A video contest organised by the Health Ministry has come under fire by transgender activist Nisha Ayub.

The contest calls for the creation of a video on one of three topics, namely sexual reproduction, cyber sex and gender dysphoria.

Nisha took offence with the third topic, gender dysphoria. Contest guidelines had supplied examples of issues for the topic such as “gay”, “lesbian”, “transgender”, and “tomboy”, but added that the video must outline the “issue and its consequences”.

The guidelines said that the video must also show how to "prevent, control, seek help and solve the issue" in a “positive and creative manner”.

"This is not acceptable at all especially coming from the Health Ministry," she said.

Nisha said the guideline meant the Health Ministry was confining contest participants to a stance against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

She also criticised the Health Ministry for failing to differentiate between gender identity and sexuality when it included gays, lesbians, transgenders and tomboys under gender dysphoria.

"How can the Health Ministry encourage miseducation and misinformation to the public, and at the same time impose hatred towards the (LGBT) community?

"The Health Ministry should be educating the public from a health perspective and not from personal beliefs," she said.

'Focus on health, not religion'

When contacted, Nisha accused the Health Ministry, particularly its disease control unit, of having a phobia towards the LGBT community.

"They have been working together with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to make transgender people 'repent'," she said.

Nisha said the Health Ministry had even endorsed Jakim's "corrective approach" with regards to a module on transgender people and HIV/AIDS.

"It is sad and scary to know that there are doctors who are transphobic.

"I believe when you become a doctor, you have certain ethics you have to follow and the main thing is towards the health of the patients.

“They are using their personal beliefs; that's unacceptable.

"You have got to put your patients first, not religion," she said.

The ministry contest calls for videos of not more than 3 minutes in length and offers prizes in three age categories: 13 to 15, 16 to 18, and 19 to 24.

The prizes offered are worth RM1,000 to RM4,000.

The contest guidelines also provided examples for the other two topics, namely sexual reproduction and cyber sex.

The examples given for sexual reproduction include teen pregnancy, abstinence before marriage, “free sex”, sexually transmitted diseases and dealing with sexual harassment and rape.

As for cyber sex, the examples given include cyber bullying, online grooming, sexual exploitation and the dangers of pornography.

The theme of the contest is ‘Value yourself, practice healthy lifestyle’.