In this episode of Semua Kita, Lip Sin talks to us about Fridae.com, the Nation Parties and their place in Singapore's queer history. He describes their impact on the LGBTQ community here, and how their banning led to the formation of IndigNation. The mid 2000s also saw a change in the political climate for these Singaporeans who were increasingly marginalized. Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore

As an active member of most of Singapore's modern queer groups since the 90s, including being part of many of the groups and events we have heard mentioned in the course of these episodes, like ATLUS, Nation Party, Fridae.com, IndigNation, Pelangi Pride Centre, Oogachaga and more, Choo Lip Sin has had a front row seat in observing how the LGBTQ+ community has grown in the last three decades. In this episode we step back in time to hear about how on-line connections like bulletin boards and internet relay chat in the early days of the internet brought the community of largely English-speaking gay and bi- men together in the mid 90s. We hear about groups like Men After Work (MAW), HongLimPark.com, SGBoy and Blowing Wind. This coincided with the more open governing style of the then Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong which led to the blossoming of spaces for self-expression from karaoke bars to saunas, and the flowering of queer theatre in Singapore in what seemed like a short-lived golden age for the LGBTQ scene here. He describes how that changed in the mid 2000s, and why Section 377A then became the focus for activism when it had not been that significant in the decade before. Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore

In this episode of Semua Kita, we continue our conversation with Miak, this time to understand his personal journey of coming out. He tells us how he found a gay community which strengthened his affinity for LGBTQ activism, and how he was eventually drawn to Christianity which led to his current involvement with the Free Community Church, an LGBTQ-affirming church in Singapore. Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore

One of the key events of IndigNation was the Pink Picnic, so named because LGBTQ people could gather in the Botanic Gardens on National Day. In this episode Miak tells us about what was, in many ways, a precursor to Pink Dot. As has been mentioned, IndigNation was organized in response to the banning of Nation, a circuit party which was held on Sentosa. Miak talks about gay and lesbian advocacy in that period as a time of pragmatic resistance, but it was also a time at which the government itself was becoming more pragmatic. As the community diversified and the interests of individual members of PLU diverged, many new groups and events sprang up which in turn led to the eventual closure of PLU. Miak explains how this happened. Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore

Miak Siew is well known as the currrent executive pastor of the Free Community Church, but he has been involved with gay and lesbian advocacy in Singapore for over a quarter century. In that time he has been a member of groups we have already heard about, like People Like Us, and participated in many of the on-line spaces which have been mentioned, like SigNel, Sintercom and Blowing Wind. In this episode he gives us an overview of the gay liberation movement in Singapore from the late 90s. Miak was particularly instrumental in putting together IndigNation and describes the kinds of events which were held over this early Pride festival, focusing on how it navigated the vagaries of Singapore's decency laws at the time. He tells us about the first Pink Run and the anxiety he went through as its organizer. Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore

In this episode of Semua Kita we delve into Eileena's personal story, including the process of self-realisation, coming out and then finding a role as both counsellor and activist. First, however, she tells us about how she realised that she was a lesbian. Eileena tells us how she got into counselling, specifically for the LGBTQ community in Singapore. She describes some of the situations her patients and their families encountered. Eileena speaks about her role in People Like Us, what she learned about whether the queer community was ready for change and how disagreements in how women's interests were represented eventually led to her stepping down from the group. Singapore sits at the crossroads of different cultures. How relevant are lessons learned elsewhere to local queer activists and, conversely, what can the authorities learn about how to respond to competing demands? How important is it for the queer community in Singapore to know our own history? Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore

In this episode we talk to Eileena about her experience of LGBTQ activism, in particular how it has changed under different leadership, and with the increasing expectations of successive generations of Singaporeans. Before that, however, Eileena tells us more about Pelangi Pride Centre, the free queer library, how it was set up and how it still manages to operate with absolutely no budget, relying instead on the kindness of donors. Operating such services like Pelangi Pride Centre, and more generally any kind of LGBTQ activism, is often only possible with the approval of the prevailing government and its leadership. What is Eileena's experience of this? We heard about Eileena's occasional brushes with authority, how does she feel those conversations have changed in today's environment? Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore

Please note: this episode mentions suicide. In previous episodes of Semua Kita, we heard about the importance of SigNeL, the Yahoo group which introduced many LGBTQ Singaporeans to each other for the first time in the 90s. But this on-line space catered mainly to gay men; what about lesbians? In this episode we talk to Eileena Lee who set up Red Queen, initially as a virtual bulletin board, and then as in-person events. The burgeoning community eventually led to the establishment of the women's counselling service Looking Glass and the Pelangi Pride Centre which continues to this day. RedQuEEn! tried to bring women with different perspectives at very different points in their journey of self-understanding together. Where were some of the friction points? Looking Glass was one of the first counselling groups for women in Singapore, which grew out of these early on-line spaces. How did it get started? In what areas were the users of Looking Glass looking for help? Pelangi Pride Centre, which we have heard about in previous episodes, had also started up initially as a queer library. It remains an important physical space for LGBTQ people to meet. RedQuEEn! today, continues in different forms on social networks while Pelangi Pride Centre is flourishing. What does Eileena see as the future of all of the groups she set up? Other subscription, listening and following options here: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/semuakita #lgbtq #queer #oralhistory #singapore