Sayoni

As communities around the world mark IDAHOT today, commemorating the WHO’s 1990 decision to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders, this moment is also a reminder that transgender communities continue to face stigma, pathologisation and barriers to care 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ In recent days, many transgender youths and families have been navigating anxiety, uncertainty and disruptions to care following the release of MOH’s guidelines. To those affected: you are not alone. If you need support, please consider reaching out to community groups including @oogachaga , @transbefrienders , @safefamilysg and @thetprojectsg . For more detailed information and community perspectives, readers may also refer to @transgendersg page.

Grounding and Exploring the Inner Fire "You cannot, you cannot use someone else's fire. You can only use your own. And in order to do that, you must be willing to believe that you have it" - Audre Lorde How do we believe in the inner fire? How do we feel and sense it in the body? What does it mean to us, as queers? It is an invitation to move, pause and play with the heat and direction of your inner fire. It is an invitation to release and reconnect with youself through breath, movement and awareness 📅 Date: Wednesday, 12th November 🕕 Time: 7 PM – 9 PM 📍 Location: Proud Space, 243 Alexandra Road, BS Centre, #05-03 Singapore Bring comfortable clothing and notebook for writing or drawing your reflections 🎟 IThe class is FREE and limited to 8 people 🪝 RSVP and intake form link: https://bit.ly/4hYODFi

Part 2 of What’s a Good Thing that Happened Lately from the New And Emerging workshop last month is here! Here’s a reminder to keep the queer joy in our movement 🧚🏼✨ #LBQinAsia #AFLN #AsiaFeministLBQNetwork

Sit down with Anne in our project: "I am more than just an activist.."🏳️‍🌈 In the coming weeks, we feature stories of 6 local LGBTQ+ activists and their lives outside of community work. This project is part of a multimedia intitiative called Let's Keep Breaking Walls with LKB where we share stories of queer lives and how they integrate with our Singaporean culture. Comment what resonated with you about Anne's sharing and what you'd like to see more of!💗 @sayonisg @queerfriendlychers Love, KC and Nico

LGBTQ Singaporeans should not have to choose between living in hostile family environments and paying debilitating rent. Yet that is the choice many face after experiencing physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual violence in retaliation against their LGBTQ identity, according to LGBTQ advocacy organisation @sayonisg 's groundbreaking research report: Violence and Discrimination Against LBTQ Women in Singapore. Further research shows this is a continued reality after the repeal of 377A of the Penal Code—a 2023 Pink Dot x Milieu Insight report showed that barriers to buying homes were the top concern of LGBTQ Singaporeans. A 2024 Oogachaga survey found that challenges with family acceptance are one of the top 10 reasons why LGBTQ individuals feel downhearted or depressed. The fact that LGBTQ individuals and couples do not fit the HDB definition of a core family nucleus bars them from accessing affordable housing before the age of 35. Meanwhile, heterosexual couples and families that meet the nucleus can access housing from the age of 21. This inequity in housing affordability has to be addressed to enable vulnerable LGBTQ Singaporeans to have a safe home. This Pride month, we applaud Sayoni and many other LGBTQ organisations for highlighting the realities that LGBTQ people face, and championing their right to live safely in Singapore.

Thank you all who came down to join us in a very meaningful and interesting discussion on CEDAW, its impact, on LBTQ/LGBTIQ equity and more. And to Proud Spaces for allowing us to host a very full house of attendees. Lastly, to all who have contributed to writing the report, financing us, the people who helped organise this activity and most importantly of all for believing in our work.

Curious about how queer issues in Singapore are received in the United Nations? How did the Singapore government respond to Sayoni’s presentation on queer rights in front of an international community? Join us on 17 August (Sat), 2-4pm, at an intimate community venue as we share our reflections from dialoguing with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) earlier this year at Geneva 2024. We have an exciting programme lined up for you: - Introduction of speakers/panelists - What’s the deal with UN Treaties? How do they catalyse change? - Speaker presentations on Sayoni’s CEDAW report - UN’s recommendations: Implications for LBTI issues in Singapore - Panel discussion on post-CEDAW reflections - Audience Q&A Sign up now via bit.ly/cedaw24 or via the link in bio!

Sayoni, together with AWARE, HOME, Beyond the Hijab and End FGC SG in a panel on “Empowering Change: Advancing Women’s Rights in Singapore”. We spoke about the importance of CEDAW to make a difference, what are our priority issues are for our different groups and what happened in Geneva during the UN CEDAW session. Stay tuned for Sayoni’s community panel on 17 August 2024! More details coming soon.

Our representative Anne making a statement at the United Nations on the plight of LBTI / LGBTI persons in Singapore. Some topics from our report that was covered include censorship, school bullying and violence and the exclusion of LGBTI persons from the Workplace Fairness Legislation.

Our representative Anne making a statement at the United Nations on the plight of LBTI / LGBTI persons in Singapore. Topics that was covered include censorship, school bullying and violence and the exclusion of LGBTI persons from the Workplace Fairness Legislation.

This week Sayoni is at the United Nations to speak about our report on the rights of LBTI women in Singapore. The Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is the only human rights treaty which affirms the rights of women and targets culture and tradition as influential forces shaping gender roles and family relations. It is an international legal instrument that requires countries to eliminate discrimination against women and girls in all areas and promotes women’s and girls’ equal rights.