2015 was quite a ride. We went to London to vape with English doctors and scientists, we braved through a day at the seedy Yangtze Cinema, we trekked through jungles to capture the sounds of wildlife and even celebrated with over 28,000 people at Hong Lim Park to support the freedom to love. Crazy, we know, but we survived the year — here’s some of our most-read features from 2015 to cuddle up with.
The invisible lives of Singapore’s transgenders
A late-night trip to the shady surroundings of Woodlands Town Garden uncovered fiercely private assemblies and closely guarded gatherings. They can’t be blamed though — mainstream media love vilifying transgenders, increasing stigma and violence against them. So we put on our investigative hats and found out how painfully hard it is to be transgender in Singapore.
Happy birthday, Orchard Towers! 40 years of sex and violence
Anyone who newly arrives in our city state is very likely to be fascinated by the unusual aesthetic that is Orchard Towers, which turned 40 this year. We braved the “Four Floors of Whores” in celebration of 40 lucrative years of good food, criminal inclinations and of course, no-frills coitus.
Soundscaping Singapore’s fading wilderness with Botanical Orchestra
Singapore’s increasing urbanisation is eradicating the nation’s lush green landscapes, and that’s a cause of worry for creative arts duo Botanical Orchestra. Comprised of an electronic music producer/DJ and a visual artist, we trekked with them off the beaten track to encapsulate the last vestiges of our fading wilderness.
LKY vs CIA
Following the death of Singapore’s founding prime minister, we uncovered a forgotten New York Times report (published in 1965) and found out how he once turned down $3.3 million bribe by the CIA in exchange for keeping hush about an unsuccessful espionage mission. Being the incorruptible badass he is, Lee Kuan yew proved why he was the right person to lead a young nation.
Singaporeans pay final tribute to Lee Kuan Yew
On the day of Lee Kuan Yew’s state funeral procession, Singaporeans stood resolute in the rain to pay their final respects. Our photographer managed to capture the emotions of a nation in mourning on the last day Singaporeans ever felt his physical presence.
What are some signs that you’re a Singaporean basic bitch/bro?
Yeap, we shamelessly lifted the reasons from a thread on Reddit’s Singapore community but only because it was just too funny not to share — what are the local equivalent of basic bitches and basic bros? Still hilarious and still applicable today.
28,000 shades of pink at Pink Dot 2015
‘Twas a record year for Pink Dot Singapore, when 28,000 people in all shades of pink showed up at Hong Lim Park. Our photographer was there to capture the day out in the park as lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, straights of all ages came together to call for an end to discrimination against the gay community.
A sticky end to Yangtze Cinema, Chinatown’s last public wanking den
A new MRT line at Outram Park finally means curtains for the haggard old Pearls Centre shopping mall, and with it, the famous Yangtze Cinema will call time on almost a quarter of a century giving horny old men a place to spank the monkey in public without getting arrested. We survived the trip relatively unscathed. Really.
Cloud-chasing with Singapore’s blooming community of vapers
With so much talk by the government to outlaw vaping and e-cigarettes from the country, we went underground to speak with Singapore’s diehard vapers to find out more about this modern phenomenon. The vaping community is well alive folks, restrictions and police crackdowns be damned.
Peeling off the layers with Sukki Singapora
Just a few days before Singapore’s first burlesque artist was set to headline a very opulent F1 event, we followed her around for a day to know more about the person behind all that vibrant hair and zany outfits. She was not what you’d expect of a full-time burlesque dancer.
Vaping my way through London at UK’s biggest e-cigarette conference
After reading about our article about Singapore’s blooming community, the makers of Marlboro called us up and invited us to head to London on the expense for a prestigious e-cigarette conference. It’s a whole different landscape for vaping in UK, where it’s actually allowed and encouraged instead of the usual cancer sticks.
Short documentary on reformed ex-convict who lived freely under a flyover
We can’t take credit for this one — you’ll have to thank filmmaker Sabrina Poon for producing this inspirational and deeply moving documentary on Ruslan, and ex-convict who found sanctuary under a flyover. Give it a watch really, you can’t help but feel for the guy.
