camp for effeminate boys.

I read about a certain state’s decision on having a camp for effeminate boys. I applaud their actions. Applause people applause! Whoever came up with THAT ORIGINAL idea should be given a Nobel Peace Prize. Really they should!

I’m being sarcastic? No! This is me being nice and logical and a tad pessimistic.

66 boys/teenagers whose names were written, recorded down by their teachers and sent to the educational department and then they are FORCED to enter a camp, which idealistically, would change them into MEN in 4 days. Sounds like a fairy-tale to me. If Hans Christen Andersen were alive today he’d have a huge hit and his book about 66 effeminate boys going to a camp that will idealistically change them, teach them how to behave like boys in 4 days will appear on the New York’s best-seller list!

I’ve attended camps. Yes, the ones that’s supposed to make me more patriotic and “love thy country” kinda thing. It did make me feel more patriotic and it did raise my awareness about what a beautiful country I am living in currently, how fair and just the leaders are, how mature they are, how un-biased the media really is- really beautiful country don’t you think so? I’m rambling. It DID change me. For like a week or so. Then I got back being the old me- the one who loves the country for the sake of loving the country, not because of patriotism or anything. Don’t get me wrong. I’d fight for the country I will but the politics here has gotten really crappy that I don’t bother finding out who’s on the right side of the fence anymore. A bunch of old people running a country whose reputation is indeed increasing in the eyes of the world but really, reputation if it’s because of a bad thing isn’t really a good thing for the country is it? They think they know what’s best most of the time but sometimes they really don’t. Oblivious I say!

About the camp, like I said, I applaud their efforts and I can see where they are coming from. They are concerned. These boys could be future leaders, money makers, the ones that’ll make a name for Malaysia in the future hopefully and what they are doing is just to help guide these poor, unfortunate, effeminate souls onto the right path. Pretty idealistic don’t you think?

But poor souls! Having to go through such traumatic experience of going to a camp that’ll make a man out of them is really, really a tiresome thing.

I wonder if the guys who thought about this idea of having this camp studied psychology. Maybe they should send themselves to psychological camps where they will learn about psychology. 

Effeminate behaviour stems from early childhood experience or even because (cringe please) some boys are just born that way (genetics or hormones). Exposure is a critical thing at the early years of growing. This is the stage where the brain absorbs things and our behaviours will become accustomed to the things we are exposed too and this will eventually be brought to adulthood. So parents who (mothers especially) dress their sons in girly clothes, allow them to play girl things and stuff will eventually have an effeminate son. Now I’m being general too here but I cannot help it.

But here’s from experience or the things I have come across or seen: All effeminate guys are effeminate but not all of them are gays. Likewise, all manly guys are manly but not all of them are straight. These are truths and facts. I asked my friends they agree. Even some of the girl friends I have sometimes wonder if the guys they have a crush on or the guys they are dating or just the normal guys they see on a daily basis are straight or not.

I say, send future parents to camps! Teach them the “proper ways” of raising perfect little children! Then the government wouldn’t have to worry about the country being run by effeminate boys or lesbians or children who lack religious knowledge. Then the country would have perfect people who are holistic- flawed not are their characters and are knowledgeable.

A breach of privacy you say? How about sending 66 effeminate boys to camp and being told on how they should live? Isn’t that a breach of privacy too?

I’m not being Lady Gaga for supporting gay movements or what not but this is from pure logic. Correct, this camp will provide them guidance and knowledge and also exposure. But it’s nothing new. These kids got plenty of exposure on how boys should be behaving from homes, schools, television, the internet etc. but why hadn’t they changed?

Because they choose not to.

I’m sure the motivational speakers there would say something like “Go back to the right path. Be a man! Do the right thing.” But let’s face it, if these boys don’t want to change, who are you to force them to change?

This thing called life is a matter of choices and these boys they’ve made a choice for now and they’ve chosen to become effeminate. Some were natural others maybe because of peer pressure while some may see it as a phase or curiosity but just understand that by forcing people to attend camps so that they will change will not make them learn anything. It’ll actually work in reverse.

Maybe some will leave with awareness. For how long though? How long will that awareness stick in them? Will there be more guidance after that? Will the school treat them more properly? Will the teachers not discriminate them? Will the other boys stop bullying them? Will they indeed become manlier after 4 days of camping? How will their parents treat them now? Friends?

I wonder if the guys who thought about this idea thought thoroughly of their actions; the consequences that come with? They thought about the good side no doubt. How about the bad ones? The rise in discrimination perhaps? The social divide? The psychological implications?

Society in general should stop looking down on these people, jeering and what not at them. They need support. A friendly hand guiding them, an advisor, a comrade, a friend; that’s what they need. Not a camp. Really, not a camp. Not bullying, not another form of discrimination disguised as help. They need support.

I know I’m just a guy writing in a blog not agreeing to this idea of having a camp but I would just like to make you realise that what these boys need is not camps. They need help. Guidance. Care. Love. Realisation. Not a camp, really, not a camp. 

So people with power, I challenge you. Instead of doing a camp, why don’t you think of more creative solutions which will have longer impact on the participants involved? I’m sure you people can think of something. After all, you are the ultimate brains of the nation. I have an idea! Why don't we make the camp like some sort of a reality t.v show? the guy who ends up being the least effeminate wins a million RM! that'll be awesome! don't you think? Besides the huge extrinsic motivation to go to the camp, they'll have intrinsic motivation to change. Plus, they'll be local celebrities!

And by the way, if you want to make camps for effeminate boys, why don't you make camps for girls who behave more like boys while you're at it? Killing two birds with one stone as they say. 

P.S: Agree to disagree.