Black Holes and Revelations Subheader
Sexuality and Gender
There have also been debates of a more personal nature on Raffles Confessions pages — that of sexual orientation and gender politics within the school . For an issue which we would normally consider intensely personal , there have been a fairly high number of Rafflesians posting heartfelt confessions regarding their sexuality . This , however , comes as little surprise — after studying for more than four years in a ( still ) relatively heteronormative community , Rafflesians who are LGBT have certainly been exposed to some degree of subtle alienation or may have been affected by self-doubt or worry at some point in their student lives . Anonymous confessions from students who have admitted to being LGBT thus serve a cathartic effect , enabling them to get these unspoken troubles off their chest . It is heartening to note that many Rafflesians have been very supportive of their LGBT peers , offering encouraging remarks and advice regardless of their moral stance on the issue . A strongly-worded confession from one Rafflesian that he ‘ hate ( s ) it when people use homophobic slurs ’ encapsulates the desire of most Rafflesians on Confessions pages to contribute to a more inclusive , rather than intolerant school atmosphere .
Discussion over gender issues has also featured on the RJ Confessions site , with confessions like ‘ I can ’ t believe that so many Rafflesians downplay the importance of feminism in Singapore ’ generating heated debate amongst Rafflesians who would otherwise have never spoken out about such topics . For a majority of Rafflesians who have grown to be accustomed to a singlesex school environment , suddenly being thrust into the co-educational jungle that is the Year 5-6 campus would certainly be a disorienting experience . Although genuinely well-intentioned , this abrupt change in school demographics and culture has led to some Rafflesians making remarks which could be construed to be tactless and sexist . Nevertheless , both in their anonymous confessions and their responses to perceived sexism , most Rafflesians have adopted mature attitudes toward gender issues , and the discussions that take place on the site have been largely civil .
It is heartening to note that many Rafflesians have been very supportive of their LGBT peers , offering encouraging remarks and advice regardless of their moral stance on the issue .
Rafflesian Times
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