Singaporean single mum's letter to Minister on censorship
Are we perpetuating intolerance and bigotry of non-traditional households by removing books that do not conform to the stereotypical family model? Read this open letter by a single mum to Mr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts, which sheds a perspective on the fears of the consequences of censorship in Singapore.
Ms Pan, a single mum of one, has shed her perspective on censorship of children's books in Singapore. In a Facebook post (written in 2014) that recently went viral, she urged Mr Yaacob Ibrahim - our Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts - to reconsider censoring books which defy the construct of a traditional family.
She states that censoring such books will not only deny the next generation to appreciate family diversity, but also create an artificial reality for them.
Pan believes that young children will only come to know of the traditional family model. And because of that, fears other children may start alienating her daughter.
"As a mother, I can teach my daughter to be brave and optimistic if ever being ridiculed about our family situation," she says. And although she explains that the censorship laws can be worked around by ordering the censored books online, she won't be able to change society on her own.
She encourages Mr Ibrahim to reconsider the censorship towards Singapore's children's books as it will make Singapore a more inclusive society. This, in turn, establishes tolerance and appreciation of the different family models. She's has also created a hashtag #wearereal to spread awareness on the issue of censorship.
(Story shared with permission from Ms Pan)
Source: Jaxe Pan's Facebook
Image credit:(Jaxe Pan's Facebook)
