Science Centre cancels talk discussing differences between s*x and gender following public outcry

SINGAPORE – Science Centre Singapore has cancelled an event organised to discuss the differences between s*x and gender following a backlash from the public.

In a Facebook post on June 2, the centre said the June 14 event, which cost $20 per person and was to have included a buffet dinner, would no longer proceed and apologised for the inconvenience.

Ticket holders to the event, which was supposed to be held at Cineleisure, will get a refund, added the Science Centre.

According to the post, the event, only for those aged 18 and above, aimed to explore the biological, psychological and cultural influences that shape the understanding of gender and s*x.

By the afternoon of June 3, the Facebook post had drawn 145 comments. There were another 352 comments on a Reddit thread.

There were mixed reactions to the issue, with those on Facebook mostly critical of the Science Centre's decision to organise the talk while those on Reddit did not see an issue with the event, given that the target audience was aged 18 and above.

“Thank you to everyone who have provided us with your feedback about this discussion session. The Science Centre team would like to take the opportunity to review our approach to this session,” the Facebook post said.

A Science Centre spokesperson told The Straits Times that the institution had reviewed the event before cancelling it.

“Our Science Cafe session in June was intended to discuss the sociocultural factors that shape society's understanding of s*x and gender,” the spokesperson said.

“Following online publicity of the session, we had received public feedback expressing concern about the content to be discussed in the session, as well as the composition of the speakers.”

According to the Facebook post, the event's speakers comprised National University of Singapore Associate Professor Mie Hiramoto, youth counsellor Alexander Teh and local drag queen Becca D'Bus, whose real name is Eugene Tan.

Dr Hiramoto, whose research interests are gender and sexuality, was to present insights from science and culture in redefining gender and sexuality, while the counsellor was to talk about the differences in s*x and gender.

The counsellor is a gay trans man, according to Oogachaga, a non-profit professional organisation working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals.

The drag queen had planned to discuss popular definitions and misconceptions of drag.

Becca D'Bus said: “The context of the event, an 18+ casual, social time, is a refreshing way to engage in thinking.

“I would have looked at drag across all gender presentations, masculine, feminine, and the vast space in between and outside of it, to consider, perhaps less the misconceptions about drag queens, but perhaps what else we don't talk about or think about enough.”

Oogachaga executive director Leow Yangfa said the group “is very dismayed and disappointed that the Science Centre has cancelled an event that had been planned since late last year”.

Ms Carol Loi, a mother of two children aged 19 and 22, said she had found the event inappropriate, given its speaker line-up.

The educational consultant, 53, said: “The topic is useful for discussion, just that it is not representative of good science. A better mix of panellists would show professionalism and wisdom of the Science Centre I know and respect.”

Others welcomed the talk.

Writer Ng Yi-Sheng, 43, said he would have attended the event if it had not been cancelled. He was intrigued by the event's discussion topics, which he felt were relevant to what society expects of people and what they can expect medically about their bodies.

“For an institution with public trust like the Science Centre to lend its perspectives to the topic, with trans people as part of the discussion, is really important from the perspective of inclusion and equality,” he added.

The Science Centre said it organises ticketed dinner events under its Science Cafe event series. The series, which is for those aged 18 and above, promotes interest in science and curiosity.

Past sessions have examined topics such as the development of mRNA vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of artificial intelligence on artistic developments.

ST has reached out to Dr Hiramoto for more information.

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