TimeOut Singapore Listing of Pelangi Pride Centre

PELANGI PRIDE CENTRE
The folks at Pelangi Pride Centre offer a neutral and friendly space to explore your sexuality. With regular talks, screenings and other group activities (we're not talking swinging parties here), they also operate a resource library devoted to HIV education and GLBTQ issues. Books may be borrowed for a small, returnable deposit. Newly relocated to DYMK (9 Kreta Ayer Road)!

For more information, email pelangipridecentre@yahoo.com.

Your FAQs answered :)

Hi all

Thanks to everyone who has popped by PPC@DYMK the last 2 Saturdays to hang out and chill with us :) We are also glad that there have been new users of the library, we hope you have a good time exploring our collection!

To address some of your FAQs:

1) Does PPC loan books out?
YES! We do :) Just pass us your details and a $10 book deposit (you can take 2 books out for 2 weeks - so that's $20 book deposit) and when you return the books in 2 weeks time, we return you your $20 (in short, it's free if you return the books, PLEASE return the books so that our collection doesn't deplete!)

2) What if I return my books late?
Just a $2 fine (per book) for each week you are late. We use the funds to purchase plastic wrap, labels and to patch books. No, it doesn't come into our pockets!

3) Where can I find your library catalogue?
Visit http://pelangipridecentre.org/library/opac/ to navigate our library catalogue (yes just like a "regular" library).

4) What are PPC's operating hours?
Saturdays, 4-8pm, we would love to open during other hours but being volunteer- run it's hard to get the manpower to staff the library during the week.

5) How can I help?
Donate $ to help with the running of PPC, we take any amount of $! The $ will be used to purchase new books as well as to offset our operating costs such as patching books, upgrading our computer system and so on, we are also always on the lookout for volunteers so if you can spare a Saturday a month, please let us know!

6) How can I contact PPC?
Email us at pelangipridecentre@yahoo.com

Take care everyone and see you on the 20th!
The PPC Team

PS: Don't forget to sign up for our upcoming event on the 2nd Saturday of October - Leona Lo will be at PPC!

Come join us for our first Saturday at DYMK (6th September, 4-8pm)

Hi all

PPC@DYMK will be open for our FIRST Saturday of operations this Saturday, 6th September from 4-8pm.

Come by to chill out and enjoy the collection of books whilst sipping fine teas/coffees and so on!

Special beverage/cake deals for PPC users (through the kindness of our friends at DYMK)

$2 for Soft Drinks (Normally $5)
$3 for Juice (Normally $6)
$5 a cup of Coffee (cos expensive beans) (Normally $8)
$5 a pot of Tea (cos expensive bag) (Normally $8)

Tea time special - Any cake with coffee/tea $8

The address of PPC@DYMK is 9 Kreta Ayer Road, Singapore 088985

To come by train, exit at Outram Park or Chinatown Station

To come by bus,
Neil Road - 166,197
Kreta Ayer Road - 80,145
New Bridge Road &
Eu Tong Sen Street - 2,12,33,54,63,124,143,147

See you on Saturday!
The PPC Team (Eileena, Nam Khim & Charm)

Pelangi Pride Centre Re-Opens at DYMK on 6th September 2008 (4-8pm)

Hi all

YES! We are BACK! :) Please pencil this in your diaries, PDAs, blackberry, whatever.. :P that PPC@DYMK will be open on the first Saturday of September - 6th September from 4-8pm.

For those who have borrowed books when we were at Rowell Road, Mox and so on, it's a chance to see the library in the new space and to chill out in the rather nice and lil cosy cafe. (Got [nice] coffee/tea and non-alcoholic drinks too!!!)

Our friends at DYMK have also worked out a special beverage/cake deal for PPC users so that everything is a lil cheaper during Saturdays, 4-8pm.

$2 for Soft Drinks (Normally $5)
$3 for Juice (Normally $6)
$5 a cup of Coffee (cos expensive beans) (Normally $8)
$5 a pot of Tea (cos expensive bag) (Normally $8)

Tea time special - Any cake with coffee/tea $8

We will also be open for the rest of the Saturdays in September so if you don't get a chance to say hello on 6th September, there are other opportunities!

See you soon!
The PPC Team (Eileena, Nam Khim & Charm)

DYMK is located at 9 Kreta Ayer Road - http://www.pelangipridecentre.org/contact/contact.htm

Pelangi Pride Centre has Moved! (August 17)

Dear all,

A big "Thank You" to all the volunteers, the dragon boaters and the 3 drivers (who volunteered the lorry and the 2 cars), who helped out with the big move on Saturday 16 August 2008.

Our thanks also to Dr Kaan Sheung Kin (affectionately known to all of us as Sheung) for generously housing PPC in his home and opening his home to the community every saturday since March 08.

Pelangi Pride Centre will be closed for the next 2 weeks for us to settle down in our new home.

We will re-open on the 6th of September 2008.

Please watch this space for more info about future activities in our new home.

With thanks,

Charm, Nam Khim and Eileena.

The Celluloid Closet @ Pelangi Pride Centre

The Celluloid Closet - PPC
The Celluloid Closet @ Pelangi Pride Centre

The film is based on the 1981 (revised 1987) book of the same name
written by Vito Russo, and on previous lecture and film clip
presentations given in person by Russo 1972-82. Russo researched the
history of how motion pictures, especially Hollywood films, had
portrayed gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters. It was
given a limited release in select theatres, including the Castro
Theatre in San Francisco in April 1996, and then shown on cable
channel HBO.

The documentary interviews various men and women connected to the
Hollywood industry to comment on various film clips and their own
personal experiences with the treatment of LGBT characters in film.
From the sissy characters, to the censorship of the Hollywood
Production Code, the coded gay characters and cruel stereotypes to the
progress made in the early 1990s.

Vito Russo wanted his book to be transformed into a documentary film
and helped out on the project until he died in 1990. Some critics of
the documentary noted that it was less political than the book and
ended on a more positive note. However, Russo had wanted the
documentary to be entertaining and to reflect the positive changes
that had occurred up to 1990.

Directed by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Produced by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Written by Vito Russo, Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Sharon Wood,
Armistead Maupin
Starring Lily Tomlin (narrator)
Music by Carter Burwell
Running time 107 min.
Subtitles - Yes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Celluloid_Closet

RSVP - This event is by invitation only.
As there are limited seats, prior registration is required.
For an invite -please email [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com] with
your name (in full), contact number, the name/s of your guests.

Details at a Glance
Event: Screening of "The Celluloid Closet"
Date: Saturday, 12 July 2008 (120708)
Time: 4pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre - 54 Rowell Road (in Little India)
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 drinks and finger food)

-----------
For directions on how to get to the new PPC:

Come into Hindoo Road from Jalan Besar.
Look for tall HDB block 639 at the end of the road.
Corner terrace house with grapevines growing.
Come in from the back door.

Pelangi Pride Centre presents "The Celluloid Closet" (Jul 12)

The Celluloid Closet

The film is based on the 1981 (revised 1987) book of the same name written
by Vito Russo, and on previous lecture and film clip presentations given in
person by Russo 1972-82. Russo researched the history of how motion
pictures, especially Hollywood films, had portrayed gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender characters. It was given a limited release in select
theatres, including the Castro Theatre in San Francisco in April 1996, and
then shown on cable channel HBO.

The documentary interviews various men and women connected to the Hollywood
industry to comment on various film clips and their own personal experiences
with the treatment of LGBT characters in film. From the sissy characters, to
the censorship of the Hollywood Production Code, the coded gay characters
and cruel stereotypes to the progress made in the early 1990s.

Vito Russo wanted his book to be transformed into a documentary film and
helped out on the project until he died in 1990. Some critics of the
documentary noted that it was less political than the book and ended on a
more positive note. However, Russo had wanted the documentary to be
entertaining and to reflect the positive changes that had occurred up to
1990.

Directed by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Produced by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Written by Vito Russo, Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Sharon Wood, Armistead
Maupin
Starring Lily Tomlin (narrator)
Music by Carter Burwell
Running time 107 min.
Subtitles - Yes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Celluloid_Closet

RSVP - This event is by invitation only.
As there are limited seats, prior registration is required.
For an invite -please email [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com] with your
name (in full), contact number, the name/s of your guests.

Details at a Glance
Event: Screening of "The Celluloid Closet"
Date: Saturday, 12 July 2008 (120708)
Time: 4pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre - 54 Rowell Road (in Little India)
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 drinks and finger food)

-----------
For directions on how to get to the new PPC:

Come into Hindoo Road from Jalan Besar.
Look for tall HDB block 639 at the end of the road.
Corner terrace house with grapevines growing.
Come in from the back door.

SafeHaven and PPC presents - For the Bible Tells Me So (June 21)

21 Jun 08 - SafeHaven and PPC presents - FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO

FILM SYNOPSIS
Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm
separating gays and lesbians and Christianity too wide to cross? Is
the Bible an excuse to hate?

Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very
American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader
Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how
insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay
child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu,
Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend
Jimmy Creech, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and
understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and
sexual identity.

There will be a discussion moderated by Miak from The Free Community
Church, following the screening.

RSVP - This event is by invitation only.
As there are limited seats, prior registration is required.
For an invite -please email [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com] with
your name (in full), contact number, the name/s of your guests.

Details at a Glance
Event: Screening of "FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO"
Date: Saturday, 21 June 2008 (210608)
Time: 4pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre - 54 Rowell Road (in Little India)
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 drinks and finger food)

-----------
For directions on how to get to the new PPC:

Come into Hindoo Road from Jalan Besar. Look for tall HDB block 639 at
the end of the road. Corner terrace house with grapevines growing.
Come in from the back door.

Pelangi Pride Centre presents (June 7)

Pelangi Pride Centre presents (7th June 2008) -
"Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World" and
1.
Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World, is a feature-length
documentary that explores the immense changes that occurred for gays,
lesbians and transgender people living in the Global South. In the last
decade of the 20th Century, a new heightened visibility began spreading
throughout the developing world and the battles between families,
fundamentalist religions, and governments around sexual and gender identity
had begun. But in the West, few people knew about this historic social
upheaval, until 52 men on Cairo's Queen Boat discothèque were arrested for
crimes of debauchery. That explosive story focused attention to the lives
and trials of gay people coming out in the developing world and the film
chronicles those events.

Dangerous Living opens with one of the Cairo 52 defendant's, Ashraf Zanati,
who was tortured, humiliated, beaten and forced to spend 13 months in
prison. His simple, but powerful statement sets out the basic theme for the
film: "My sexuality is my own sexuality. It doesn't belong to anybody. Not
to my government, not to my brother, my sister, my family. No."

Directed by John Scagliotti and Produced by Janet Baus and Dan Hunt.
Executive Producer is Reid Williams.
Major sponsor includes The H. van Ameringen Foundation.

2.
"Shalom in the home" is a series about a Rabbi counselling couples with
problems dealing with family life.

This particular episode features a lesbian couple who are having issues with
one of their 2 daughters.
One of the two mums, her father is a civil-rights lawyer, but could not
accept her daughter is lesbian. In order to prove to people that gay people
are capable of being good parents, she ended up pushing her own daughter too
hard.
Without letting on too much - basically this episode focuses on the effects
that a homophobic society have on gay people such that the downstream
effects can hurt our own children at the end of the day.
(this was shown on CableTV in March 2007)
----------

RSVP - This event is by invitation only, as there are limited seats, prior
registration is required.
For an invite -please email [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com] with your
name (in full), contact number, the name/s of your guests.

Details at a Glance
Event: "Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World" and "Shalom in
the Home"
Date: Saturday, 7th June 2008 (070608)
Time: 4pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre - 54 Rowell Road (in Little India)
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 drinks and finger food)

-----------
For directions on how to get to the new PPC:

Come into Hindoo Road from Jalan Besar. Look for tall HDB block 639 at the
end of the road. Corner terrace house with grapevines growing.
Come in from the back door.

Pelangi Pride Centre presents "Trembling before God" and "Rene's Story" (May 10)

Pelangi Pride Centre presents (10th May 2008) -
"Trembling before God" and "Rene's Story".

1) Trembling before God (84mins)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trembling_Before_G-d

2) Rene's Story (77mins)
Rene, 31, a female-to-male gender reassignment candidate took hormones
for years and "passed" as a man for all of his adult life. Married to
his high-school sweetheart, Wona, a heterosexual woman, for 12 years,
no one would guess Rene was biologically a woman. Living under a veil
of secrecy and lies, Rene and Wona's lives seemed fine until someone
"outted" the couple at their beloved church and everything they knew
was destroyed. The public revelation of Rene's secret starts to
unravel his marriage to Wona. Through all of it, Rene continues to
hold on to his lifelong obsession to become a biological male and goes
on a cross-country search to find the best transgender surgeon, only
to discover that the current surgery options are flawed. At the last
minute, Rene finds a surgeon who has created an experimental
procedure, which will be seen in THE OPPOSITE SEX for the first time.

-----------

RSVP - This event is by invitation only, as there are limited seats,
prior registration is required.
For an invite -please email [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com] to
RSVP with your name, contact number, the name/s of your guests.

Details at a Glance
Event: "Trembling before God" and "Rene's Story".
Date: Saturday, 10th May 2008 (100508)
Time: 4pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre - 54 Rowell Road (in Little India)
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 drinks and finger food)

-----------
For directions on how to get to the new PPC:

Come into Hindoo Road from Jalan Besar. Look for tall HDB block 639 at
the end of the road. Corner terrace house with grapevines growing.
Come in from the back door.

PPC is moving...

Dear all,

As our present venue sponsor Mox Bar and Cafe is
closing down, the Pelangi Pride Center will be moving
to a new address.

29th Mar will be our last day at Bianco (MOX).

From April onwards we will operate from 54 Rowell Road
(near Jalan Besar food center). Our opening hours
remain the same at 4-8pm.


We will be moving our books and funiture on the 30th
Mar (Sunday) between 5pm - 7pm. We need volunteers to
help with the move. If you would like to help, please
drop us at mail at pelangipridecentre@ yahoo.com.

We hope to see you at our new location.

http://www.pelangipridecentre.org

PPC presents "Journey to the Top" (March 15)

Pelangi Pride Centre presents -
"Journey to the Top" by adventurer, author and
motivational speaker, Khoo Swee Chiow

Khoo's story is one of journeying from the foothill of
Bt Timah to the top of the world. A journey that
transformed his life drastically. He is constantly
fascinated with the power of body, mind and soul.
He lives by the words "Dare To Dream".

Come share his life journey on 15th March 2008 @
Pelangi Pride Centre.

Swee Chiow's books "Singapore to Beijing on a Bike"
and "Journeys to the Ends of the Earth" will also be
on sale. http://www.daretodream.com.sg/book.htm

RSVP - To sign up, please email [pelangipridecentre at
yahoo dot com] to RSVP with your name, contact number,
the name/s of your guests.

Details at a Glance
Event: "Journey to the Top" by Khoo Swee Chiow
Date: Saturday, 15th March 2008
Time: 4pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre @ Bianco
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 soft drinks and finger
food)

Pelangi Pride Centre Presents... Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World and 101 Rent Boys (Jan 26)

Pelangi Pride Centre presents
"Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World" and "101 Rent Boys"

1.
Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World, is a feature-length documentary that explores the immense changes that occurred for gays, lesbians and transgender people living in the Global South. In the last decade of the
20th Century, a new heightened visibility began spreading throughout the developing world and the battles between families, fundamentalist religions, and governments around sexual and gender identity had begun. But in the West,
few people knew about this historic social upheaval, until 52 men on Cairo's Queen Boat discothèque were arrested for crimes of debauchery. That explosive story focused attention to the lives and trials of gay people coming out in the developing world and the film chronicles those events.

Dangerous Living opens with one of the Cairo 52 defendant's, Ashraf Zanati, who was tortured, humiliated, beaten and forced to spend 13 months in prison. His simple, but powerful statement sets out the basic theme for the
film: "My sexuality is my own sexuality. It doesn't belong to anybody. Not to my government, not to my brother, my sister, my family. No."

Directed by John Scagliotti and Produced by Janet Baus and Dan Hunt. Executive Producer is Reid Williams.
Major sponsor includes The H. van Ameringen Foundation.

2.
101 Rent Boys is a 2000 documentary film that explores the West Hollywood hustler scene. The producers recruited 101 hustlers from on and around Santa Monica Boulevard and paid each of them $50 for their time. The boys, who
were from diverse ethnic, racial, regional and economic backgrounds, were interviewed in motel rooms on such topics as how they entered into prostitution, their sexual orientation, drugs and their first johns. The film focuses on a few of the boys more extensively while much smaller clips of other subjects are used. Each rent boy was assigned a number but not each one is so identified in the film. While some of the subjects are interviewed in various states of undress and the talk sometimes becomes sexually explicit, the film itself contains no sexual activity.

-----------

RSVP - As the event is by invitation only, prior registration is required.
To sign up, please email [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com] to RSVP with your name, contact number, the name/s of your guests.

Details at a Glance
Event: "Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World" and "101 Rent Boys"
Date: Saturday, 26th January 2008 (260108)
Time: 4pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre @ Bianco
Cost per person: $6 (cost of 2 soft drinks and finger food)

Pelangi Pride Centre Presents... An Afternoon with Johann S Lee (Dec 29)

PELANGI PRIDE CENTRE PRESENTS

An Afternoon with Johann S Lee
(Author of 'Peculiar Chris' and 'To Know Where I'm Coming From')
& Ng Yi-Sheng
(Poet and playwright, also known for his documentary book, 'SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century')

Saturday, 29 December 2007
Pelangi Pride Centre @ Bianco (21 Tanjong Pagar Rd, Level 4)
4-6pm
RSVP to pelangipridecentre@yahoo.com

Pelangi Pride Centre is proud to present a special event on the last
Saturday of 2007 - an afternoon with author, Johann S Lee, and
Ng Yi-Sheng, poet and playwright.

Many of us will remember with great nostalgia, the feeling of reading
Singapore's first gay novel, 'Peculiar Chris' when it was released in 1992.
Relive your first furtive glances at Singaporean gay literature in this
afternoon with the author.

Also get a chance to quiz Johann about the motivations in writing his second
novel 'To Know Where I'm Coming From'. Why did he take so long before
penning this second book?

Yi-Sheng (who majored in Comparative Literature & Writing at Columbia
University USA and curated IndigNation), together with Johann, will
facilitate a discussion around the relevance of Singapore gay fiction.

Join us on Saturday, 29 December at Pelangi Pride Centre,
for an informal and interactive afternoon.

About Johann's Latest Book: 'To Know Where I'm Coming From'

"A gripping story of love, caught between the gay worlds of London and
Singapore, unashamedly describing queer life as it is today: sexy and
sordid, romantic and political, frustrated and ecstatic."
- Ng Yi-Sheng, poet and playwright

"Hauntedly captivating and quietly powerful. Set against a diorama of
nostalgia and irresistible change, Lee observantly explores the ache of
falling in love and falling apart. For a Singapore which has evolved since
Peculiar Chris, Lee's assured second novel revisits the notions of choice
and choosing in a manner which, to his readers, has become not just
necessary, but imperative."
- Daren Shiau, author

"Read his novel... for its sheer honesty and at times heart wrenching
moments... Its importance in staking a claim in the territory of the
narrative of the overseas gay Singaporean male as well as the matured
Singaporean gay male experience, is not to be underestimated."
- Trevvy.com

"To read this book is not just to know where the author is coming from, but
to recognise, as gay people in a postmodern Asia, ourselves. How we love,
where we hope to go. Who we are."
- Fridae.com

Volunteers Needed at Pelangi Pride Centre! (Dec 27)

Volunteers are needed at Pelangi Pride Centre! If you are interested in helping out on a Saturday a month, please email pelangipridecentre@yahoo.com for more information!

PPC's Annual LGBTQ Community Fair (Dec 8)

Pelangi Pride Centre's
LGBTQ Community Fair 2007

featuring:
LGBTQ Community Booths:
A gathering of our wonderfully diverse social, sports, religious,
family and other groups in one spot for you to explore.

participating groups -
*Adlus
*SAFE
*Oogachaga
*RedQuEEn!
*Women's Nite

religious groups -
*Free Community Church / Safehaven
*Kong Meng San Phor Kark See (KMSPKS) Youth Ministry
*Heartland

We are also celebrating SAFE's first anniversary!
Come mark the occasion with us.
What's a party without family and friends?

Free drinks from MOX! First 200 drinks kindly sponsored by our great
venue hosts (on a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED basis).
Thereafter, soft drinks available at $2.

Date: Saturday 8 Dec 2007
Time: 4pm - 7pm
Venue: MOX Bar and Cafe, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road (4th floor)
Admission: Free, by registration only.
Please take note that this is a private event by registration only.
Please RSVP with your name(s) to [pelangipridecentre at yahoo dot com]

We are also screening `WOMEN who LOVE WOMEN: Conversations in Singapore':
This local documentary provides a rare look into the lives of three
Singapore women through candid, heartbreaking and funny interviews.
(note: separate RSVP required)

WOMEN who LOVE WOMEN: Conversations in Singapore
Running Time: 65 minutes

"It is better to be hated for what one is, than to be loved for what one isn't"
- Andre Gide, Writer

One of the few documentaries ever made about lesbians in Singapore ,
this documentary, filmed in 2006 uses interview footage with three
Singaporean WOMEN - Amanda Lee, Sabrina Renee Chong and Gea Swee Jean,
to get a rare glimpse into lesbian lives in Singapore.

Intimate and often candid, these lesbians SHARE THEIR their lives and
loves and their views on topics such as coming out and relationships.
Sometimes heartbreaking, and often times, funny, the documentary
captures the lives of lesbians who have chosen to live authentically
and is a testament to the courage, tenacity and experiences of
lesbians living in Singapore.

There will be a Question & Answer session with the interviewees and
filmmaker, May Ling following the screening.

Date: 8 Dec 2007 (Sat)
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Venue: Bianco @ MOX Bar and Cafe, 21 Tanjong Pagar
Road (5th floor)
Cost: Free of Charge
Please take note that this is a private event by registration only.
Please RSVP with your name(s) to
[womenwholovewomensingapore at yahoo dot com] by 5th Dec to ensure a seat.
http://www.pelangipridecentre.org/ events/ 200712a.htm

For more information on the documentary, and to read reviews/post
comments, please visit:
womenwholovewomensingapore.blogspot.com

Soft Launch of "To Know Where I'm Coming From" (Dec 8)

Come to the Community Fair this Saturday (8 Dec) and
be the first to grab a copy of Johann S Lee’s latest
book, ‘To Know Where I’m Coming From’.

…. Yes, THAT Johann S Lee, author of Singapore’s first
gay novel, ‘Peculiar Chris’.

It’s been a looong 15 year wait since that book was
published and we at Pelangi Pride Centre are very
pleased that Johann has picked us to receive the first
few copies of his second novel, ‘To Know Where I’m
Coming From’ before it hits the bookshelves later this
month.

Grab your copy, priced at $20 this Saturday! Limited
stocks available.

About Johann’s Latest Book: 'To Know Where I'm Coming
From'

"A gripping story of love, caught between the gay
worlds of London and
Singapore, unashamedly describing queer life as it is
today: sexy and
sordid, romantic and political, frustrated and
ecstatic."
- Ng Yi-Sheng, poet and playwright

"Hauntedly captivating and quietly powerful. Set
against a diorama of nostalgia and irresistible
change, Lee observantly explores the ache of falling
in love and falling apart. For a Singapore which has
evolved since Peculiar Chris, Lee's assured second
novel revisits the notions of choice and choosing in a
manner which, to his readers, has become not just
necessary, but imperative."
- Daren Shiau, author

"Read his novel... for its sheer honesty and at times
heart wrenching moments... Its importance in staking a
claim in the territory of the narrative of the
overseas gay Singaporean male as well as the matured
Singaporean gay male experience, is not to be
underestimated."
- Trevvy.com

"To read this book is not just to know where the
author is coming from, but
to recognise, as gay people in a postmodern Asia,
ourselves. How we love,
where we hope to go. Who we are."
- Fridae.com

More about Community Fair -
http://www.pelangipridecentre.org/events/200712.htm

PPC Presents LGBTQ Community Fair 2007 (Dec 8)

8 Dec @ PELANGI PRIDE CENTRE
LGBTQ Community Fair 2007

Pelangi Pride Centre is proud to present our Community Fair 2007

Featuring:

* LGBTQ Community Booths: We’re gathering our wonderfully diverse social,sports, religious, family and other types of groups in one spot for you to explore and even join
* Screening of ‘Women who Love Women’: This local documentary provides a rare look into the lives of three Singapore women through candid, heartbreaking and funny interviews. (note separate RSVP required)
* Celebrating SAFE’s first anniversary: Come mark the first birthday of SAFE (Supporting, Affirming and Empowering our LGBTQ friends and family). What’s a party without family and friends?
* Hosts from Queercast: Singapore's gay podcast
* Fridae.com books: the folks from this gay & lesbian portal will be selling Chinese queer-themed books.
* Pelangi Pride Centre Library: we’ll be open for business as usual, so come in and browse!


Free drinks from MOX! 200 free Ribena drinks, kindly sponsored by our great venue hosts (on a first-come-first-serve basis). Soft drinks available at $2.

Date: 8 Dec 2007
Time: 4pm - 7pm
Venue: MOX Bar and Cafe, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road (4th floor)
Admission: Free, by registration only.

Please take note that this is a private event by registration only.
Please RSVP with your name(s) to [pelangipridecentre@yahoo.com]

OC and SOS Present... Better Dead than Queer? (Dec 1)

Better Dead than Queer?

In Singapore, there is at least one suicide a day. At least one teenager dies by suicide every month. For every person who dies by suicide, it is estimated that another 5 to 10 people would have attempted and lived.

How many of them are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or questioning? We may never know. But there is strong international evidence to show that GLBTQ people are at greater risk than their heterosexual counterparts to attempt or die by suicide.

Come find out more about what you can do to help, whether it is for yourself, for a friend, a loved one or even a family member.

Date: 1 December 2007
Time: 4.30pm to 6.30pm
Venue: Pelangi Pride Centre @ Bianco, above Mox Bar
Speaker: Leow Yong Fatt

Pre-registration at contact@oogachaga.com

About the speaker
Leow Yong Fatt, Yangfa is a trained social worker who has worked in the social services sector since 1999. He is currently a full-time staff with Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), and in addition to recruiting and training volunteers for the 24-hr hotline, he also has experience working with suicidal clients & suicide survivors, as well as conducting talks and workshops on suicide awareness, prevention and intervention for school students & professionals from MOE, SMRT, Singapore Police Force, Civil Defence, Community Development Councils & other statutory & voluntary organisations. He graduated with a Bachelors (Honours) degree in Social Policy, with a graduate diploma in Social Work.

About Samaritans of Singapore (SOS)
SOS was established on 1 December 1969. It is a secular, non-profit organisation which aims to prevent suicide by providing emotional support and befriending to those are in despair, distressed and feeling discouraged. Their main services are:

24 hour Hotline
Face-to-face Counselling Sessions
Emergency Squad
Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS)
Healing Bridge - Support Group for Survivors of Suicide
E-mail Befriending
Community Education

For more information, please visit www.samaritans.org.sg

Oogachaga presents: The Legendary Killer: HIV/AIDS (Sep 29 @ PPC)

A Courageous Sharing by an HIV+ Warrior

Do you feel curious about a person with HIV?
Do you think a person with HIV has a future?

Let Oogachaga’s Mandarin Forum uncovers the myths and facts surrounding this notorious yet legendary killer. We will bring you – an HIV+ gay warrior, an outstanding medical social worker and an experienced volunteer from Communicable Disease Centre.

29th September, 2007 (Saturday)
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Free. Light refreshments available.

Pelangi Pride Centre @ Bianco
21 Tanjong Pagar Road
www.pelangipridecentre.org/contact/contact.htm

(above Ya Kun Kaya Toast & Mox, accessible by lift)

Do register for the event at contact@oogachaga.com. The first 20 persons to register will get their drinks free!

This event is supported by Action for AIDS.