“The stigma attached to suicide, fuelled by its criminalisation and religious beliefs that suicide is sinful, means that Bruneians are reluctant to talk about suicide and mental illness. Yet Leow Yangfa, executive director of Oogachaga, a community-based nonprofit organisation in Singapore that provides counselling and information to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ+) communities in Singapore and Brunei, says that openly talking about suicide and mental illness is necessary to enable those at risk to release oppressive feelings and reach out for help, support and intervention.”

“Leow said other issues such as discriminatory media guidelines and censorship; registration of LGBTQ organizations; education and well-being of LGBTQ youths; workplace discrimination and healthcare and social services, should be addressed in Parliament.

“Conversations about the local LGBTQ+ community have mostly been centred around the repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code. While it remains important to discuss 377A and its implications, other topics surrounding the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, such as the issues above, should also be addressed in Parliament,” he told Coconuts Singapore this week.

“It is important to note that as the legislature, Singapore’s Parliament is more than about making speeches and statements. Discussions have to go beyond that, which includes passing legislation that will protect LGBTQ+ Singaporeans and ensure equality,” he added.”

“Leow Yangfa, head of Singapore-based LGBT+ rights group Oogachaga, said demands in the petition were “unkind and uncharitable ... in an inclusive, diverse society like Singapore”.”

“Leow Yangfa, Executive Director of Singapore’s LGBTQ+ community organisation Oogachaga who is also a trained social worker and counsellor, recommends parents think about what concepts their kids are familiar with – such as love, family members, friends, fairness – and also consider what you would like your child to value. Identity? Respect? Diversity? Standing up against discrimination, racism, homophobia, and transphobia?

“Depending on the age of the child, parents can never go wrong when they stay with what’s factual and familiar for the child,” he says. “As we all know, most children like to feel safe and secure, and prefer to take cues from their parents or trusting adults.””

“Leow Yangfa, executive director of Oogachaga, an NGO that provides counselling services for the LGBTQ community in Singapore, said that some fear domestic violence while closeted youth experienced tensions with family members while at home, as schools and workplaces closed.”

“In 2018, Oogachaga, a local non-profit communitybased organisation that works with LGBTQ+ individuals, handled a total of 2,012 counselling sessions, a significant rise from 974 sessions in 2013 (Gan, 2019).
According to Oogachaga’s executive director, Mr Leow Yangfa, the most common issues they deal with include mental health and psychological wellbeing, sexuality and identity-related issues, and relationship problems.”

“Leow Yangfa, executive director of an organisation that works for LGBTQ+ rights in Singapore, felt that the judgement played a “big part in re-igniting and re-inspiring the latest round of petitions, debates and discussions about repealing Section 377A””

“The verdict was delivered in chambers, four months after arguments were made by the lawyers for the three men: Disc jockey Johnson Ong Ming, retired general practitioner Roy Tan Seng Kee and Bryan Choong Chee Hoong, the former executive director of LGBT non-profit organisation Oogachaga.

Mr Choong said in a statement that he is “of course disappointed”, but said his eyes “are firmly on the road ahead”.

”I’ll be studying this judgment closely with my lawyers. For now, I want to thank them for their hard work and all well-wishers for their support,” he added.”

“黄倩仪指出，新加坡在这方面其实已经做得很不错，本地也有不 少跨性别支持网络如TransgenderSG、Oogachaga和The T Project， 但她认为我们可以做得更多。”