Dear reader,
“Singapore This Week”. In our weekly digest, we discuss blackface at Raffles Institution, Lim Tean’s nativism, and their respective connections to the historical words and contemporary policies of the ruling People’s Action Party; bike-sharing in Singapore; the late Nona Asiah, singer extraordinaire; “LIMINAL Space”, a micro-documentary that explores the dimensions of migrant workers’ lives; a new agreement with the US on nuclear energy knowledge-sharing, and more.
Essay. Last week, we released “The Euphoria is Real”, a 17-min documentary that follows Julianna Maria Hedger, a 34-year-old Singaporean trans woman, on her recent gender reassignment procedure. Even as we cherish her story, we’re aware that it’s just one of many in the compendium of trans lived experiences here in Singapore. The Jom team felt that, as a companion piece, we also wanted to talk about the broader challenges facing this vulnerable minority group.
Today’s essay, “Their struggle is ours”, is the product of our shared work over these past few months, as well as input and quotes from members of the trans community in Singapore, for which we’re deeply grateful. Thanks also to Anna Onni, a non-binary artist, for allowing us to licence their illustration for the piece.
“A starting point for any discussion on gender dysphoria is the emphasis on creating an environment in which any person can love themselves. The capacity to cherish one’s own body and self is important. But we must also recognise that for some people, self-love is realised through the act of bodily change. We all want an outer form that corresponds with our inner truth.”
We try to incorporate relevant global discussions, local circumstances and suggestions for how, together, we might conceptualise an enlightened, empathetic approach towards gender dysphoria—particularly for trans youth, the most vulnerable of all.
“All would benefit from more experienced, trained doctors working in consultation with the trans community—to better identify who is likely to benefit from transition, and who is perhaps unconsciously mistaken, in seeking transition as a means to an end, such as escaping trauma, and is instead likely to benefit from other kinds of support.”
As an editor and writer, it’s been a humbling experience. This topic is so politically charged today. As arguably the main site of contestation in the “culture wars” of the West, there’s just so much fear mongering and misinformation. Every week brings yet another riposte from intolerant conservatives rallying against “wokeism” in order to torpedo genuine, honest dialogue. (Angela Carini, Italian boxer, is their poster child this week.)
Rather than getting swept up in the debate’s polemics, often supercharged by the frenzy of social media, we’ve tried to take a clear-eyed and compassionate view of the situation. We hope you do too. This, more than most of our essays, is one where how you read is as important as how we write. So let’s extricate ourselves from this cultural tyranny, this tangle of preconceived notions fuelled by the Jordan Petersons of the world, and instead perhaps remember that this week is the 53rd anniversary of the first gender reassignment surgery in Singapore, by pioneering surgeon SS Ratnam.
My other plea would be to those who wonder why they should bother with the rights of a tiny minority group. Indeed, in recent decades, many have bemoaned an apparent liberal obsession with “cultural issues” at the expense of supposed socio-economic ones. Whatever the political implications, I feel it’s important that all of us, as humans striving for a better future, recognise the interconnectedness of all our lives. One of the most corrosive aspects of almost all discussions around transgender issues is the othering, the divisiveness. It’s not a “cultural issue”, it’s a question of inclusivity, and basic rights—ensuring that each of us can live our fullest lives in this little red dot. To build a caring democracy, we need to emphasise collective interest and responsibility.
Jom baca, Jom bergabung
Sudhir Vadaketh
Editor-in-chief, Jom
p.s. We’ve put the essay outside the paywall. I know many of you want to give free articles to some of your non-subscriber friends, so here’s one. Do forward this to them. And ask them to get a paid subscription if they appreciate our work. We’re still only 50 percent of the way to breaking even. Help us get there.
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