Reflections on Mr Imran’s talk on religious issues relating to sex workers and the transgender community.
On 8 July 2015, Project X invited a Muslim speaker, Mr Mohamed Imran to our weekly event, Kopi Session. In collaboration with the month of Ramadan, we gathered our fellow Muslim friends (cisgender and transgender sex workers) for a break fast event that can bond us together and also to let them interact and ask […]
Chezka: A life changing experience.
Chezka, 26, was formerly a sex worker and is now an administrator for a new seafood outlet founded by a renowned actress. Her job scope includes socializing and interacting with the patrons of the outlet. She also comes up with ideas on how to increase the business’s exposure via social media. She is also the […]
The Fact Beneath The Rock – The Life of a Sex Worker
Have you ever wondered why people do sex work when they can get a job that society sees as normal? Some would say it is taking the easy way out or to live the lifestyle that they want; the list goes on. So allow me take you on free ride as usually I would charge. […]
ASEAN People’s Forum 2015 : Our Report and Reflections
The annual ASEAN People’s Forum/ ASEAN Civil Society Conference took place from the 21st to 24th of April 2015 in Kuala Lumpur. It is a conference that aims to bring together civil society groups and activists from all around the region to discuss key human rights issues that people face. The theme for this year […]
“What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” – A Transgender Singaporean Woman and her Ordeal with Job Discrimination
In 2013, cisgender women in Singapore earn 88 cents for every dollar that cisgender men make according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development. However, this gap becomes more apparent for transgender women. Transgender women earn 70 cents for every dollar that cisgender people make. Another case of a trans woman who […]
A Geylang Sex Worker’s Take on the Alcohol Ban
There is a “disproportionate number of law and order and incidents” in Little India and Geylang associated with liquor consumption according to a police operational assessment. “The regular and large congregations of people, both local and foreign in these area exacerbate the risk,” said home minister Mr S Iswaran. Mr Iswaran also explained that this […]
Sex Workers of ASEAN Demand Recognition and Equal Rights
Over the weekend of 21st to 23rd March 2014, sex workers from all over ASEAN (including Timor Leste, but excluding Brunei) gathered at the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ ASEAN People’s Forum in Yangon, Burma/Myanmar. The Sex Workers of ASEAN network (SWASEAN) was spearheaded by Empower Thailand—a sex worker community based organization established in 1984—almost two […]
Another Case of Transphobia
Many people think that Singapore is a place that is kind to trans*[i] people. Singapore is the only country in the region that allows trans* people to change their identification card to reflect the true sex after they have undergone a full sex reassignment surgery (SRS); Singapore was one of the world leaders for 30 years for conducting […]
Response to “More being done to fight human trafficking” (The Sunday Times, 30 June 2013)
I refer to the article “More being done to fight human trafficking” (The Sunday Times, June 30 2013) by Hoe Pei Shan. I wish to highlight that the way the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) portrays human trafficking is highly problematic and very misleading. The writer reports after an interview with the […]
Singaporean Transgender Sex Workers represented at the International Congress on AIDS Asia Pacific (ICAAP11)
Deborah* is a 23 year old transgender woman and has been a sex worker for four years. She holds a diploma in Professional Make-Up Artistry from Cosmoprof, and works as a freelance make-up artist in the day. Due to her gender identity, she has faced great difficulties in getting a job. She has gone for […]