Thio Li-ann

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Thio Li-ann
张黎衍
Thio Li-ann at a Human Rights Day seminar, Conrad Centennial Singapore - 20141204-01.jpg
Thio speaking at a Human Rights Day seminar organized by the European Union Delegation to Singapore in December 2014
Nominated Member of Parliament
In office
18 January 2007 –17 July 2009
Alma mater
Occupation Professor of law
Thio Li-ann
Simplified Chinese 张黎衍

From 18 January 2007, Thio was appointed a Nominated Member of Parliament of the 11th Session of the Parliament of Singapore for a two-and-a-half-year term. [5]

In October 2007, during a review by the Parliament of Singapore on the Penal Code, [26] it decided not to repeal section 377A of the Code and thus continued to criminalise sexual activity between males. In the course of the debate in Parliament, Thio gave a speech to support the continued criminalisation of sexual activity between males, and likened gay sex to "shoving a straw up your nose to drink." [20] She claimed to have support from a majority of Singaporeans, and stated she spoke "at the risk of being burned at the stake by militant activists." [27] At the same time, Thio mentioned the existence of an active gay agenda that seeks to lobby the government and radically change sexual norms. [20]

The Internet subsequently saw a flood of websites heavily rebutting Thio's speech, most of which focused on her lurid straw-up-the-nose analogy. [28] Local journalist Janadas Devan, in a feature article in The Straits Times on 27 October, titled "377A debate and the rewriting of pluralism", the pointed out that the speech was heavily laced with phrases and imagery from the Dominionist movement. [29] Another Straits Times writer, Chua Mui Hoong, also wrote an article titled "Rules of Engagement for God and Politics" on 16 November 2007. In it, Chua acknowledged Thio's position in her speech that secularism could challenge religion. However, Chua disagreed that religion has been antagonised in Singapore, and encouraged that specific explanation be given as to how the repeal of a law would in reality harm the Singaporean society. [30]

Thio's speech also drew the criticism of Michael Kirby, then a judge of the High Court of Australia, who referenced it in a speech he delivered in Brisbane on 16 November 2007. The content of his speech was subsequently published in The Sydney Morning Herald on 19 November 2007. [31]

During the debate, Thio revealed that playwright Alfian Sa'at had sent her a short email saying, among other things, that "I hope I outlive you long enough to see the repeal of 377A and on that day I will piss on your grave." [32] Sa'at later took responsibility for the email, saying it was sent in a moment of folly in response to the rumour that Thio had called the police to complain about a "Pink Picnic" some members of the gay community were organising in the Botanic Gardens. Thio later denied the allegation, and Sa'at apologised. [33] Subsequently, in November 2007, Thio was alerted by the media to an anonymous threatening letter addressed to her stating: "We know where you work, we'll send people there to hunt you down". Thio made a police report the same day. [34]

AWARE Takeover by Thio Su Mien

In 2009, a group of conservative Christian women from the Church of Our Savior, under the leadership of Josie Lau and orchestrated by Thio's mother, Thio Su Mien, took over the executive council of the group alleging AWARE, a non-governmental organization in Singapore concerned with promoting gender equality. On 26 May 2009, during Thio's first speech in parliament since the event, Thio accused the local press of biased reporting on the events surrounding the attempted takeover. Han Fook Kwang, then editor of The Straits Times, responded in an editorial and expressed his sadness at the vindictiveness of "critics and the length to which they are prepared to go to attack our professionalism" and integrity, detailing the sequence of events and how their journalists had investigated and reported on the proceedings. [35]

Question regarding support from the majority

Thio's strong position towards retaining the code drew much protest from some Singaporeans. Two issues were constantly raised. The first issue was the question of the real existence of a majority against repeal of the code. The second issue was the question of whether a stance against homosexual behavior would equate to wanting a code to criminalize the act of sodomy. [36] Concerns were also raised by a law professor on whether it was realistically possible to enforce such a code, whether it would lead to dangers of entrapment, and whether the informal position of the government not to enforce the code would reverse overnight. [37]

Personal life

Thio was born to Thio Gim Hock, who was the chairman of OUE Limited, and Thio Su Mien, the former dean of NUS law school and founder of the TSMP Law Corporation. Her maternal grandfather is Reverend Huang Yang Ying, first principal of Anglican High School. [38] Her brother, Thio Shen Yi, a senior counsel, who manages TSMP with his wife, Stefanie Yuen-Thio.

Religious affiliation

Thio is a Christian. In an interview with the local daily The Straits Times on 2 November 2007, Thio shared her personal story of how she converted from a "very, very arrogant" atheist to a Christian in 1987. [20] Having entered Oxford University to read jurisprudence, she attended a Christian Union talk then and claimed to be "stopped" by a voice.

"I basically had a sense that God was talking to me. I had stood up to walk out and I heard someone say, 'Stop'. And no one was around me. Everybody was busy doing their own thing. I was one of only one or two Chinese girls in this whole room of ang mohs. And then I just had the sense that I had encountered God, that he knew my name and I was shocked." Thio was quoted as saying in the interview. [39]

She added, "I don't know what right wing is. This is funny because I was always considered a political leftie and now I'm a rightie."

Selected works

Representative articles

Contributions towards books

Books

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References

  1. ↑ Derrick Paulo (18 January 2007), "Citizen Thio goes to Parliament", Today [ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 3 Prof THIO LI-ANN: Curriculum vitae, Parliament of Singapore, 25 January 2007, archived from the original on 9 February 2009, retrieved 8 November 2007.
  3. ↑ Dr Thio Su Mien, TSMP Law Corporation, 2007, archived from the original on 29 December 2007, retrieved 14 November 2007.
  4. ↑ Thio Shen Yi, TSMP Law Corporation, 2007, archived from the original on 29 December 2007, retrieved 14 November 2007.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Curriculum vitae: Professor (Dr.) THIO Li-ann (PDF), Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, 5 February 2007, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2007, retrieved 18 November 2007.
  6. ↑ Her LL.M. thesis was entitled Constitutional Interpretation: Lost Lessons from the Fundamental Principles of the U.S. Constitution (1993).
  7. 1 2 Academic profiles: THIO Li-ann, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, 25 June 2004, archived from the original on 15 October 2007, retrieved 16 November 2007.
  8. ↑ Thio's curriculum vitae states that this took place in 1998: Curriculum vitae: Professor (Dr.) THIO Li-ann (PDF), Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, 5 February 2007, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2007, retrieved 18 November 2007.
  9. ↑ "Singapore yearbook of international law [Serials]", Singapore Journal of International & Comparative Law, Singapore: Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, 1997–2003, ISSN   0219-0508, OCLC   957008186 . After 2003 the journal was renamed the Singapore Year Book of International Law (SYBIL).
  10. ↑ Asian Yearbook of International Law, Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff, 1993, ISSN   0928-432X, OCLC   485336884 .
  11. ↑ Singapore Year Book of International Law, Singapore: Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, 2004, ISSN   1793-0448, OCLC   719766706 .
  12. ↑ New Zealand Yearbook of International Law, Christchurch, N.Z.: International Law Group, School of Law, University of Canterbury, 2004, ISSN   1176-6417, OCLC   56810014 .
  13. ↑ "Advisory Board". Bolognalawreview.unibo.it. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  14. ↑ Human Rights & International Legal Discourse, Mortsel, Belgium: Intersentia, 2007–2010, ISSN   1783-7014, OCLC   830946407 .
  15. ↑ A.P. Blaustein; G.H. Flanz (1971), Constitutions of the Countries of the World: A Series of Updated Texts, Constitutional Chronologies and Annotated Bibliographies (Permanent ed.), Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, OCLC   283323438
  16. ↑ "I. CON : International journal of constitutional law.", International Journal of Constitutional Law, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003, ISSN   1474-2640, OCLC   930424052 .
  17. ↑ Singapore Academy of Law Annual Review of Singapore Cases, Singapore: Singapore Academy of Law, 2001, ISSN   0219-6638, OCLC   938292599 .
  18. ↑ Richard L. Revesz (22 July 2009), "Statement from Dean Richard L. Revesz of the New York University School of Law", The New York Times , archived from the original on 10 September 2017, retrieved 24 July 2009.
  19. 1 2 "Anti-gay Singapore prof cancels NYU stint after uproar", The Sydney Morning Herald , 24 July 2009, archived from the original on 25 July 2009, retrieved 24 July 2009.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Winnie Hu (22 July 2009), "Citing opposition, professor calls off N.Y.U. appointment", The New York Times , archived from the original on 10 September 2017, retrieved 24 July 2009.
  21. ↑ David Lat (6 June 2009), NYU professor of human rights: Not a fan of gay rights?, Above the Law, archived from the original on 8 July 2009, retrieved 11 June 2009; Rights for some people, Inside Higher Ed, 8 June 2009, archived from the original on 11 July 2009, retrieved 11 June 2009; Julie Bolcer (10 July 2009), "Human rights prof. opposes gay rights", The Advocate , archived from the original on 13 July 2009, retrieved 11 June 2009.
  22. 1 2 Tay Shi'an (22 July 2009), "She's not against gay people, just against gay agenda", The New Paper , archived from the original on 24 July 2009, retrieved 24 July 2009.
  23. 1 2 Cai Haoxiang (24 July 2009), "Thio Li-ann cancels teaching stint at NYU", The Straits Times , p. A15.
  24. ↑ David Lat (10 July 2009), Dr. Li-ann Thio: The good professor speaks – and so does NYU Law School, Above the Law, retrieved 13 July 2009[ dead link ].
  25. ↑ Lat, David. "Dr. Li-ann Thio: Much Ado About Nothing?". Above the Law. Retrieved 25 July 2009.[ dead link ]
  26. ↑ Penal Code( Cap. 224,1985 Rev. Ed. ).
  27. ↑ Thio Li-ann (23 October 2007), Speech, Singapore Parliamentary Debates, Penal Code Revisions, 22–23 October 2007 (Professor Dr. Thio Li-ann, Nominated Member) (PDF), Keep377A.com, archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2008, retrieved 19 November 2007.
  28. ↑ Hu, Winnie. "Opposition Causes Thio Li-ann to Skip N.Y.U. Appointment". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  29. ↑ Janadas Devan (27 October 2007), "377A debate and the rewriting of pluralism", The Straits Times.
  30. ↑ Chua Mui Hong (16 November 2007), "Rules of engagement for God and politics", The Straits Times.
  31. ↑ Michael Kirby (19 November 2007), "Selective tolerance is not tolerance at all", The Sydney Morning Herald, archived from the original on 20 November 2007, retrieved 26 November 2007.
  32. ↑ "Alfian Sa'at Vs Thio Li-Ann". Pseudonymity. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  33. ↑ "End of email saga between NMP and playwright". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  34. ↑ Li Xueying (8 November 2007), "NMP Thio files 2nd police report after getting threat", The Straits Times.
  35. ↑ Han Fook Kwang (30 May 2009), "How ST covered the story", The Straits Times.
  36. ↑ Resources, Trevvy Trevvy.com SGBOY Sgboy.com Gay Singapore Malaysia Hong Kong Thailand Australia News Lifestyle Personals Events Forums. "Trevvy - Forums - Crying OUT Loud Singapore!". www.trevvy.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 25 November 2007.
  37. ↑ K.C. Vijayan (30 October 2007), "NUS don warns of 377A fallout", The Straits Times.
  38. ↑ "Dr. Thio Su Mien with her young children, 1971". BooksSG. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  39. ↑ Li Xueying (2 November 2007), "A fiery NMP gets her baptism of fire", The Straits Times.

References

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