Trans advocate Nisha Ayub attends a press conference in Putrajaya August 10, 2018. — Picture by Azinuddin Ghazali
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Responding to critics over her joint press conference with Islamic Religious Affairs Minister Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa yesterday, transgender activist Nisha Ayub said she would never “throw anyone under the bus”.
Speaking to Malay Mail after receiving backlash on social media from those within the LGBT community and those against them, Nisha explained why she called herself a transgender activist instead of an LGBT activist.
“If I were to say I am an LGBT activist, it means I am representing everyone and I think that isn’t right because I have no right to talk about or represent the other communities. I think they have the right to represent themselves and speak about their issues.
“If you recall, we (the transgender community) were fighting endlessly when we don’t want to be included or identified as part men having sex with men (MSM) group.
“As much as we are fighting for our own identity that we are not men, the other groups have their own identities too. That’s my point, if you look at my Facebook posts, it was always about the transgender community,” Nisha said.
She also pointed out that she is not as familiar with the issues faced by the LGBT community as a whole, and is better versed on issues facing the transgender community in Malaysia specifically.
Yesterday, there were news reports highlighting the fact that Nisha did not identify herself as an LGBT activist, which triggered a backlash on Twitter with some users accusing Nisha of throwing the rest of the LGBT community “under the bus”.
A tearful Nisha told Malay Mail she apologised if she had offended anyone, but it was never her intention to hurt or discriminate against others because her entire life has been a struggle against discrimination.
She reminded the public that yesterday’s meeting with Mujahid was to focus more on the issues facing the transgender community, and not the LGBT community as a whole, nor was it to focus on the fact that her photograph was taken down from the George Town Festival.
“Just before Datuk Mujahid called an end to the press conference, I also mentioned that others from the LGBT community should approach him to have an engagement with the minister.
“For the LGBT community, I’m the last person to practise discrimination because I’ve been through it... I’m sorry,” she said as her voice began to crack over the phone.
“I’m trying to do my best and I don’t want to discriminate against anyone. If they feel I did something wrong, it wasn’t my intention for the community. I’m sorry.”
Trans advocate Nisha Ayub attends a press conference in Putrajaya August 10, 2018. — Picture by Azinuddin Ghazali
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Transgender activist Nisha Ayub plans to lodge a police report against those who have issued her death threats on social media.
She received multiple death threats over her photograph which was featured at the George Town Festival but subsequently taken down.
“I was advised by Kak Siti (Kassim) to make a report. But there’ve been so many I don’t know how to pinpoint. What I did when I received Facebook notifications, I just delete them. I didn’t even want to look at it.
“The only thing I read is the one that people send to my Messenger and after reading it, I block the number,” Nisha told Malay Mail.
To make things worse, Nisha said the attacks against her have increased following her press conference with Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa yesterday.
She said even Mujahid has come under attack by those against the LGBT community.
“I should make a police report. To be honest, after the meeting with Datuk Mujahid I think there are more people hating me. I think they even hate Mujahid ... It’s getting worse and I think I’m going to make a report later on.
“I’m going to ask the police to help keep my family and me safe,” said Nisha, who says she now fears for her safety. She complained that among the more distasteful messages she has received was a picture of a pig being photoshopped onto her face.
During the joint press conference yesterday, Nisha also admitted that she was unaware that her photograph was going to be featured at the festival.
Despite all the problems the photograph has caused her, Nisha maintained that she felt honoured by the photographer for featuring her in his exhibition.
She said she agreed for the photograph to be taken down as she feared provoking extremists and more attacks against the LGBT community.
“Maybe I am slightly more protected in Kuala Lumpur. But what about the rest of the community in the country? If the photograph wasn’t taken down they could be targeted. I don’t want them to go through that,” said Nisha.
Use the ‘star’ logo at your own risk, MCA warned
© Provided by FMT MEDIA SDN BHD
PUTRAJAYA: Mujahid Yusof Rawa today defended his instruction to organisers of a Merdeka-themed exhibition in Penang to bring down several portraits over their “LGBT” flavour, saying it was done to protect the community from being harassed.
The minister in charge of Islamic affairs today emerged from a meeting with transgender activist Nisha Ayub, whose portrait alongside that of another activist Pang Khee Teik, were recently removed from the “Stripes and Strokes” photography exhibition at the George Town Festival.
“I took the action to protect them. Can you imagine what would have happened if the portraits were there for the whole month?” asked Mujahid in a joint press conference with Nisha.
Mujahid accused the organisers of misrepresenting Nisha, saying the activist should not be lumped together with the lesbian, gay and bisexual community.
Nisha agreed with Mujahid, saying the organisers’ decision to use a portrait of her holding the Jalur Gemilang – taken during Merdeka celebrations last year – had attracted a backclash including threats to her life.
“I was not informed until I was tagged on my Facebook page and it went viral,” she said.
“My portrait was taken down for a reason. It is not a big issue,” said a visibly emotional Nisha at the press conference. “People were sending hate messages to kill me.”
She said she did not consider herself an “LGBT activist”, but a “trans advocate”.
Nisha also thanked Mujahid for responding to her request for a meeting.
The removal of the portraits attracted criticism from rights groups including from social activist Marina Mahathir who told organisers to take down her picture in solidarity with Nisha and Pang.
Nisha said transgenders were constantly being discriminated over their appearance.
“We are just asking for respect and dignity. All I ask from the public is to stop stereotyping us.
“We are Malaysians, we want to be treated with respect and to integrate with the community at large,” she said, adding that majority of them ended up becoming sex workers due to society’s treatment on them.
