Contemporary[]
Transwomen[]
SgButterfly[]
- Main article: SgButterfly
- SgButterfly [1],[2] - Singapore's first and largest transgender web portal and support group founded by a heterosexual man, Daniel Kaw.
SgGurls[]
- Main article: SgGurls
- SgGurls [3],[4] - Singapore's second transwoman support group which sought a higher social profile and aimed to reach out to mainstream society when it was formed in 2007. It remained relatively quiet from 2012 onwards but experienced a resurgence of activity in the mid-2010s.
The group was founded by Nicole Lave on 13 November 2007 with a few girls from the cross-dressing and transgender scene. Lave first set up the organisation in Yahoo!Groups and became its facilitator on this date before moving over to Facebook a year later, towards the end of 2008. However, the group still maintained its home in Yahoo!Groups as it was here that it was born. It existed at this site for over a decade before the final closure of Yahoo!Groups in December 2019.
Sisters In Solidarity[]
- Main article: Sisters In Solidarity
- Sisters In Solidarity [5] - a transwoman support group formed by Marla Bendini and Tricia Leong in 2009 to combat discrimination against transgender women in Singapore.
Transgender Alliance[]
- Main article: Transgender Alliance
- Transgender Alliance - an amalgamation of the 2 transgender social and info networks, SgGurls and SgButterfly, and a sister group, Project X, an advocacy group for transgender people working in the sex industry.
Project X[]
- Main article: Project X
- Project X [6],[7] - an advocacy group for transgender people working in the sex industry. Project X believes that sex work is a legitimate form of work and that sex workers should not be criminalised alongside murderers and thieves. As such, sex workers’ rights are also human rights.
Transgender Pride[]
- Main article: Transgender Pride
- Transgender Pride[8] - a transgender Facebook page started on 18 July 2013.
SgCrossDressers[]
- Main article: SgCrossDressers
- SgCrossDressers[9] - a closed Facebook group created only for Singapore male-to-female cross dressers in 2013. It promotes and encourages like-minded individuals to interact and exchange ideas, share the journey of the cross dressing life and provide support in this very special community. The founders strive to make the group grow in a clean and secure environment. People with fake profiles and undesirable admirers are not welcome. To join, one needs to have a genuine face picture in one's profile. Its first administrator was Jamie Lee.
SG Crossdresser[]
- Main article: SG Crossdresser
- SG Crossdresser[10] - although having a very similar name to the group above, it is, in fact, a completely different one. It is a public Facebook group created on 1 July 2016 on Facebook where both male-to-female cross dressers and their admirers can get together. The administrator is Yuki.
Transdresser & Crossdresser Confessions[]
- Main article: Transdresser & Crossdresser Confessions
- Transdresser and Crossdresser Confessions [11] - a confessions page for transwomen, transmen and cross-dressers from around the world started by a Singaporean on 18 March 2013.
The 'T' Project[]
- Main article: The 'T' Project
The 'T' Project[12] by Women's Care Centre, a subsidiary of Action for AIDS, was set up in June 2014 by 2 transgender siblings committed towards empowering the transgender community in Singapore to lead a more fulfilling and meaningful life and to help and nurture the transgender community so as to bring about a positive and direct impact on the quality of their life as transgender people. It is also a place for the public to engage, learn and get firsthand knowledge about the latest development in the transgender community and to dispel myths.
Pravinaa Productions[]
Pravinaa Productions[13] - formed in 2015, it is not a real production company but just a group of freelance people working together for transgender community events. Contact information: @soniapravinaa
TruMe[]
TruMe[14] - an online transgender beauty pageant organised by Action for Aids and officially launched in February 2011. The moderator of SGGurls, a transgender activist named Nicole Singslave coined the pageant’s name after the blockbuster film, The Truman Show. She explained, “In the movie, Truman lived for everyone but himself. When he finally discovered a TV serial made of him, the fog lifted and he had clarity to break his strife of living his own life or a scripted one. Tru-Me is a play on the word Tru-Man.”
The Stiletto Alliance[]
The Stiletto Alliance[15] - a project which aims to empower local transgender sex worker communities by collaborating with and providing health information to them through research and via pooling resources from various organisations to act as an information hub. It feels that there are limited communication interventions serving the transgender communities, especially in Singapore. Despite some prevention programs that have proven to be effective for some, many such programs are not sustainable due to their top-down approach. The project aims to engage the communities to identify the health problems they experience and develop interventions that correspond with their health needs. It plans to publish research findings and hold exhibitions by trans sex workers.
Blogs[]
- Ms Chor Lor.com[16] - blog of a Singaporean transwoman who was in her 30s in 2009. Finalist in the Singapore Blog Awards 2009[17].
Transmen[]
Forgot To Mention[]
- Main article: Forgot To Mention
- Forgot To Mention [18] - Singapore's first female-to-male transgender group formed in 2013. It started off as a campaign by 5 transmen who believed that all transgender people needed to be loved and understood.
It is a non-profit group that takes pride in listening to the needs of every transgender person from the heart - inclusive of all transgender people living in Singapore. It encourages members to do their part by volunteering, donating, funding their efforts or being a community partner and ally, because every transgender person needs a friend.
The Sons[]
- Main article: The Sons
- The Sons[19],[20] - The Sons, which set up its Facebook page on 4 June 2014, shares information, resources and advocates through education the well being of trans men in Singapore. It is for anyone seeking transitioning information, resources or anyone who wishes to share with others their own experiences.
The purpose of the network is to connect transmen in Singapore, create opportunities for social get-togethers, link up with online peer support, create information and provide resources that can be easily accessible, especially those who want to find out more on transitioning and/or being transgender, conduct educational outreach and workshops and advocate issues related to the well being of trans people.
Information about the transitioning life of trans men is also available on their Tumblr site entitled, 'Voices of The Sons'[21].
Break the Binary[]
- Main article: Break the Binary
Break the Binary[22] - a privately supported informative resource with a focus on enhancing the lives of transmen in Singapore - long-timers, in-betweeners and those about to transition to male. It promotes diversity within the larger trans* community, helping individuals gain acceptance and understanding. It is also helpful to friends, family and significant others.
Transman Confessions[]
- Main article: Transman Confessions
- Transman Confessions[23],[24] - set up on 22 February 2014 for female-to-male transgender Singaporeans and their partners, the goal of the page is to showcase all of the myriad of facets within the transman community, to pay attention to the politics of attraction, body image, language and diversity and to give back to the community which has already had so much taken from it. It believes it is an innate desire to be authentic, and yet it understands how difficult it is to be completely honest even to the ones transmen love and respect the most. It hopes members will find it a safe space to think aloud, wring their hands in the air, question, advise, or simply share moments of bliss, comfort and joy. The page is above and beyond all other things, a confessions page. It hopes to reach out to more and more people like them, and to let those who are alone or struggling know that there is help, and there is hope.
The Kopitiam Brothers[25] - Kopitiam Brothers is a bi monthly community meet up for transmen in Singapore formed in December 2016. Interested transmen are encouraged to feel free to join the group for drinks, food and laughter.
General[]
The Swan Project[]
The Swan Project Singapore[26] - a movement that aims to promote understanding and awareness of transgender individuals in Singapore by providing information, telling stories, support opportunities, and dismantling misconceptions about transgender people. Empowering both transgender people and society at large through awareness, support, engagement and action, they aim to do our bit to create cultural and systemic change for the better.
Trans* it![]
Trans* it! - a subsidiary of The Purple Alliance, it aims to support trans-identified individuals in their lives, be it their social or physical transition, or just to provide a listening ear and increase the visibility of transgender people.
Transgender SG[]
Transgender SG[28] - a website created in early 2017 by a team of transgender people in Singapore in conjunction with the Asia and Pacific Transgender Network (APTN) to provide information tailored towards the local community and help other transgender people have safer, smoother, and easier transitions, relieving some of the burden from what can often be a very tough journey.
TransBefrienders[]
TransBefrienders[29] - a peer support service jointly set up by Bissu, Involve Volunteer Network, The T project and TransgenderSG for transgender people considering or facing issues with transitioning in Singapore. It provides online/offline informational sessions and emotional support. However, it is not made of professional counselors and is only able to provide peer-to-peer guidance. Should interested parties prefer to speak to an affirmative counselor, they can head over to https://www.thetprojectsg.org/professional-counselling. Stakeholders are kindly requested to fill in a form below for the group to know them better and match them with a TransBefriender after their application is processed. It will contact the transgender person via Telegram. The group can also be contacted via email at transbefrienders@gmail.com (subject to availability). All information is kept confidential. Those requiring immediate assistance are urged to contact the following trans-friendly hotlines:
- SOS: 1800 221 4444
- Emergency helpline: +6563892222
Transcend[]
Transcend[30] - formed in 2019, it is a group of Singaporeans from the transgender community on Disboard, a website where people can list or find Discord servers. If individuals live in Singapore and consider themselves transgender or are questioning, they are requested to join it.
Counselling[]
The Relational Counselling Studio[]
The Relational Counselling Studio[31] - its multicultural team of counsellors, supervisors and trainers with different specialties is ready to support clients with a wide variety of needs. Appointments at its friendly and discreet Tiong Bahru location at 22 Eng Hoon Street or via Skype are available from 8am to 10pm. A particular counsellor, Andrea Mayrhofer, in subjects including transgender issues. Enquiries are welcome by phone (+65 94373705), SMS or e-mail (andrea.mayrhofer[at]therelational.com.sg).
Tsoi Clinic[]
- Tsoi Clinic - psychiatric clinic specialising in transgender issues run by Prof Tsoi Wing Foo, formerly Singapore's top academic psychiatrist.
Regional[]
Asia and Pacific Transgender Network[]
Asia and Pacific Transgender Network (APTN)[32] - launched in December 2009 when 15 transgender women from ten Asia-Pacific countries and regions came together to champion the health, legal and social rights of transgender women. A milestone in the history of transgender people in the region, they demanded recognition as a distinct demographic group with their unique needs, separate from the MSM umbrella. In 2011, a transgender man drew attention to the need to advocate for transgender men and joined the APTN Board.
Historical[]
FTMs in Asia[]
- Main article: FTMs in Asia
A now-defunct website for female-to-male transgender people in Asia. It was founded by Jael, a Malaysian FTM transsexual working in Singapore[33].
See also[]
References[]
- Kyle-Malinda White, "More support and resources for transgender people in Singapore", Inter-University LGBT Network, Wix, 9 May 2017[34].
Acknowledgements[]
This article was compiled by Roy Tan.