"Women Who Love Women – Conversations in Singapore" is now available Online!

"One of the few documentaries ever made about lesbians in Singapore, this documentary, filmed in 2006 uses interview footage with three Singaporean lesbians -Amanda Lee, Sabrina Renee Chong and Gea Swee Jean, to get a rare glimpse into lesbian lives in Singapore. Intimate and often candid, these lesbians share about their lives and loves and their views on topics such as coming out and relationships. Sometimes heartbreaking, and often times, funny, the documentary captures the lives of lesbians who have chosen to live authentically and is a testament to the courage, tenacity and experiences of lesbians living in Singapore"

Made Singapore history because the film was screened at the Singapore International Film Festival (5 screenings) and Sinema.sg (15 screenings).
Now available online -
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3711940092918053291&hl=en

Made possible because of Su-Lin's can do spirit.
Thank you for showing us - That, it IS possible.

To find out more about the film -
http://womenwholovewomensingapore.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Eileena for highlighting this... do check it out, it's very good :) – Vitalauto

(CLOSED) EAGLE EYE, October 5th 2008, Sunday, 7.20pm

Sorry Changed in Time and Location, pls see below for details! I will personally contact you too!

Hey Guys, we are back with another movie outing! Sorry, been busy with work! :)

This is the movie I've been wanting to watch ever since i saw the trailer. Starring the new IT boy, Shia LeBeouf (Transformers, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull, Disturbia, Constantine), directed by D. J. Caruso (Disturbia, Two for the Money, The Salton Sea) and produced by Steven Spielberg.

Synopsis:
Jerry Shaw and Rachel Holloman are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations--using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening--and more importantly, why.

Date: 5 October 2008, Sunday
Time: 7.20pm
Venue: Orchard Cineleisure

Hope to see you guys again! Do sign up by Thursday, 2 October, 6pm giving me enough time to get the tickets :) See ya soon!
Hugs
Vitalauto

The Eager-Eyed Ones:

• Vitalauto
• Universek
• Martinn
  
• Otto
• Han
• Saltwetfish
• Crewcut
• TVfan82
• Kit_sg
• Tanuki
• Cub4U33
• Hawk
  

(Closed) Yoga Lesson for TheBearProject Members - by Leonic Yoga

Post is closed, enjoy your yoga session guys! For those who missed this opportunity, please visit leonicyoga.blogspot.com for more information. Hello friends! Good news for those avid yoga practitioners, fellow bears who are into yoga and yoga-curious people! A good friend of ours, Leonard Se (from Leonic Yoga) had approached me & VitalAuto to offer his yoga services and his extensive yoga knowledge exclusively for us!

Here is an excerpt taken from his blog, leonicyoga.blogspot.com which i found it inspiring:

"As Yoga totally embraces our mind, body & spirit, regular practice can help change a negative mindset by offering inner peace and an ability to face upheavals and deal with problems. The benefits of yoga seem to be endless. It is perfectly adaptable to all kinds of lifestyles – Eastern, Western, children and adults. It can replace the so-called buzzes of alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants with a wonderful sense of energy release. Practicing Yoga has helped me to quit smoking, a habit I’ve had for 28 years. It is a fabulous way to tone and strengthen our bodies and relax our mind."

By working with Leonard on this, we are glad to announce that he will be conducting this first lesson as a complimentary lesson only for TBP members. He will be conducting Hatha Yoga as an introductory lesson for us. Below are the details:

Venue: 11 Haji Lane
Date: 30th Sept 08, Tuesday
Time: 8pm

Closing date for RSVP will be on 26th Sept, Friday. Therefore, please RSVP early!!! For more information about Leonic Yoga, please visit http://leonicyoga.blogspot.com

List of Interested members:

• Vitalauto
• Universek
• Martinn
• Musclecraz
• Divineseeker
• Powa
• Hawk
  

(CLOSED) WALL-E, August 29th 2008, Friday, 7.30pm

Timing is updated!

Waited damned long for this movie, cos the movie distributor wanted to wait for the school holidays! Everywhere else in the world has already shown this movie! Finally it's here, yay! It's directed by Andrew Stanton, who also directed the wonderful Finding Nemo.

This has been rated as one of the best movies of the year by many reviewers –
Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert: A-
"...an enthralling animated film, a visual wonderment and a decent science-fiction story."
Boston Globe, Ty Burr: A
"...a major visionary work, a sci-fi parable of astonishing scope and depth..."
filmcritic.com, Sean O'Connell : A
"WALL-E, the studio's ninth full-length feature and second from director Andrew Stanton, catapults to the head of Pixar's illustrious class."
Los Angeles Times, Kenneth Turan: A
"Groundbreaking yet familiar, part romance, part sci-fi, Pixar's latest work is wonderful and full of wonder."

Need I say more?!

Date: August 29th 2008
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Orchard Cineleisure

Synopsis:
After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, WALL-E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL-E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL-E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most exciting and imaginative comedy adventures ever brought to the big screen. Joining WALL-E on his fantastic journey across a universe of never-before-imagined visions of the future, is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach, and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots.

check out the website for details and goodies like games and wallpapers (very cute) :)

So come join us for this great movie! Do sign up by August 27, Wednesday, 12pm, I expect the tickets to be snapped up by all the kids! I'll need to get the tickets as soon as possible.

So see ya! Vitalauto

The Misfits:

• Universek
• Vitalauto
• Xiaoyao
• Tanuki
• Cub4U33
• Hanzi
• Phoenyx
• Saon6
• Tvfan82
• Piggiewiggie
  

(CLOSED) PAINTBALL WARFARE! 24th August 08, Sunday, 9am

Hey hey, I've emailed the details to all the people who have enrolled in the paintball... if you didn't get that email somehow, please let me know! The rest who got the email, pls kindly acknowledge, so i know everything's in place :) Thanks!

Hey guys, it's that time of the year, we get our ass out from our homes to the outdoors! Well, last year, we had the Pulau Ubin Cycling Trip which i fared so terribly! :p So this year, let's do something i'm more comfortable with hahaha :) It's Paintball Warfare @ Red Dynasty Paintball Park. To find out what paintball is, check out this site. You'll also get to know the place better as well as the rates.

Date: 24th August 2008, Sunday
Time: 9–11am (roughly 2 hours)
Venue: Red Dynasty Paintball Park, (Bottle Tree Park, 81 Lorong Chencharu, Yishun)
Price: $50 per person

Hope to hear from you guys soon! Thanks!
Vitalauto

The Warrior-Princesses:

• Universek
• Vitalauto
• Asimov_22
• Rookcub
• Bengzom
• Quest
• Cici
• Hardcore
• Hellridered
• Divineseeker
• Jake
• Odac
• Snowtiger
  
• Kit_sg
• Nickelodeon
• Alaskan
• Siberian
• Lostsheep
• Bearyhorny
• Wickedness
  
• Hanzi
• Sliversurfer
  
• Taz
  
• Stupidboy
  

"Bear-y gay" - Article from Fridae.com, by David Cheong

August 12, 2008

Bear-y gay

By David Cheong

Bears, musclebears, G-men... the lines seem to be blurring in Singapore and elsewhere in Asia as the subculture becomes increasingly visible. David Cheong highlights TheBearProject Charity Art Show to be held this Saturday and gives readers an introduction to this group of heavy-set men.

One of my British friends always has the same argument with me. “You can think what you want, but there is no way that you guys can be called bears,” he says hotly. “Bears are big and hairy gay men. If you’re not hairy, you’re not a bear.” I always have the same retort. To say that smooth, hairless Asians can’t be bears is to subscribe to some sort of Western imperialist ideal. Yes, the bear subculture that turned its back on the smooth, lean and urban gay stereotype did originate in the US and has become extremely popular in certain parts of Europe, but it doesn’t mean that the concept of a gay bear is exclusively Western and can’t be re-interpreted in another part of the world. From the top: G-Men magazine, one of the top-selling bear/G-men-related magazines in Asia; artworks from the TheBearProject Charity Art Show: One Leg Up (charcoal on paper) by well known New York-based Singapore artist Jimmy Ong, Stuck in Ecstasy (acrylic on canvas) by Brian Ho and Hong Kong #64 (photographic print with frame) by Kay Chin. As a matter of fact it already has, whether Western purists approve or not. In Asia, monthly Japanese magazine G-Men was the first to idolise the stocky, ultra-masculine gay Asian man sporting a crewcut and goatee. Since then, the “G-Man” look has been highly sought-after and copied by thousands of young gay men in countries like Taiwan and Hong Kong. And just like in the West, these burly, powerful and often fat guys (so far removed from the Western stereotype of the beautiful, slim gay Asian boy) also quickly became known as “bears.” Today, Asian bear culture is thriving not just in Japan but within little bear communities established in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. In Taiwan, the unofficial Asian “bear capital,” the bear stereotype has even gained enough mass acceptance to emerge as a mainstream gay look. Rambunctious and physical (think knee-length shorts, chunky shoes and lots of hugging), Asian bears maintain a fairly tight regional network - getting to know each other on the Internet and making it a point to visit each other when they go travelling. They hang out in dedicated bear saunas, or gulp down drinks over Chinese karaoke in bear bars like New Wally Matt and Red Point Café in Hong Kong, Same and the now-defunct Oso in Singapore and the Bearbie Bar in Bangkok. There’s even a “Little Bear Village” near Ximending in Taipei and “bear parties” in Taipei and Hong Kong. Back in Singapore, bear culture is still nascent - hampered somewhat by persistent prejudices against heavier-set gay men whose bodies don’t conform to the tanned, V-shaped ideal. But Singapore bears are growing in confidence and making their presence felt with the formation of Singapore’s first bear community group TheBearProject (TBP). “I started the group partly because I wanted to dispel the notion that fatter guys had low self-esteem and didn’t like going out and having fun,” says 27-year-old Ernest Yeo, who founded TBP with fellow bear Gary Lim. “Actually, a lot of us already knew each other, so I thought why not organise activities like going to the movies or playing badminton so that we can get together on a regular basis?” The group now boasts about 120 members and it recently celebrated its first anniversary with a raucous party at Play, a dance club. According to its founders, TBP is inclusive, meaning that you do not need to be a bear to join. But assimilation is decidedly smoother if you already have the required physique. And if you’re a musclebear, you’re definitely an A-lister! Last year, TheBearProject made its debut when about 20 of its members turned up for The Pink Picnic at the Botanic Gardens. This year, the group decided to organise an event on its own for the Indignation festival. “We thought that since quite a few of us were in the creative industries, why not organise a little art show of our own works, and auction them off to our members for charity?” says Ernest. “It would make a nice change from the usual movie outings and social get-togethers and also be a chance to do something for our community. And I guess there’s a wackiness to the idea of big heavy guys peddling fine art.” The result is TheBearProject Charity Art Show, featuring almost 20 works from TBP members and guest artists that the organisers know personally. Open to the wider gay community in Singapore, the works will be exhibited on August 16 at Play and auctioned off for charity the same night. In addition to artwork by 10 TBP members, there are contributions from noted lesbian artists Genevieve Chua and Felicia Low, concept artist Heman Chong, painter Jeremy Sharma and photographers Tay Kay Chin and Chan Wai Teik. Proceeds will be donated to The Triangle Project, a charity initiative of The Necessary Stage that provides opportunities for the less privileged to watch theatre, as well as a number of other charities. “It’s one of the last events on the Indignation calendar and we hope everyone can come down to see the works and support a good cause,” says Ernest. “It’s being held in a club, which is not a typical art venue, but that gives the show quite a cool, underground feel.” Looking ahead, TheBearProject’s founders say they want to grow the group even more and help get its members more involved in the activities of the wider gay community. “A bunch of us helped the Pelangi Pride Centre move to Little India. We enjoyed ourselves and I think they appreciated the extra muscle power!” TBP also hopes to link up with similar bear groups in Hong Kong and Taiwan for more regional events. Bear Olympics, anyone? You can find out more out TheBearProject at its website http://www.thebearproject.com. TheBearProject Charity Art Show will be held on Aug 16 at Play on Tanjong Pagar Road, from 8pm to 9.30pm. This is a private event, so you will need to RSVP at thebearproject.charity@gmail.com to attend. All the works can be viewed online in advance of the event at http://thebearprojectcharityartshow.blogspot.com.

RSVP! TheBearProject Charity Art Show @ Play, 7:30 pm, 16th August 08

The art work for the Charity Art Show are available for viewing at thebearprojectcharityartshow.blogspot.com

Please feel free to browse through them. To order for you to attend this event, please RSVP with by providing us with your:

1) Name
2) Contact no.
3) Email address

to thebearproject.charity@gmail.com

Date: 16 August, 2008 (Saturday)
Venue: Play (21 Tanjong Pagar Road)
Time: 7.30pm onwards

RSVP will close on 14th August 08, midnight. Please register with us early!

Let me do a brief recap of what this event is all about:

TheBearProject Charity Art Show

Having established ourselves as a sub-group of the local gay community, we feel the need to go beyond organizing social-networking activities and give something back to society. Seeing that many of our members are from the creative industries, we’ve decided that our first community charity event will be an auction of artwork created by our members. We hope the event will not just strengthen bonds within the group, but also further promote awareness of social responsibility in the gay community.

TheBearProject Charity Art Show features art pieces by 10 members of our group, comprising cartoons, oil paintings and photographic prints. In addition, we are proud to also feature several prominent local artists at the art auction. Our “Friends of TheBearProject” – including conceptual artists Heman Chong and Felicia Low, visual artists Jeremy Sharma and Genevieve Chua, and photographers Tay Kay Chin and Chan Wai Teik - have kindly donated original works in aid of the auction.

All proceeds from the auction will go to The Triangle Project, a community project run by theatre group The Necessary Stage. The Triangle Project was started in 1992 with the aim of providing opportunities for the less privileged to watch theatre. The scheme has proven to be very successful and previous beneficiaries of scheme include The Tent, Grace Haven, Singapore Cheshire Home, SINDA, Muhamadiyah Welfare Home, the Before and After School Care programmes of Family Service Centres, members of the Society for the Physically Disabled and people with HIV/AIDS. We will also donate some of the funds to other minor beneficiaries anonymously.

Indignation 2008 – Building Bridges

Hey guys and gal
Indignation is around the corner again! Here's a few events I would like to highlight, do show your support... but of course, if you can make it, you should try to make it for all their events :) Check out their site for more details! A special note... the intro video for the main page is created by none other than our very own Odac!

INDIGNATION 2008: FROM CLASSROOM TO COMICS (check out the page)

It's our very own Otto!!! So how can you not be there?!! e'nuff said!

Otto Fong was a highly regarded Science teacher in Raffles Institution. This year, he just published the first in a series of comic books about Science.

In this event, he shares his experience of coming out to the nation as a gay teacher, how the controversy impacted his life, and how it gave him courage to pursue his lifelong dream of being a fulltime comic artist.

Date: Saturday, 2 August 2008
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: 72-13

INDIGNATION 2008: 同不同2–異族 (check out the page)

It's our very own Otto again!!! Limelight whore! (hee hee... kidding, you know we love you!)

This year, we are bringing back a classic which explores gay issues in Singapore Chinese theatre. Performed in 1992, Another Tribe was written by Otto Fong and is the first local Chinese play to explore gay issues. The original cast, Jackie Liu and Kevin How will be reading for their own roles from over 10 years ago. Together with Otto Fong and the director Kok Heng Leun, they will be present to share with the audience their experiences and thoughts while embarking on such a taboo topic at that time. Renowned writer and playwright Quah Sy Ren will also be on the panel to comment on the play as critic and audience.

Performed in Mandarin.

Date: Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: 72-13

INDIGNATION 2008: UPP (check out the page)

See you guys there in PINK! Come join us for a relaxing afternoon picnic :)

Don’t come dressed in pink. Don’t come with your friends. Don’t come with your family. Don’t come with your pets.

Or that’s what they say.

We say UPP YOURS!

Join us as we paint the Botanic Gardens pink once again! Come in pink, bring a pink picnic mat, or even bring a pink feather boa! Most important, it’s a picnic, so bring food!

This is an informal event for all, regardless of age, race, language, religion or sexual orientation. Your pink against the green of the Botanic Garden. It will be unforgettable

Date: Saturday, 9 August 2008
Time: 4:30 - late
Venue: Symphony Lake, Botanic Gardens

And of course our very own
THEBEARPROJECT AUCTION CHARITY ART SHOW (check out the page)

See the full posting below! This is the event you MUST attend! :p

Date: Saturday, 16 August 2008
Time: 7 - 10 pm
Venue: Play

Ok hope to see all of you at the events and start building bridges!

(Closed) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Sunday 3rd August 2008, 7.25pm

Note: Venue change, it's at Orchard Cineleisure

Movie outing is BACK after a few weeks of break due to preparation for TheBearProject Party. Hope everybody who turned up to support us, had a good time! Well, I had a great time :) But unfortunately being the game host, didn't get to know many new faces. So hope you guys would join us for our other outings as well, like this movie!

I must say the trailer looks great! :p Check out the site for more info.

Synopsis:
Explorer Rick O'Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor in an epic that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son Alex, wife Evelyn and her brother, Jonathan. And this time, the O'Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 warriors have laid forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. But when dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, the reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents. As the monarch roars back to life, our heroes find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. Striding the Far East with unimaginable supernatural powers, the Emperor Mummy will rouse his legion as an unstoppable, otherworldly force... unless the O'Connells can stop him first.

Date: 3rd August 2008, Sunday
Venue: Orchard Cineleisure
Time: 7.25pm

Ok do sign up as soon as possible! Hope to see you guys soon!
lovingly as always, Vitalauto

The Aventurers:

• Universek
• Vitalauto
• Kit_sg
• Tanuki
• Cub4U33
• Crewcut
• SaltWetFish
• Sgcub + 2 Friends
• Hawk
  

(CLOSED) TheBearProject's 1st Anniversary Party - The Bear Olympics 2008

PLEASE NOTE:
Time of the party has been changed to 6:30pm due to certain constraints.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused. TheBearProject Proudly Presents:
TheBearProject 1st Anniversary Party - The Bear Olympics 2008
An evening of get-together, filled with games, food, drinks & fun!

Thank you all for RSVP-ing with us early. I apologize for the prompt closure for the RSVP dates cos we have to proceed with the meticulous logistics and planning so that we won't screw anything up! Looking forward to see you guys soon!

Let me recap the details of the event again:

Event: TheBearProject 1st Anniversary Party: The Bear Olympics
Date: 26th July 08, Saturday
Time: 6:30pm - 10pm
Venue: Play (21 Tanjong Pagar Rd, #01-2/3/4, Singapore 088444)
Ticket Price: $30 (*Includes 2 alcoholic drinks & buffet dinner)
Dress code: STRICTLY Sports-wear (in tune with Bear Olympics!)

Remember guys, SPORTS WEAR SPORTS WEAR SPORTS WEAR... anyone wearing jeans will be immediately stripped bare!!! *Not that I didn't warn you ok... kekeke Those who wear swim trunks will get incentives!!! LOL :P