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Transforming 'politics of disgust' into 'science of sensitivity'
The price of homophobia and transphobia creates a burden to the macro economy of a nation. In countries like India and Indonesia, this translates into a few billion dollars annually.
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The price of homophobia and transphobia creates a burden to the macro economy of a nation. In countries like India and Indonesia, this translates into a few billion dollars annually. (Shutterstock/-)
T
he politics of disgust. The clitoral complex. The science of sensitivity. Have you ever even heard of these terms? I never had, before attending the Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSHR) that is.
The APCRSHR describes itself as being “a civil society-led regional forum for inclusive, participatory dialogue toward rightsbased and optimal sexual and reproductive health and well-being for all.” Bang on!
This year, it was held in Vietnam from Nov. 27 to 30, in Halong Bay, designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.
I did the bay cruise on my first day before the official conference started. Looking at some of the almost 2,000 limestone karst monolithic isles topped with lush green vegetation, jutting out from the green waters, and the amazing stalactite caves, I was awestruck. Was I on earth or in Avatar land?
The venue of the conference was at the majestic Quang Ninh Exhibition of Planning and Expo Center, overlooking the bay. The building consists of two structures, one shaped like a species of pearl-making shelled mollusk found in abundance in local waters. The second was said to be dolphin-inspired, but to me the elongated curved shape made it look like a strange looking spacecraft (or penis, depending on your imagination!), which with the islets’ backdrop gave it all a surreal feeling.
However, the issues at the conference hall were real, many painfully so. Take for example the politics of disgust I mentioned earlier, taken from a speech by Dede Oetomo, the Indonesian doyen of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer (LGBTIQ) activism.
In his plenary speech, Dede cited the eminent philosopher Martha Nussbaum, from her influential book From Disgust to Humanity: Sexual Orientation and Constitutional Law (2010) — most appropriate for the theme of the first plenary session: Overcoming social, cultural and religious barriers in sexual and reproductive health.
