yi-sheng is writing a book and wants this message distributed:

"Oogachaga, Singapore's gay -lesbian-bisexual counselling group, has commissioned me to write a book on Coming Out in Singapore. The purpose of the book is to tell the stories of gay, lesbian and bisexual Singaporeans, with particular focus on their coming out stories. Each chapter will be a different story, as told by a different person. We will be using *real names* and *real photos* in this book, to emphasize the fact that we should not be afraid to acknowledge our identities to the world. Clarence Singham (of fame from Oogachaga, Safe Haven, and SPACES) has already found a distributor for the book in Singapore.

"My job is to interview the people whose stories are to be told. My job is to edit, translate, condense recorded speech into a solid narrative. I need your help to find these people.

"I NEED PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW.

"I want:

"1) 10 or more Singaporeans or residents brave enough to have their names, faces and stories published in a book. (N.B. It doesn't have to be the name you use most of the time. Chinese name, Christian name, whatever. Also, your partner's/friends'/colleagues/family members' names can be obscured or changed for their own comfort.)

"2) 1 1/2 to 2 hours of their time over coffee, to interview them.

"3) The majority of my interviewees so far have been middle-class Chinese Christian gay men in the 20s and 30s. While I've nothing against them, I want to reflect PLURALITY of races, religions, income groups, ages, professions, genders, sexes, backgrounds, voices and stories.

"4) That being said, positive stories (e.g. successful reconciliation with family members/religion etc) are especially valued. This book is meant to counterweigh the negativity of mainstream reflections of GLB lifestyles. Hopefully when released it'll make some queer people feel more empowered, and some straight people more accepting and understanding.

"Forward this e-mail to your friends asap. Get them to contact me. I'm otherwise unemployed, so I can meet them at pretty flexible times."

if you or someone you know would like to be interviewed by yisheng, let me know.