Let’s welcome our special guest for this month, Two Queens Asia! As Pride month is held in June, what better way to end our month off with our #SupportTheirEmpowerment Series featuring people who are devoted to creating safe spaces for our LGBTQ+ community?
Two Queens Asia was formed more than two decades ago, with a simple goal in mind - to creating a safe space for queer folks to party. Two Queens Asia most renowned residency was Thursdays at play, now helmed by Wendy, Amelia and Kim. They were planning parties up until COVID hit and they finally were able to hold their first party back in May this year after almost 3 years, they are working to get their monthly parties up and running again!
When asked why they decided to start Two Queens Asia, they said:
“There was a clear gap in the local LGBTQ+ spaces in Singapore for queer women when we started out. You had your gay institutions like Taboo, Tantric, Play, but there wasn't ever really a permanent space readily available for queer women to party at. We've since shifted our focus to not just queer women, but to anyone in the queer community. As long as you're respectful of the space and kind to one another, all are welcome at our parties. “
When questioned about being a LGBTQ+ business ally, we wanted to know the kind of support Two Queens Asia provides that they felt was lacking in the community. This is what they said:
“Safe party spaces may seem like a frivolous thing to base our organisation on, but it's something that's often taken for granted by the straight crowd. A lot of us in the queer community don't feel safe or at ease partying in straight-centric clubs, and that's the gap we hope to fill with what we do.”
When asked about the changes or initiative they would like to see in the business sphere to embrace the LGBTQ+ community, they responded that they hoped for people to understand that like many other organisations, Two Queens Asia is not profit-driven, and only hope to be able to do their part to support the community. They hope people can recognise that and continue to support them so that queer party spaces can continue to grow and thrive.
“The community has grown wonderfully over the years, and it's so nice to see new initiatives everyday championing the causes of the community by both folks from the community, and allies alike.”
We wanted to know the most interesting party experiences they had, they told us:
“You tend to see A LOT during our parties, but the most interesting experiences have to be brought about by the amazingly talented performers we've had over the years. This includes DJs, drag queens, dancers, and so many more. We even had the Glitter Queen at one of our parties. It is only with the support of these performers that we've been able to throw such major racers over the years, and we never get tired of watching these beautiful people perform.”
If you are interested in attending one of the parties held by Two Queens Asia, be sure to know this:
“Hold on to your panties, we've always got some tricks up our sleeves ;). And most importantly, be respectful and kind to other party-goers”
