Dear All Singapore Stuff,
At cmpb medical the psychiatrist met me. I had ticked a box which said "do you have any financial / family / girlfriend problem / homosexuality".
His interview with me alone is represented in the dialogue below:
MO: what problem do you have?
Me: I don't think I have any problem.
MO: then why did you tick this box? (points at questionnaire)
Me: Singapore government seems to think being gay is a problem.
MO: mind if I ask a few questions (can tell he isn't homofriendly)
Me: you may ask but I may not feel compelled to answer.
MO: do you want to be a woman?
Me: no (visibly shocked but trying to keep it cool)
MO: do you feel like a woman trapped in a mans body?
Me: NO (losing the cool).
MO: do you feel uncomfortable around men?
Me: do you feel uncomfortable around WOMEN? (im incensed at this point!)
MO: this interview is not about me.
Me: why would I be sexually attracted to men if I'm uncomfortable with them?!
MO: how bout I just put you pes C, ok?
Me: (having no idea what he's talking about): fine. Do whatever you want.
In the end I was downgraded to C9L9 and posted to CD. I'm not queer or flamboyant but told all my platoon toward the end of my bmt. The fact that the other platoon had a complete femmebot probably helped by making me look good by comparison.
In the rest of ns, because I was so open about my sexuality (comes from being brought up elsewhere!) and answering all the silly questions people ask, I took it upon myself to outperform any straightboy in my department.
This resulted in nothing but praise from the rest of the NSF and officers. But they still crack jokes about it. Just something you gotta get used to (besides, you know when it's malicious and when it's benign - they make fun of fat people too, right).
The one thing this did affect was my ability to gain employment and I'm pretty sure a ministry turned me down last minute upon checking my ns record. I was really down at first (ESPECIALLY since I'd gone thru many rounds of interviews successfully!) but you get used to it. And it's sorta an employees Market right now.
Go figure.
Guest Seven
A.S.S. Contributor
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