Wang Chung-ming is one of three openly gay candidates running for seats as councillors as 60 percent of Taiwan's 23 million people go to the polls on Saturday, Nov 27. He tells Fridae what led him to join the elections and how his "multiple identities work have worked in a very interesting way" for him.
The New York Times article that mentioned Obama's gay nanny who joined a "transvestite" dance troupe, and which has spawned numerous reposts with headlines like "Obama's nanny was a gay transvestite" could have more accurately used "transgender" or "waria" – an indigenous Indonesian "transgender" person.
LGBT Singaporeans cite the repeal of Section 377A, legal recognition of same-sex relationships and job discrimination as their top three concerns, according to the first ever poll of LGBT citizens on what will influence their votes.
Jerome Kugan, co-organiser of the annual Seksualiti Merdeka festival, tells Fridae that because homosexuality is a taboo topic in Malaysia, "lying low is not the answer” and is exactly why the community needs a space to have open dialogues about sex, sexual identity and rights.
While many may remember Dr Balaji Sadasivan for putting the blame on gay men for the spread of HIV in Singapore, his political leadership and support to expand AIDS prevention programmes and increasing access to HIV testing and treatment has largely gone under the radar. (Updated)
Q! Film Festival will kick off its 2010 season with two films and an opening party in Jakarta on Friday, 24 September before travelling to Surabaya, Malang, Yogyakarta, Bali and Makassar (South Sulawesi) in October.
Transgender activist Yuki Vivienne Choe will make her stage debut in a Malaysian adaptation of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot from 1 to 5 September at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.
First profiled in 2007 by Fridae and again in 2008 for his controversial short film based on an incident in which 12 men in Singapore were arrested for gay cruising, Singaporean director Boo Junfeng will no doubt become a household name as his debut feature Sandcastle hits the big screen this month.
The Lawyer Is In is a new monthly legal column by George Hwang who will answer questions from readers on subjects related to civil rights, workplace issues, discrimination, immigration, sexuality, privacy, estate planning and assets management; personal rather than business issues. In short, daring to be who you are and living your chosen life proudly, in Singapore.
Robyn Garner, Executive Director of the Mongolian LGBT Centre, tells Fridae more about the new documentary which highlights the under-reported threats and hate crimes taking place against the LGBT community.