In 2019, the word “they” was announced as the world of the year, a pronoun referring to a single person whose gender identity is non-binary. As the political movements driven by identity politics continue to clash against traditional values in the West, the conversations surrounding neo-pronouns and the fluidity of gender identity has grown louder in Singapore as well.

In the ninth and final episode of Season 4, the episode delves into the evolving landscape of gender identity and pronouns. Our host, Liang Kaixin, is joined by Dr Michelle Ho, Assistant Professor of Feminist and Queer Cultural Studies of the National University of Singapore, Chloe Ang, a Master’s student, and Muddarius Husayn, an advocate and artist. They explore the complexities of the pronoun movement and the challenges for acceptance and inclusivity in Singapore's diverse society.

Chloe and Muddarius shared on their individual exploration of non-binary and queer identities. Chloe shares their journey navigating life as a non-binary individual in a cisgender relationship, highlighting the fluidity and personal nature of gender identity. Muddarius, assigned male at birth and identifying as queer and gender-fluid, discusses the struggle of fitting into societal norms and the importance of self-identification.

Dr Ho gave her academic perspective; she noted a generational gap in understanding gender identity and the significance of pronouns. She emphasises the need for respect and understanding in addressing non-binary individuals, suggesting practices like introducing oneself with preferred pronouns to foster inclusivity.

Find out more about pronoun movement and identity politics in Singapore:

• RICE Media (21 October 2021): Pronouns & Neopronouns Decoded — Beyond Labels and Performativity
• Asia One (29 June 2022): They/them? Here's how gender-neutral pronouns work
• Time (1 May 2023): How Gen Z Changed Its Views On Gender

About our guests:

Dr Michelle Ho, Assistant Professor, Department of Communications and News Media, National University of Singapore

Michelle H. S. Ho (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Feminist and Queer Cultural Studies in the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her research interests lie at the intersections of gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity, affect and emotion, and media and popular cultures in contemporary (East) Asia. Her latest monograph, which explores trans/gender issues in late capitalist Tokyo, Japan through an ethnographic study of josō (male-to-female crossdressing) and dansō (female-to-male crossdressing) cafe-and-bars, is forthcoming with Duke University Press. More information can be found at: michellehsho.com.

Chloe Ang, Master’s Student, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Yale-NUS College  

Chloe Ang (they/them) is a student at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Yale-NUS College, pursuing their love for public policy and philosophy. In their spare time, they love creative writing, collecting Hello Kitty merchandise and watching drag queens talk for hours.

Muddarius Husayn, Advocate / Artist

Someone who believes in a world that can be better if we communicate effectively.

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• Season 4 Episode 8: Speaking English and the Mother Tongue with Dr Teo Kay Key, Research Fellow at IPS, and Kishan Singh, Science Educator
• Season 4 Episode 7: Girl Math and the Gender Gap in STEM Field with Sieren Lim, Associate Professor at NTU, and Ainul Md Razib, Founder AinLovesCode
• Season 4 Episode 6: Youth and Climate Anxiety with Melissa Low, Research Fellow at NUS and Darren Quek, Principal of Forest School Singapore
• Season 4 Episode 5: Youth and Caregiving with Tan Poh Lin, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Jason Leow
• Season 4 Episode 4: Home Alone and Adulting with Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Klinsen Soh
• Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman
• Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS
• Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE