Book Launch on 17 May

BooksActually
p r e s e n t s

「 I WILL SURVIVE :
Personal Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Stories in Singapore 」
edited by Leow Yangfa

: LAUNCH :
17th May 2013, Friday
7.30pm at Math Paper Press
(№ 62 Neil Road)

Join us at 62 Neil Road on 17 May to mark the International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia (IDAHO).   Join the Facebook event page here.

This event will feature excerpt readings by special guests, question & answer, and a book signing session with the editor.

: SPECIAL GUESTS :

~ Ovidia Yu, award-winning novelist, short-story writer and playwright. Among her many works are The Woman in a Tree on the Hill, Three Fat Virgins, Hitting (On) Women, and Miss Moorthy Investigates.

~ Tania De Rozario, award-winning writer and visual artist, whose latest collection of poetry Tender Delirium has just been published by Math Paper Press.

~ Leona Lo, who published her autobiography From Leonard to Leona, A Singapore Transsexual’s Journey to Womanhood in 2007 . This was staged as The Ah Kua Show in Singapore in 2009, & in New York a year later.

~ Ng Yi-Sheng, freelance writer & visual arts administrator. His publications include a collection of coming out stories SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century, GASPP: a Gay Anthology of Singapore Poetry and Prose.

~ Miak Siew, Singapore’s first fully-ordained & openly-gay pastor, who serves at the LGBT-affirmative Free Community Church.

∞

: ABOUT THE BOOK :

What is it like to be gay and experience bullying in school or National Service ? How do you deal with being rejected by your family and religious group because of your sexual orientation ? How are women’s experiences different or similar to men’s ? What does one go through in an abusive same-sex relationship, or when one loses a partner to suicide ? What does a transgender man or woman go through in Singapore ? When you have been diagnosed with a life-long illness, how do you continue living ?

This collection brings together real-life experiences of love, grace, faith, dignity and courage from 21 ordinary gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Singapore who have survived extraordinary circumstances.

We will live. We will thrive. We will survive.

∞

: ABOUT THE EDITOR :

Leow Yangfa has spent most of his adult life involved in social services, including a previous job in a statutory organisation, and volunteer work with an HIV/ AIDS group in Singapore and a charity for the homeless in London. He is professionally trained in social policy and social work.

Available in Print

I Will Survive: Personal gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender stories in Singapore is now available as a print book, in 2 different covers, in addition to the ebook format.

You can purchase your copy through the online webstore (free delivery to addresses in Singapore) or at the BooksActually store in Tiong Bahru, Singapore.

You can also find copies at Books Kinokuniya stores in Singapore, or make enquiries at the Information Counter, quoting “I Will Survive by Leow Yangfa“.

For a full list of locations, click here.

I Will Survive 377A

I survived bullying.

Kenny, 17 years old, identifies as a bisexual teen, and is comfortable in his relationships with men as well as women. He is a student at a local polytechnic. After he came out to his friends in secondary school he was called names like “faggot,” and was even groped by another boy in class and humiliated in front of others. You can read Kenny’s story here.

Zakaria works as a civil servant in a government statutory board. He is 24 years old and grew up in a Malay-Muslim family. When he was in National Service, he was teased because of his effeminate behaviour, and was even sexually harassed while he was sleeping in his bunk bed. You can read Zakaria’s story here.

I survived religious oppression.

Mohd Ashraff is 37 years old. He works as a counsellor, and lives with his partner. When he was younger, he struggled with being gay and being Muslim. As he grew older, he has since learnt to reconcile his sexuality with his faith. You can read Ashraff’s story here.

I survived addiction.

Bradley was born in the United States of America and has lived for many years in Singapore, where he works as an English teacher. He is in his early 40s. While trying to deal with his loneliness and other personal issues, he resorted to recreational drug use and excessive drinking. He has since recovered, and keeps himself busy with work and volunteering. You can read Bradley’s story here.

I survived depression.

Lance is in his forties. He works as a consultant and often has to travel overseas for his job. While in National Service, he was diagnosed with bipolar depression, and over the years he’s had to be admitted into hospital several times and has even attempted suicide on a few occasions. His condition has since stabilised, and he’s worked in different jobs where his employers knew about his illness. You can read Lance’s story here.

I survived physical violence.

Wee Lee, 29 years old, works as a marketing executive, and has been in a relationship with his current boyfriend for many years. When he was younger, he was in a 4-year relationship with another guy who inflicted emotional, psychological and physical abuse on him. This included making belittling comments, preventing him from seeing his friends, slapping him in public, pushing him down an escalator, hitting him with bamboo poles and stabbing him with a knife. You can read Wee Lee’s story here.

I survived HIV.

Lester is 21 years old, and a student at a local university. He lives in an HDB flat with his parents and sister. As a teenager, he was constantly harassed by an older male sexual partner, and the police had to be involved. When he was 18, he became infected with HIV. He has now completed his university studies and working in his first full-time job. You can read Lester’s story here.

I survived suicide.

Tarry, in his mid-thirties, works in the IT industry. He likes to keep up-to-date with his electronic gadgets. Ten years ago, he received news that his then-boyfriend had jumped out of his flat and killed himself just before his birthday, without any explanation. Tarry is now working overseas and has a new partner, and regularly returns to see his family and friends in Singapore. You can read Tarry’s story here.

We have survived all this.

We will survive 377A.

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If you’re still unclear about what is 377A, read this article on SgWiki for a start, as well as others by Yawning Bread and Fridae.