Smallest homosexual population, highest HIV infections

This letter was sent to ST Forum but was not published.

I refer to the article "More than 300 cases of HIV infections reported among Singapore residents from Jan to Oct this year"; 1 Dec.

Out of the 144 cases reported, heterosexual transmission accounted for 38 per cent of these cases, while 50 per cent were from homosexual transmission and 10 per cent were from bisexual transmission. 

It is indeed troubling that about 2 per cent of our population which leads a homosexual or bisexual lifestyle accounts for more than half of HIV infections. Condoms are often not strong enough for anal intercourse, as written in its brochure on Condoms and Sexuality Transmitted Diseases by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is not surprising that 97 per cent infected were male.

Personally, I have friends who suffered trauma in the form of rape and molestation, with some coming from broken families. Trauma and many psychological issues undealt with, led them to explore a homosexual lifestyle. Through their faith and much support from family and friends, they have renounced this lifestyle. Their experience questions if homosexuality is genetic or due to many factors like family background, life circumstances, social environment, personality and external influences. ("Coming out: How Parents react is crucial"; Nov 21; Study did not prove that sexuality is genetic; 27 Nov)

As people with intrinsic value, our identity is not tied to our work, status, family background, race or sexual orientation. A person struggling with any problem should be first seen as a person of great worth. The road to recovery stems from professionals first identifying the root of any struggle with truth and compassion. Established organizations that issue inaccurate information can devastate the person seeking help. A person is said to be struggling with identity issue when he links society's non-acceptance of a high-risk sexual behaviour as rejecting him as a person.  

It is understandable that parents are rightly concerned about their children who are in a homosexual lifestyle. There is no cure for HIV infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is deadly. Love does not see a person walking down the path of destruction and not warn him.