty strain of political correctness among liberals that encourages a sheepish silence whenever topics about non-Western ideals, customs, and laws arise and it's not a good thing. I've lived in Asia, too. Some may be surprised to know that in countries as advanced as South Korea and Japan, domestic violence against women is both common and tolerated, sometimes even in public. Clearly, that is wrong. In Indonesia, female genital cutting is practiced as a rite of passage. Should we have no opinion about that? For those of us who are feminist, should our ideas not extend outside of our own borders?
I do not think that it is our job to correct what other people do -- we have our own house to clean, after all, and other nations have their own activists -- but we are not wrong to discuss, compare, and even criticize foreign cultural mores. It's important to know that homosexuality is banned in many parts of the world and that women are violently oppressed in a number of countries, and it is right of us to disagree with those laws. And if a little humor helps us to deal with some of the most painful aspects of this knowledge (certainly not the case with this light article), I think that's fine.
rights to choose
I think notunderpressure made a good point. The government should not dictate what the citizens can and cannot see. We should be able to make up our own mind. Yes, Malaysia is a country with Muslim majority. but we have to remember tat it also has Buddhists, Christians, Hidus and other religions that makes up a minority. You cannot have a blanket rule for everyone and to ban it becos u r afraid people might get influenced by it is the lamest excuse. Why not ban MTV? Why not ban internet? It is ridiculous, the double standards.
Right now, there is an election coming up. Government would like to win the majority vote. So, making this decision would apeace the majority hence getting their vote. Thankfully, if I am not mistaken, the majority Muslims in Malaysia are not conservative and in fact this move is not a popular move indeed.
The local news says that the organisers started advertising this concert without getting the permit from the Cultural Ministry. If they followed protocol, the cancelation would not have happened since the Ministry would not have given green light in the 1st place.
For more local insight: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/8/20/nation/20080820190514&sec=nation
http://lezhangout.blogspot.com --where globetrotter girls hangout--
i agree
I agree with mcyw. This article is not really about Islamic moral code or Malaysian culture, rather about the paternalistic attitudes of the state. Those Muslim people who find Avril's concert routine inappropiate are entitled to have their own beliefs and convictions and of course to shun the event. But so are those who find it enjoyable and see no harm in it. You can be a socially conservative, devoutly religious statesperson but you shouldn't impose your beliefs on others using your power. It should be up to every citizen what they do with their lives. And as for Malaysian teenagers: I think it's their parents' jobs to decide whether they can go or not.
As for the mocking, the author's jokes about the curtain and stillness try to underline the absurdity of the situation - in my opinion, obviously. I mean, pop concerts are mainly about the show - the jumping, the shouting, the stagediving, encouraging the crowd to sing along, spectacular dance elements, sexy/extraordinary costumes etc. You take out these things and what you left with is "mere" performance.
Cultural Mores
Hey I understand that it might be strange to have a concert and then put restrictions on it.
However if we keep in mind that a conservative country even allows the concert, I would say that the tension between individualism and group think is in a good state. The West and the US in particular is so hyper individualistic that many people have had to develop their own defenses (or sophistication) against rampant common-denominator behavior (sex and violence). It's what parents protect their kids from as long as possible. The people in these less individualistic cultures don't necessarily have fully developed identities, and probably need some level of "protection". I think it's a good balance for Malaysia.
I've never been, just frothing at the mouth here.
--
"One does not see anything until one sees its beauty" - Oscar Wilde
begging to differ
With individualism comes responsibility
Agree wih agallys. We should give people the freedom to choose. But with this freedom, comes responsibility.
To date, the Malaysian Government has not banned the selling of alchohol and pork in Malaysia. Being a Muslim in Malaysia, if u were caught eating pork or drinking alchohol, u would be brought to the Syariah Court and either be jailed or fined. At least in tat sense, they are not creating a blanket rule for all religions, so tat is a form of respect on their part and i truly appreciate tat.
Of cos the convervative quarters are pushing for a total ban of alchohol and nightclubs and gambling as well, but the liberal quarters were of course against this. So, so far, things are still kept at bay.
But i do believe tat it also depends on who is heading which ministry. The Cultural Ministry is now headed by a conservative person of late, and i do think tat is why there are so many "sexy" artists which were banned from performing in Malaysia.
http://lezhangout.blogspot.com --where globetrotter girls hangout--
I don't think there's
I don't think there's anything sexy about Avril Lavigne...
too early in the morning for this
The people running my country make the Pharisees look like meek lambs. If the God they so profess to represent actually exists, I'm surprised he hasn't maimed the hypocritical little sh*ts.
Now that I got my mini rant out of the way...
On the surface it seems like the extremist Muslims have been going out of their way to ban 'controversial' artists while their kids either head bang to Linkin Park (banned), dress like the PCDS (banned), or belt out Avril (banned) hits because her pseudo hardcore attitude amazes them. Really, censorship and licensing both have got nearly zilch to do with religion. It's about power play with Malaysian authorities, reminding the people who's really in charge. The Islam religion has unfortunately been politicised so drastically by my country (and many other nations, come to think of it) that the rest of the genuine Muslims who're also peace and fun loving (excuse my sounding like a hippy) get dragged down by their handful of manipulative and ignorant brethrens.
To mcyw, regarding them banning the internet, it's not for the lack of trying. :)
I do agree with I_want_kristen_bell about okay-ing mockery and 'harmless' jokes about other people's ethnicity, religious belief, and/or sexuality and how NOT okay it is. Stretching it a little far here, but that's how propoganda in World War 2 and the Holocaust started. On both ends.
I'm probably rambling by now, but just as a closing point, certain Malaysian policies and rulings may be unforgivingly patriarchal, racist, and homophobic, but there are quite a few of us who're determined and working towards changing all that, and quite a lot of us who've left our ancestors' shadows and understand the concept of tolerance and diversity. We're a fairly young nation. Don't be deterred from visiting us! We've got beautiful weather, great food, and a cosy LGBT community here. :D
Barney would be asked to cover his ding-dongs in concert here :D
As a gay spiritual Muslim, I'm saddened at the fact that "coming out" is a big no-no in Malaysia..Part of the problem in our society seems to be that religion is being used for political leverage. Unfortunately (forntuantely in my opinion) Malaysia is a diverse melting-pot of so many cultures and religions, and we all somehow manage to co-exist together peacefully, most people brought up with knowledge and awareness of the other person's religious and cultural differences, to respect what is and isn't okay to do.
Homosexuality is banned here and probably always will be in times to come, though the LGBT community in essence is healthy and thriving. The Government know we exist, heck, there are gay bars if u know where to find them in major cities around the country, some of them frequented by even the patrciachal Government officials themselves (yes, we know who u are)!!
What the country's youth is actually trying to achieve is that particualr balance between personal rights of freedom and our own Eastern cultural values regardless of our multi-cultural backgrounds. We are fighting for freedom to do live how we want and never forgetting our Eastern values that define us as a society of peace-loving and tolerant people of faith.
All said, it is extremely ridiculous for the Goverment to think that by shielding us from the ills of the world outside, we would be better off and safer. We are still stuck in the old ages if we cannot trust our youth to censure and decide what is best for us. We are asked to excel as individuals but deciding for ourselves, i.e. what media content is allowed, no constructive criticism of government, who we are allowed to f*** ( I could go on foreva), is not tolerable . Hypocritical much?
But that said, we are a beautiful country of great food, hot weather and hot girls :-) Come visit us!
thts my country...
Hey guyz..yeah im a malaysian,(not a muslim tho), been living here my whole life..
i do understand tht for muslims,it is considered inappropriate to show too much of skin..and stuff like tht..
u guys gotta understand tht there are SOOOO many people here rite now who think tht its such a bummer tht Avril is not performing here..u have no idea how many Avril Lavigne fans there are around here.
And,u guys also gotta understand tht not all religion is the same. Different religions have different beliefs and practices. Some a bit conservative, and some, not so much.
But hey we did have Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance perform here. Plus the MTV Asia Awards 2008 was held here recently, and no problem there.
But plz dont judge us all by these kind of decisions tht our Ministry makes. Those guys are as old as my grandparents. So, their conservatism is totally understood.
I think the performers
I think the performers should respect the terms of the coutry or venue they are playing at. If not, they should just not perform there. And yeah, imagining Avril
nakedin whatever outfit I like is better than spending money to see her all covered up. Because really, its all about the scantily clad girls and not about the music right? I think the fans wouldn't care too much about what they are wearing but about the music and being surrounded by other fans having a good time. Or maybe that's just me.I am my very own shade of grey.
hah.
-----------------------------------------
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
=========================
how is it to know that you're everything i want? </
Gwen and PCD?
.steph.
If we could have Gwen Stefani here to perform last year, and PCD twice, what's wrong with having Avril? I could totally understand if they banned PCD (hey, wasn't there a something about banning them the first time they came to perform) and
MCR(better not give them any ideas) with all the swearwords Gerard Way used, but what exactly is sexy about Avril Lavigne?And you can't blame Beyonce for not wanting to perform in Malaysia. I wouldn't, either. Did they seriously expect her to cover up in the whole jubah-tudung thing?
Still. Majorly bummed over not being able to see Avril. Next thing you know, they'll be asking the
rest of us(non-Muslims) to cover up as well. Stock up on your headdresses, people.XP
Why not let Avril perform?
Why not let Avril perform? When I saw her she didn't even wear a skirt (SO disapointed!) and not being able to jump and shout at a concert kind of takes away the fun of it...isn't that one of the things to love at concerts, the energy and passion?
And sexy is PCD's trademark! Surely they knew that before they performed. Is there not music channels in Malaysia? I think there is! Soon they will be asking artists to make music videos especially for their Country, covering up every bit of skin.
I think there might be some
I find the article a bit
The thing is though, a
avril has been given the go ahead
After much debate and hoo-ha, Avril has finally been given the go ahead to perform in KL, supported by the Malaysian Prime Minister himself?! (according to this article below)
But like my friend commented, we can understand the ban/refrain from hugging and kissing, but what's wrong with jumping and shouting???
http://galaxieblog.com.my/blog/permalink.asp?id=1474
you know what? it's only a
you know what? it's only a tiny faction that has kicked up this fuss. It's right-wing Islamic political party that deems everything foreign to be "harmful" to the Malaysian people. Most Malaysians are progressive and generally, Malaysian Muslims are moderate Muslims.
What I don't understand is, why do they only enforce such strict performance guidelines to foreign acts. You can't just pick and choose, when and with whom these rules apply to.
Malaysian Muslim entertainers:
AND they made Gwen wear a leotard underneath her shirt!!??