Singapore gay literature
Encyclopedia
Singapore Gay Literature refers to writing that deals with LGBT
themes in a Singapore
context. It covers literary works of fiction, such as novels, short stories, plays and poems. It also includes non-fiction works, both scholarly and targeted at the general reader, such as dissertations, journal or magazine articles, books and even web-based content. Although Singapore lacks a dedicated gay book publisher or gay bookshop, it does have at least one dedicated gay library, Pelangi Pride Centre, which is open weekly to the public. Many of the works cited here may be found both in Pelangi Pride Centre, as well as the National Library or other academic libraries in Singapore, as well as in some commercial bookshops under 'gender studies' sections.
themes is intertwined with the growth of English-language theatre from the mid-1980s. It was in theatre that writers first challenged the cultural taboo
surrounding homosexuality
. A fairly regular stream of gay
plays were staged in Singapore throughout the 1990s, raising the public profile of sexual minorities.
portraying victims of AIDS. http://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/store/mli_viewItem.asp?idProduct=86
-themed stories are found in different collections of short stories. Examples are:
came out into the scene in 2000 with poetry that was confessional in style but universal in scope. Completely "out" in newspaper and magazine interviews, he is the first and only openly-gay poet to win the National Arts Council's Young Artist Award for Literature and the Singapore Literature Prize. His books are published by Firstfruits in Singapore:
(Read reviews of Wong's work archived on his website:http://www.cyrilwong.com)
Alvin Pang
's "The Scent of the Real", which refers to Cyril Wong
, is value-neutral and mentions Cyril Wong
's sexuality as a fact, not as something disgusting or abject.
Toh Hsien Min
and Yong Shu Hoong have written poems about friends coming out to them in "On a Good Friend's Admission that he is Gay" and "A Friend's Confession". Both were suspicious that their friends wanted sexual relations with them.
Gwee Li Sui
in the eponymous book with the poem Who wants to buy a book of Poems refers to the stereotype of poets as limp-wristed and "ah kua" - although admittedly this is not the first time this concept has been explored. The book, which claims to have been privately circulated for 3 years before being published seems to explore a similar theme that has been previously explored in other works, including those of the poets mentioned in the above. In the following poem, "Edward", he depicts the sad life of a cross-dresser past his prime.
Ng Yi-Sheng
's poetry collection, last boy, contains many lyrical poems celebrating and reflecting on gay love and sexuality.
There is also a medical reference regarding sex-reassignment.
A few works on gender studies for both general readers and academic interests:
The following are works mainly for general readers:
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
themes in a Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
context. It covers literary works of fiction, such as novels, short stories, plays and poems. It also includes non-fiction works, both scholarly and targeted at the general reader, such as dissertations, journal or magazine articles, books and even web-based content. Although Singapore lacks a dedicated gay book publisher or gay bookshop, it does have at least one dedicated gay library, Pelangi Pride Centre, which is open weekly to the public. Many of the works cited here may be found both in Pelangi Pride Centre, as well as the National Library or other academic libraries in Singapore, as well as in some commercial bookshops under 'gender studies' sections.
Plays
The increasing boldness of Singapore writers in sympathetically addressing LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
themes is intertwined with the growth of English-language theatre from the mid-1980s. It was in theatre that writers first challenged the cultural taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
surrounding homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. A fairly regular stream of gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
plays were staged in Singapore throughout the 1990s, raising the public profile of sexual minorities.
- Lest the Demons Get To Me (1993) by Russell Heng depicts a dilemma in which a male-to-female transsexual resents having to dress up as a man to perform funeral rites as her dead father’s only son. The play highlights a society that is rather crushing on the protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
’s desire to be true to herself. http://shop.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=652&viewarticle=1&searchtype=author&textby=Alfian%20Sa%5C'at http://www.yawningbread.org/guest_2001/guw-073.htm - Private Parts (1994), a comedy by Michael ChiangMichael ChiangMichael Chiang is a prolific playwright of the '80s and '90s art scene in Singapore. He wrote Army Daze and Beauty World.He is also editorial director of Mediacorp Publishing, which publishes 8 Days .-External links:...
, addresses the theme of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
society’s capacity to come to terms with gender minorities in the form of transsexuals. The Straits TimesThe Straits TimesThe Straits Times is an English language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore currently owned by Singapore Press Holdings . It is the country's highest-selling paper, with a current daily circulation of nearly 400,000...
reported that "Private Parts, with its remarkable performances and poignant message, is a special production that should not close until every person in this country has seen it". The play has also been performed in Mandarin. http://www.citylightschicago.com/michael.html - Invitation to Treat Trilogy by Eleanor WongEleanor Wong (playwright)Eleanor Wong is a writer and playwright in Singapore. Her plays have been produced in Singapore and regionally. She is best known for "Invitation to Treat", her trilogy of plays centred around the experiences of the character Ellen Toh, a lesbian lawyer in Singapore...
tells the story of Ellen Toh, a law partner, coming to terms with her homosexuality. Mergers and Accusations (1995) and Wills and Secession (1996), the first two installations, tell the story of Ellen marrying a Jon, a fellow lawyer, then leaving him and falling in love with Lesley. In charting her protagonist's personal struggle to win acceptance from family and social circle, Wong pushes the 'coming out' message and moves closer to activism than seen in Heng or Chiang's more descriptive treatment of the subject. The final part, Jointly and Severably, sees Ellen struggling with forgetting Lesley and seeking courage to begin a new relationship with law professor Zee. A clever play wrought with legal puns and allusions, Invitation to Treat proves to be an insightful dramatical success.http://inkpot.com/theatre/01reviews/01revmergaccuwillsece2.html http://www.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/96/1129/feat1.html - Asian Boys Trilogy (2001–2007) features three disparate plays written by Alfian Sa'at and directed by Ivan Heng. The first installment Asian Boys Vol.1 was staged in 2001 to rave reviews, not only on its artistic merit but also its relevance to the incumbent societal concerns. Following this was Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol.2 premiered in 2004. A collection of eight short stories, this montage explores the myriad gay experiences of Singaporeans, albeit mostly clandestine. One of the stories, Katong Fugue, was later in 2006 made into a short film. Finally, the last of the trilogy Happy Endings: Asian Boys Vol.3 recently started playing at Drama Centre, National Library @ Singapore; the run lasts from 11 to 29 July 2007.
Novels
Novels with LGBT-related themes began emerging in Singapore literature scene in the 1990s. Among the earliest work is Different Strokes (1993) by David LeoDavid Leo
David Leo is a writer in Singapore. Leo received a Publishers Prize for Ah … The Fragrance of Durians & Other Stories in 1993, a National Book Department Council Book Awards for works in English in 1994 for The Sins of the Father and Singapore Literature Prize commendation in 1995 for Wives,...
portraying victims of AIDS. http://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/store/mli_viewItem.asp?idProduct=86
- Peculiar ChrisPeculiar ChrisPeculiar Chris is the first Singapore novel to deal with gay themes. Authored by Johann S. Lee, it was published in Singapore by Cannon International in 1992....
(1992) by Johann S. Lee (Cannon International, 1992 ISBN 981-00-3557-8), the only true "coming-out novel" written from a Singaporean point of view so far. Describes a young athlete and national serviceman's angst-filled struggles with boyfriends, discriminatory institutions and death, as well as his coming out into the gay and lesbian community. Described by The Straits Times in 2008 as a 'cult classic'. http://www.amazon.com/dp/9810035578/ - Abraham’s Promise (1995) by Philip JeyaretnamPhilip JeyaretnamPhilip Antony Jeyaretnam is a lawyer from Singapore. He is a Senior Counsel in Singapore, former President of the Law Society of Singapore, and a member of the Singapore Public Service Commission. He is also well known as a fiction writer. He is the younger son of the late veteran Singaporean...
tells a story of a father’s rejection of and then coming to terms with his son’s homosexualityHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. This is no exploration of the world of a gayGayGay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man, for the homosexual character hardly speaks. Its intellectual touchstone is the political culture of post-colonial SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
where many feel marginalized with little promise of respite in personal or professional life. http://www.thecore.nus.edu.sg/post/singapore/literature/jeyaretnam/holden1.html http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/jouvert/v2i1/Holden.htm (ISBN 0-8248-1769-9) - Glass Cathedral (1995) by Andrew Koh- a prize-winning novella, the winner of the Commendation Prize of the 1994 Singapore Literature Prize. http://masqueradedwaltz.blogspot.com/2005/09/glass-cathedral.html (ISBN 9971-0-0670-7)
- New Moon Over San Francisco by Joash Moo.
- Asking for TroubleAsking for TroubleAsking for Trouble is a 1942 British comedy film directed by Oswald Mitchell and starring Max Miller, Carole Lynne and Wilfrid Hyde-White. A fishmonger takes up bookmaking to earn extra cash.-Cast:* Max Miller as Dick Smith* Carole Lynne as Jane Smythe...
(2005) by Jason Hahn, an 8-days journalist, who based his humour book on his experiences with living with two high-maintenance women, with free advice from his 2 male friends, one gay, the other married. http://www.amazon.com/dp/9812610251/ (ISBN 981-261-025-1) - Bugis StreetBugis StreetBugis, in the city-state of Singapore, was renowned internationally from the 1950s to the 1980s for its nightly gathering of trans women, a phenomenon which made it one of Singapore's top tourist destinations during that period....
by Koh Buck SongKoh Buck SongKoh, Buck Song is a writer, editor and consultant in branding, communications strategy and corporate social responsibility in Singapore.-Selected Published Works:Koh, Buck Song is the author and editor of 20 books.His non-fiction books include:...
. http://www.qlrs.com/issues/jan2003/interviews/kohbucksong2.html - What are You Doing in My Undies? (2002) by Jon Yi about a man's change into transvestism. http://www.selectbooks.com.sg/getTitle.cfm?SBNum=32460
- Different Strokes (1993) by David LeoDavid LeoDavid Leo is a writer in Singapore. Leo received a Publishers Prize for Ah … The Fragrance of Durians & Other Stories in 1993, a National Book Department Council Book Awards for works in English in 1994 for The Sins of the Father and Singapore Literature Prize commendation in 1995 for Wives,...
. While David Leo wrote a homophobic short story in News at Nine, this book is based on an objective journalist's experience when he interviewed a gay AIDS patient. http://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/store/mli_viewItem.asp?idProduct=86 (ISBN 981-00-4755-X) - The Narcissist (2004) by Edmund Wee (Times Editions, May 2004, ISBN 981-232-819-X) http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=1279&viewarticle=1 http://www.writers.net/writers/books/22277?PHPSESSID=b6258c26b2698ea27a185c87a4301dd3
- Mouse Marathon by Ovidia Yu.
- To Know Where I'm Coming From (2007) by Johann S. Lee (Cannon International, 2007 ISBN 978-981-05-9472-5), Lee's indirect sequel to Peculiar Chris. About a gay emigrant returning to his homeland to heal from a broken heart. Rated 5 stars out of 6 by Time Out and 3 stars out of 5 by The Sunday Times. Alex Au wrote in his Yawning Bread review: "It's a much more mature book than the first, but the talent for telling a story with honesty and enrapturement is still very much there… One day, I think it is safe to bet, this novel will be on the required reading list for Singapore students, even if some people might turn in their grave, or more likely in the Singapore context, stew in their urn. It will be on that list precisely because it is suspended in the tension between being gay and being Singaporean, being away and being connected; precisely because it captures a moment in our shared national history."
- Quiet TimeQuiet TimeQuiet Time is a regular individual session of Christian spiritual activities, most notably prayer and/or private study of the Bible. The term "Quiet Time" is used by 20th-century Protestants, mostly evangelical Christians. It is also called "personal Bible study" or "personal devotions"...
(2008) by Johann S. Lee (Cannon International, 2008 ISBN 978-981-08-1703-9), The concluding part of Lee's Singaporean queer triptych which began with Peculiar Chris. About a gay man's paternal instincts and gay activism, set against the civil rights events of 2007. Rated 3.5 stars out of 5 by The Sunday Times. Cyril Wong wrote: “Passionate and unflinching in his portrayal of the self-contradictions and inexorable conflicts which remain part and parcel of being gay in Singapore, Johann S Lee has created a wonderfully realistic, prescient and moving book that threatens to bat his previous works (and many past Singaporean novels) off the shelf of living memory. In time, one hopes that Quiet Time will continue to instruct and encourage present and future generations of gay readers to keep questioning the value of their existence, and to look back in awe at how far we have all come as a persecuted community.” The Sunday Times: "A remarkable book." Trevvy.com: "A must-read." Fridae.com: "Singapore's best gay novel ever." - Tong Lei (2009) by Ken Ang http://www.oogachaga.com/?q=node/114 (Oogachaga, 2009 ISBN 978-981-08-3697-9) is Singapore’s first collection of Chinese short fiction. Each story is based on a true account of from the lives of gay men in contemporary Singapore. Written by Ken Ang, the book is accompanied by two theme songs 剩下 and 放心 by composed and performed by Tin Ang. The book is published by Oogachaga (OC), the publishers of the popular Singapore Queers of the 21st Century (SQ21) in conjunction with OC’s tenth anniversary. The book was launched during IndigNation 2009 and all proceeds from the sale of the book will be channeled to OC’s support group programmes and counselling services.
- Blame It On The Raging Hormones (2010) by Nathan Goh (Wham Bam, 2010 ISBN 978-981-08-6405-7 / Tincture, 2011 ISBN 978-1-59021-115-1) is a coming-of-age memoir of a twenty old Singaporean gay man, written in the form of an online journal. It’s about how the character, Nicky was trying to find love, validation and sense of worth but was finding them in the wrong places and how he crashes into a world of sex, drugs, orgies, prostitution and betrayal in his pursuit.
Short stories
LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
-themed stories are found in different collections of short stories. Examples are:
- Corridor: 12 Short StoriesCorridor (collection)Corridor is a 1999 collection of short stories by Alfian Sa'at. It received a Singapore Literature Prize Commendation Award for 1998.-Contents:*"Project"*"Video"*"Orphans"*"Pillow"*"Corridor"*"Duel"*"Winners"*"Cubicle"*"Umbrella"*"Bugis"...
(1999) by Alfian Sa'atAlfian Sa'atAlfian bin Sa'at is a Singaporean writer, poet and playwright. He is a Muslim of Minangkabau, Javanese and Hakka descent,. He is known for his provocative works and is often referred to as his country's enfant terrible.-Early life:...
, (Raffles Editions ISBN 981-4032-40-9) contains a several stories with GLBT themes. 'Pillow' looks at a difficult inter-generational relationship. 'Cubicle' is about the physical intimacy two lesbian students often steal in a public toilet. A flamboyant transvestite character appears in 'Bugis'. Finally, 'Disco' deals with an older man who is starting to discover the youth-dominated gay club scene. This book won the 1998 Singapore Literature PrizeSingapore Literature PrizeThe Singapore Literature Prize is an award in Singapore to recognise outstanding published works by Singaporean authors in any of the four official languages: Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil....
Commendation Award. http://selectbooks.com.sg/titles/28982.htm - Cross-straits experiences by Alfian Sa'atAlfian Sa'atAlfian bin Sa'at is a Singaporean writer, poet and playwright. He is a Muslim of Minangkabau, Javanese and Hakka descent,. He is known for his provocative works and is often referred to as his country's enfant terrible.-Early life:...
, simply titled BugisBugisThe Bugis are the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi, the southwestern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia's third largest island. Although many Bugis live in the large port cities of Makassar and Parepare, the majority are farmers who grow wet rice on the...
in a Singapore-Malaysia collection, The Merlion and the Hibiscus. - Worlds ApartWorlds ApartWorlds Apart is an album by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. It was released on January 25, 2005 by Interscope Records and reached #92 on the UK Album Chart....
, written by J.C. Leahy, found in In the Shadow of the Merlion, an anthology of expatriates' experiences in Singapore - Students' collections like Onewinged with stories like The TransformationThe Transformation"The Transformation" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. The episode was written by Zack Whedon and J. R...
and Extracts from Fairy Tale by Cheryl Lim and Sim Yee ChiangSim Yee ChiangSim Yee Chiang is a Singaporean short story writer, playwright, and librettist.Sim was born and raised in Singapore and was educated at Hwa Chong Junior College...
respectively - Pte M, a short story by C.S. Chong in NS: An Air Level Story about an effeminate soldier who tries to be intimate with the protagonist who feels nothing but revulsion, despite not rejecting the unwanted advances until the last possible moment.
- DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
, a somewhat homophobic short story by David LeoDavid LeoDavid Leo is a writer in Singapore. Leo received a Publishers Prize for Ah … The Fragrance of Durians & Other Stories in 1993, a National Book Department Council Book Awards for works in English in 1994 for The Sins of the Father and Singapore Literature Prize commendation in 1995 for Wives,...
in News at Nine which is modeled after Herman Melville's Billy BuddBilly BuddBilly Budd is a short novel by Herman Melville.Billy Budd can also refer to:*Billy Budd , a 1962 film produced, directed, and co-written by Peter Ustinov, based on Melville's novel...
. - Butch and Girl Talk, by Sabariah, a collection of short narrative pieces exclusively about the experiences of young lesbian and bisexual women (and FTM men) in Singapore. It is unclear if the stories are based on the experiences of actual women or primarily fictional. Published by VJ Times, the book is no longer widely available.
Poetry
Cyril WongCyril Wong
Cyril Wong is the author of nine volumes of poetry and one collection of prose.- Biography:Born in 1977, Cyril Wong attended Saint Patrick's School, Singapore and Temasek Junior College, before pursuing a doctoral degree in English literature from the National University of Singapore...
came out into the scene in 2000 with poetry that was confessional in style but universal in scope. Completely "out" in newspaper and magazine interviews, he is the first and only openly-gay poet to win the National Arts Council's Young Artist Award for Literature and the Singapore Literature Prize. His books are published by Firstfruits in Singapore:
- Squatting Quietly
- The End of His Orbit
- Below: Absence
- Unmarked Treasure
- Like a Seed With its Singular Purpose
- Tilting Our Plates to Catch the Light (Listed by The Straits Times as among the best five books of 2007)
(Read reviews of Wong's work archived on his website:http://www.cyrilwong.com)
Alvin Pang
Alvin Pang
Alvin Pang was named 2005 Young Artist of the Year by the National Arts Council Singapore. He holds a First Class Honours degree in English Literature from the University of York and an Honorary Fellowship in Writing from the University of Iowa's International Writing Program...
's "The Scent of the Real", which refers to Cyril Wong
Cyril Wong
Cyril Wong is the author of nine volumes of poetry and one collection of prose.- Biography:Born in 1977, Cyril Wong attended Saint Patrick's School, Singapore and Temasek Junior College, before pursuing a doctoral degree in English literature from the National University of Singapore...
, is value-neutral and mentions Cyril Wong
Cyril Wong
Cyril Wong is the author of nine volumes of poetry and one collection of prose.- Biography:Born in 1977, Cyril Wong attended Saint Patrick's School, Singapore and Temasek Junior College, before pursuing a doctoral degree in English literature from the National University of Singapore...
's sexuality as a fact, not as something disgusting or abject.
Toh Hsien Min
Toh Hsien Min
Toh Hsien Min is a Singaporean poet.His poems have appeared in many literary journals and have been translated into French, Spanish and Italian...
and Yong Shu Hoong have written poems about friends coming out to them in "On a Good Friend's Admission that he is Gay" and "A Friend's Confession". Both were suspicious that their friends wanted sexual relations with them.
Gwee Li Sui
Gwee Li Sui
Gwee Li Sui is a literary critic, a poet, and a graphic artist from Singapore.- Biography :Gwee began education at the now-defunct MacRitchie Primary School and then continued at Anglo-Chinese Secondary School, Anglo-Chinese Junior College, and the National University of Singapore...
in the eponymous book with the poem Who wants to buy a book of Poems refers to the stereotype of poets as limp-wristed and "ah kua" - although admittedly this is not the first time this concept has been explored. The book, which claims to have been privately circulated for 3 years before being published seems to explore a similar theme that has been previously explored in other works, including those of the poets mentioned in the above. In the following poem, "Edward", he depicts the sad life of a cross-dresser past his prime.
Ng Yi-Sheng
Ng Yi-Sheng
Ng Yi-Sheng is a Singaporean gay writer. He has published a collection of his poems entitled "last boy" and a documentary book on gay, lesbian and bisexual Singaporeans called SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century in 2006....
's poetry collection, last boy, contains many lyrical poems celebrating and reflecting on gay love and sexuality.
Non-fiction
Academic works addressing various LGBT issues:- The chapter "Tiptoe Out of the Closet: The Before and After of the Increasingly Visible Gay Community in Singapore" (2001) by Dr. Russell Heng in Gay and Lesbian Asia: Culture, Identity, Community (edited by Gerard Sullivan and Peter A. Jackson, Haworth, New York, 2001, pp. 81–97. Reprinted in the Journal of HomosexualityJournal of HomosexualityThe Journal of Homosexuality is a peer-reviewed academic journal This forum for research into same-sex desire examines sexual practices and gender roles in their cultural, historical, interpersonal, and modern social contexts. In the fall of 2005, the Journal celebrated its 50th volume.- History...
40(3-4), pp. 81–98. Archived by Yawning Bread:http://www.yawningbread.org/guest_2001/guw-073.htm - The chapter entitled "Singapore", written by NUS Sociology DepartmentNational University of SingaporeThe National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
senior lecturer Dr. Laurence Leong Wai Tenghttp://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/soc/faculty/staff_pages/lwt.htm, in "Sociolegal Control of Homosexuality- A Multi-Nation Comparison" (Edited by DJ West and R Green- Plenum Press, New York, 1997)- It examines sociological, historical, and philosophical trends in attitudes and laws relating to homosexuality in 20 countries, plus chapters on Islam and Europe.
There is also a medical reference regarding sex-reassignment.
- Cries from Within (1970) by S. Shan RatnamShan RatnamEmeritus Professor Sittampalam Shanmugaratnam was the professor and head of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the National University Hospital of Singapore specializing in human reproduction research. His work on contraception contributed to Singapore's success in population control...
; Victor H. H. Goh and Tsoi Wing Foo- an illustrated and user-friendly tome on sex-reassignment surgery and its attendant psychological considerations by two eminent gynaecologists and a psychiatrist. http://www.rootsweb.com/~lkawgw/shanratnam.html
A few works on gender studies for both general readers and academic interests:
- PLU: sexual minorities in Singapore (2004) (edited by Joseph Lo and Huang Guo Qin, published by Select Books)- a pioneering collection of essays by contributors such as Alex AuAlex AuAlex Au Waipang, also known by his Internet nom de plume as Yawning Bread, is part of the Singapore gay equality movement.He is the author of a website, where he provides analyses of Singaporean politics, culture, gay issues and miscellaneous subjects.-Biography:Au, English-educated and of...
, Jason Wee, Desmond Sim, William Peterson and Laurence Leong. Its style is eclectic, ranging from the academic to the casual. (See The New PaperThe New PaperThe New Paper is Singapore's second-highest circulating paid English-language newspaper, first launched on July 26, 1988, by Singapore Press Holdings . According to SPH, its average daily circulation for August 2010 was 101600....
's report and Yawning Bread's comments:http://www.yawningbread.org/apdx_2003/imp-093.htm) - The Rainbow Connection: The Internet and the Singapore Gay Community by Ng King Kang published by KangCuBine Publishing Pte. Ltd.- read a review by Yawning Bread:http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_1999/yax-132.htm
The following are works mainly for general readers:
- SisterhoodSisterhoodSisterhood may refer to:* Sibling, sisters and brothers* Sorority, a social organization for undergraduate students* Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, a novel by Rebecca Wells* The Sisterhood, a short-lived English goth band...
by Leona Lo (Select Books, 2003, ISBN 981-04-7198-X)- an exposé of the local transvestiteTransvestismTransvestism is the practice of cross-dressing, which is wearing clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex. Transvestite refers to a person who cross-dresses; however, the word often has additional connotations. -History:Although the word transvestism was coined as late as the 1910s,...
and transsexual community by a prominent male-to-female (MTF) transsexual Singaporean. - My Sisters: Their Stories by Leona Lo, photographs by Lance Lee (Viscom Editions) - a book on the lives of transsexuals. http://www.asiasrc.org/resourcesview.php?key=29
- "Boys in the Hood", chapter 6 of the book Invisible Trade: High-class sex for sale in Singapore by Gerrie Lim, an international correspondent for pornPORNPorn is a common short form for pornography. It may also refer to:* Progressive outer retinal necrosis, a disease of the retina* PORN, a French industrial rock band...
network AVN Online. It explores the world of gayGayGay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
male escort services. (Read an excerpt of the chapter on fridae.com:http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=1270&viewarticle=1&searchtype=all) - F.O.C: Freedom of Choice by Leslie Lung features 20 short stories about people struggling against their sexual orientation. A short commentary by Lung accompanies each story. The premise of the book is that individuals can choose and change their sexuality. It advocates gay people can and should become straight, but never advocates that they remain gay. http://www.exodusasiapacific.org/singapore.htm
- SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century, (official website, Yawning Bread review) written by Ng Yi-ShengNg Yi-ShengNg Yi-Sheng is a Singaporean gay writer. He has published a collection of his poems entitled "last boy" and a documentary book on gay, lesbian and bisexual Singaporeans called SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century in 2006....
and edited by Jason Wee (Oogachaga counselling & support http://www.oogachaga.com/?q=sq_21, 2006, ISBN 981-05-6205-5)- the brainchild of counsellor Clarence Singam, this groundbreaking book was the first of its kind in Asia. It documents the coming-out stories of 13 GLB individuals and a mother of 2 gay sons, using real names and photographs.
LGBT writing on the Internet
- The Yawning Bread websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
http://www.yawningbread.org/index2.htm-a high-quality, award-winning collection of essays on various topics, particularly Singapore LGBTLGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
issues. It was started in November 1996 by activist Alex AuAlex AuAlex Au Waipang, also known by his Internet nom de plume as Yawning Bread, is part of the Singapore gay equality movement.He is the author of a website, where he provides analyses of Singaporean politics, culture, gay issues and miscellaneous subjects.-Biography:Au, English-educated and of...
and has grown to be the leading site for intellectual comment on gayGayGay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
issues in Singapore. - fridae.comhttp://www.fridae.com/index.php?6708&¬login and sgboy.comhttp://www.sgboy.com/ are web-based, gay-themed magazines that feature news and commentaries.
- BlogBlogA blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
s of gay Singaporeans such as Kelvin Wong http://www.livejournal.com/users/niceguy69/ and Miak Siew http://www.livejournal.com/users/miak/ have also contributed to the body of Singapore gay literature and make for engaging reading. Similar personal websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
s of local LGBTLGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
personalities such as transsexual writer Leona Lo http://www.leonalo.com/Templates/My_Services.htm provide glimpses of their individual experiences in various contexts.