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The history and subculture surrounding Transgender people in Singapore is substantial. more...

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Not immediately apparent to Singapore's mainstream society is the fact that the gay community sees itself as a totally separate entity from the transgender communities (often also referred to as "transvestite and transexual" communities). They are individual subcultures with many different priorities and concerns.

(For words in Singapore's four official and other minority languages used to describe transvestites, transgender people and transsexuals, see Singapore gay terminology)

Malay Mak Nyah

A large body of information on the Malay transgender, transvestite and transsexual communities has been amassed by female sociologist Teh Yik Koon from the School of Social Development, University Utara Malaysia. It is detailed in her groundbreaking and seminal work, "The Mak Nyahs: Malaysian Male to Female Transsexuals" (Singapore: Eastern Universities Press, 2002, viii + 175pp., ISBN 981-210-209-4). Many of the findings are also applicable to local mak nyahs as Singaporean and Malaysian Malays largely share a common culture. (Read a tabloid article about a contemporary Mak Nyah stage performer:

There is far less information available on transmen, that is female-to-male transgender people, as they are much less visible. It should also be noted that not all transwomen casually solicit sex or prostitute themselves, although it is sometimes the only paid work available to them.

Venues

Transvestites and transsexuals generally cruise and congregate in different areas from non-cross-dressing gay men. They seek heterosexual men with whom they socialise, have free sex or perform sexual services for a fee. They also bond socially with each other at these venues.

Historical

Bugis Street

One of Singapore's most famous tourist meccas since the 1950s, renowned internationally for its nightly parade of flamboyantly-dressed transwomen, Bugis Street attracted hordes of Caucasian gawkers who had never witnessed Asian queens in full regalia.

The latter would tease, cajole and sit on visitors' laps or pose for photographs for a fee. The amount of revenue that they raked in was considerable, providing a booster shot in the arm for the tourism industry. Veterans recall that the notorious drinking section began from Victoria Street west to Queen Street. Halfway between Victoria and Queen Streets, there was an intersecting lane parallel to the main roads, also lined with al fresco bars. There was a well-patronised public toilet with a flat roof of which there are archival photos, complete with jubilant rooftop transwomen. The earliest published description of Bugis Street found by Yawning Bread as a place of great gender diversity was in the book "Eastern Windows" by Ommaney, F.D. (1960. London:Longmans. pp. 39-45). Ommaney did not date specifically his description of the street but his book made clear that he was in Singapore from 1955 to 1960. Read a first-person account of Bugis Street in the 1950s by Bob, a visiting Australian sailor:

Read more at Wikipedia.org