Alex Au | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1952 (age 72) Singapore |
| Nationality | Singaporean |
| Other names | Yawning Bread |
| Alma mater | Anglo-Chinese School National University of Singapore |
| Website | www |
Alex Au Waipang, (Chinese: 区伟鹏) also known by his Internet nom de plume as Yawning Bread, is part of the Singapore gay equality movement.
He is the author of a website, where he provides analyses of Singaporean politics, culture, gay issues and miscellaneous subjects.[1]
He is also the co-author of two books, People Like Us: Sexual Minorities in Singapore[2] and a French-language treatise on homophobia entitled L'Homophobie.
He was the owner of Rairua,[3] Singapore's first nude gay sauna.[4]
Biography
Au, English-educated and of Cantonese descent, was born in Singapore in 1952. He attended the Anglo-Chinese School for his primary and secondary education and obtained his tertiary degree from the National University of Singapore.[citation needed]
After graduation, he worked in a managerial position at a British multinational corporation before branching out on his own as the proprietor of several business catering to the gay community, as well as freelance writing.[5]
He was one of the founding members, along with Joseph Lo and Dr. Russell Heng, of Singapore's main gay equality lobby group People Like Us,[6] and also the founder and list owner of the Singapore Gay News List (SiGNeL), the first discussion forum for Singapore's gay community.[1]
In 2002, he was presented with the Utopia award for outstanding contributions towards the advancement of gay equality in Asia,.[7]
In July 2003, Au was identified by the now-defunct Channel i as a gay activist. His views were solicited in the wake of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's recent announcement that the hiring of gays in the civil service would henceforth be liberalised.[citation needed]
In the run-up to the 2006 Singapore general election, Au provided extensive coverage of the opposition parties' rallies which was attended by overwhelming crowds (see photo and whole report) photographed by Au.
Au used his connections with People Like Us and with leading practitioners in the local gay arts scene to organize IndigNation, Singapore's first gay pride month in 2005[8] and Short Circuit, Singapore's first gay film festival in 2006.[2]
In July 2012, the attorney general's chambers wrote to Alex Au, a prominent blogger and gay rights activist, demanding that he take down and apologize for a June post in his Yawning Bread blog that criticized the judiciary for showing deference to the executive. Au removed the post.
References
- ^ a b Offord, Baden (2003). Chris Berry, Fran Martin, Audrey Yue (ed.). Mobile cultures: new media in queer Asia. Duke University Press. pp. 144–151. ISBN 978-0-8223-3087-5.
((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - ^ a b Ng, Yi-Sheng (2006). SQ21: Singapore queers in the 21st century. Oogachaga Counseling & Support. ISBN 978-981-05-6205-2.
- ^ Police Arrest Four Men in Singapore Sauna
- ^ Jackson, Peter A. (2011). Queer Bangkok: 21st Century Markets, Media, and Rights. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 978-988-8083-04-6.
- ^ Fridae bibliography
- ^ Peterson, William (2001). Theater and the politics of culture in contemporary Singapore. Wesleyan University Press. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-0-8195-6472-6.
- ^ "Utopia Awards 2002". Utopia Asia. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
((cite web)): Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "GLBT Guide to Gay & Lesbian Life in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia". gaywired.com. 27 April 2006. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
External links
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