It’s the people that make a home. Since last year, Pink Dot has welcomed LGBT-friendly groups in Singapore to Hong Lim Park to make one big happy family. This Saturday, we have 19 societies gathered under one roof. Most of these groups are run by volunteers who give their time and energy to making the world a better, warmer place. Meet them, say hello – and give them a big ol’ hug for being such wonderful people.
5Degrees
Founded in 2008, 5Degrees is a not-for-profit networking group for LGBTQ professionals to network, exchange ideas and tap into potential career and business opportunities. Through regular workshops, networking sessions and discussion groups, 5Degrees seeks to nurture a conducive business environment for LGBTQ-friendly individuals, organisations and enterprises. 5Degrees also organizes special projects and charity initiatives in aid of the LGBTQ community.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/5Degrees
Action for AIDS
Action for AIDS aims to provide support and assistance to persons living with HIV and AIDS (PWAs), to increase awareness, education and understanding of AIDS and HIV infection, to combat discrimination and stigmatisation of (PWAs) and their loved ones, and to encourage AIDS-related research activities in Singapore. It was founded in 1988, and is run by full-time staff and volunteers.
Website: www.afa.org.sg
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6254 0212
Facebook: www.facebook.com/afa.singapore
IndigNation
IndigNation is Singapore’s very own LGBT Pride season. First organized in 2005 (in response to
the banning of the Nation Party that year) IndigNation has since grown into a full-fledged annual
celebration of the different aspects of Singaporean gay life – from talks to film screenings to illicit
mass runs and flash mob picnics. The season is its 8th year of running.
Website: www.indignation.sg
MARUAH
MARUAH is made up of a group of individuals from diverse backgrounds who are committed to human rights causes in Singapore and the region. There are three prongs to MARUAH’s work – research, advocacy and public education. MARUAH is the Singapore focal point for the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (a regional group with its secretariat based in Manila) that is an NGO officially recognised as a stakeholder in the ASEAN Charter.
Website: www.maruah.org
Email: [email protected]
Oogachaga
Oogachaga is a counselling and personal development organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgendered and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals. Oogachaga is a non-profitable group
under the umbrella of SPACES Counselling and Community Limited.
Oogachaga services are supervised by credible professionals and agencies in the fields of psychology, therapy and counselling in Singapore who are familiar with issues facing gay, lesbian, transgendered and questioning individuals.
Website: www.oogachaga.com/ www.congregaytion.sg
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6224 9373
Pelangi Pride Centre
Pelangi Pride Centre (PPC) is Singapore’s LGBTQ resource centre, library and community space.
Hosted by the Free Community Church and located in the heart of Geylang, the volunteer-run space is open every Saturday between 2-6pm. The library has also a huge collection of LGBTQ fiction and non-fiction resources.
Website: www.pelangipridecentre.org
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pelangipridecentre
Queer Book & Movie Club
Queer Book & Movie Club is a monthly book club (3rd Thursday of every month) for everyone in
Singapore focusing on queer literature, rotating between three categories: (1) gay; (2) lesbian; and (3) transsexual/ transgender/ bisexual/ intersexual/ queer novels.
Members also meet for LGBT movies every two months. The club is an all-inclusive, non-discriminatory group. Everyone, regardless of sexuality, age, gender, sex, class and race, is welcome.
Website: www.queerbookclub.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/141534225420
Rainbower
Rainbower is a community for gay men to interact and have fun through monthly social activities while building healthy and lasting friendships.
Website: www.rainbower.sg
Email: [email protected]
Rainbow Arts Project
Started in late 2009, rainbowartsproject (RAP) is an art-based initiative that aims to document, develop and promote queer culture in Singapore and the region. RAP organizes and initiates art exhibitions, happenings and events and attempts to constantly present queer ideas within the social landscape of South East Asia. Other than art galleries and alternative art spaces, RAP also presents projects in public spaces, cafes, clubs and other creative venues.
Blog: www.rainbowartsproject.wordpress.com / www.rapquestions.wordpress.com
Email: [email protected]
SAFE
SAFE (Supporting, Affirming and Empowering our LGBTQ friends and family) is a group of parents, families and friends of LGBTQ people, who believe in a society that accepts, affirms and empowers everyone to participate fully in it, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Their mission is to form a network of support, affirmation and empowerment for families and friends of LGBTQ people by providing information and resources and encouraging dialogue that promotes respect for human diversity and the well-being of all LGBTQ people.
Website: www.safesingapore.blogspot.sg
Email: [email protected]
Sayoni
Founded by six women in 2006, Sayoni is a volunteer-run social organisation for women in Singapore. Sayoni organizes public forums, educational talks, dinners, parties, focus groups, advocacy projects, sporting activities, yearly self-development camps overseas for queer women, dialogue sessions, newbie gatherings, training workshops and more. Sayoni aims to empower queer women by encouraging dialogue within the community and with public education.
Website: www.sayoni.com
Email: [email protected]
SGRainbow
Set up in June 2008, SGRainbow is a youth group that develops and organizes social activities
for young gay and bisexual men. Their tagline: “Self.Growth.Realise”.
Website: www.sgrainbow.org
Email: [email protected]
Singapore Men’s Chorus
Formed in 2005, the Singapore Men’s Chorus, an LGBT-friendly group, has grown from 11 members to a 30-man strong team today. Members hail from all walks of life and from very different musical backgrounds.
Website: www.singmc.org
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/singaporemenschorus
Singaypore.sg
Founded in 2010, Singaypore.sg is Singapore’s first LGBT video networking community. At
Singaypore.sg, viewers can watch original webisodes where the team conducts interviews on LGBT topics in Singapore. Through these interviews, Singaypore.sg hopes that a conversation towards an inclusive and tolerant society can be started.
Website: www.singaypore.sg
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/singaypore.sg
TheBearProject
TheBearProject (TBP), a social networking group for bears, bears-in-training and bear admirers, was founded in 2007. TBP made its debut at The Pink Picnic, an impromptu gathering at Botanic Gardens on National Day.
It has since grown from less than 20 members to its current 800+ members. Through activities like monthly movie outings, potlucks, hiking trips, outings to places of interest, workshops, overseas trips, etc, TBP aims to bring its members together to hang out, exchange ideas and hopefully, empower them with the sense of pride as part of the colourful gay community in Singapore.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/thebearproject
The Online Citizen
Founded in December 2006, The Online Citizen (TOC) has made significant inroads in the area of
cyber activism in Singapore. In 2011, TOC was gazetted as a political association and is registered
as a media outlet under the Media Development Authority. With a current readership base of about
500,000, TOC positions itself as the leading socio-political website in Singapore and aims to be an open independent platform for alternative voices in Singapore.
Website: www.theonlinecitizen.com
Email: [email protected]
Transgender Alliance Group
Transgender Alliance Group is made up of two smaller groups that have decided to share a booth
together at Pink Dot. They are SGGurls, a social networking group for the transgendered in Singapore, and SGButterfly, an information portal that provides information and raises awareness on the transgendered in Singapore.
SGGurls: www.facebook.com/sggurls
SGButterfly: www.sgbutterfly.org
Women’s Nite
Women’s Nite, started since December 2003, is held on the last Saturday of every month to provide a safe, neutral and alcohol-free space for lesbians and bisexual women in Singapore to gather and discuss the issues relevant to their lives.
Over potluck dinners, discussions on wide-ranging topics like self-acceptance, homophobia,
relationships and identity are held. Special guests are also invited to field questions on legal rights and sexual health, and conduct art and dance therapy nights.
Website: www.women-snite.livejournal.com
Email: [email protected]
Young OUT Here
Young OUT Here is a youth community group, run by queer youths for queer youths. Young Out Here aims to provide a safe and inclusive environment for LGBT youths to develop a healthy identity, and to reach out to LGBT youths to engage them in healthy learning, discussions and activities.
Website: www.young-out-here.blogspot.sg
Email: [email protected]
