Pink Dot 2013
These resources are accurate as of 2016.
Being out in Singapore is often a difficult act, and one which can find you lacking in resources and support. However, you aren’t alone….
Singaporean Resources
- Oogachaga is your best and first resource. They are a counseling and resources center. If you need support during the coming out process (or questioning, or anything) they will help you find a counselor who won’t condemn you or try harmful reparative therapies. They have online resources, support groups and emailcounseling as well. Their hotline number is 62262002 and is open Tues-Thurs 7-10pm and Sat 2-6pm.
- Congregaytion is a website run by Oogachaga. Here is their list of various support groups–men, women, transgender, youth, etc.
- I Will Survive is both a website and an anthology of personal stories from LGBT individuals in Singapore.
- Pink Dot is the annual LGBT event–the closest thing we have to Pride. Over the past 5 years it has swelled to a 20+K person attended event. This year it will be June 28th. Go to their FB page here.
- Free Community Church is an LGBT friendly church if you’re Christian and seeking a safe space. They have a support group called Safehaven.
- Pelangi Pride Centre is a secular library and resource centre housed in the Free Community Church. It has fiction and non fiction resources. Open Saturdays 2-6pm, and is volunteer run. (newly listed resource) Find their catalog here.
- AWARE is Singapore’s gender equality organization. Here is a link to their beyond 377a page. (newly added)
- WTF! Zine is a new singapore based relationship/sex/sexuality resource. There are only a few LGBT articles at the moment, but they can be found here. (newly added)
- Fridae is actually an Asia-wide LGBT portal, but worth joining.
- Wild Rice is a local theater troupe organized by Ivan Heng. They often perform LGBT friendly fare–last year brought us an all male production of “the Importance of Being Earnest” and a reading of “The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” (which was followed by a q&a discussing, among other things, the state of LGBT affairs in Singapore).
Other Resources
- Scarleteen is a great sex education website. While primarily aimed at teens, I still find it useful. The articles are well written and written in a non judgmental voice–the information is presented in as unbiased a manner as possible. Here is a link to their sexual identity main page.
- It gets better is an organization started by Dan Savage with a web, facebook, twitter, youtube and google+ presence. It allows LGBT adults to speak out and directly to those who are questioning or feel alone. Hearing personal stories may help you feel less isolated. Here’s a link to a It Gets Better video from Singapore.
- The Trevor Project is a hotline aimed at LGBT youth, who are at much higher than average risk of suicide. While the hotline phone number is US based, they have online support using Trevor Chat.
- International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission is an organization that does international advocacy on LGBT issues.
I took a part in Pink Dot last year, and it was really amazing. I didnt know that people here have many meaningful activities. What a memory!
Hope to see you at Pink Dot on June 28th!