Sayoni is a platform based in Singapore for lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer Asian women.
Founded by a group of women aged between 18 to 42, from diverse backgrounds, economic status, nationalities and races, we aim to empower queer women with a two-prong approach; to encourage dialogues within our community through our sayoniforum and to educate by informing the public through our publishing site, sayonispeak.

OUR VISION
To empower queer women towards greater involvement and presence in the community.

OUR MISSION
To provide resources and communication channels that would contribute to self-confidence, participation and voice.

OUR IDENTITY
Inspired by Giti Thadani’s book, Sakhiyani, the author gives the ancient myth of ‘Sayoni’ an unique interpretation, regarding it as a symbol of relationship and sexual play between women, and as mythical evidence that queer-ness were very much a part of ancient civilisation. Yoni is Sanskrit for vagina / womb / origin of life. The ‘sa’ prefix denotes the joint existence of two yonis, hence Sayoni is an ancient name for the unique concept of ‘two revolving yonis’ of Ushasa-naktam, a pair of cosmic twin goddesses mentioned in the text of Rig Veda. They are regarded as so deeply entertwined that even their yoni’s revolve around one another.
To us, the word is a fitting representation of female rights and sexuality, often suppressed and ignored in Asian societies. Our logo is a reflection of our goal, with two petals symbolising the meaning of Sayoni, that embodies the spirit of a confident, modern women-loving women.

"OPS" stands for "O Plus Square" which describes the ♀² symbol.

This group was created last year after the Sayoni Anniversary Party, uniting volunteers with the ambition to create and organize events for queer women and spread the Sayoni love far and wide. Auto proclamed "Sayonites" this group of superwomen aim to empower queer women towards greater involvement and presence in the community and to create a vibrant community through providing opportunities to interact LIVE.

The Tick:

She will be the one to come looking for you if you are late for any part of the programme. In charge of ensuring that the entire camp runs like clockwork, you risk her wrath should you not be at the right place, at the right time. The best way to get to know her is to act like you overslept and wait for her to knock on your room door.

The UFO:

The Unlicensed Feeding Officer is who you should look for if you think your food tastes funny. In charge of ensuring that all meals are ready on time and the food is of Sayonite standard, she will commonly be found hovering over the buffet tables, tasting each dish for quality control purposes. The best way to get to know her is to engage her in a conversation on why buffets are better than ala carte.

The Playa:

The person you should look for if you have pent up energy to be released, the Playa will keep you occupied with her treasure trove of games. In charge of making sure the campers are tired enough to sleep at night, she will always have something fun to play at all times of the day. The best way to get to know her is to ask her if she has any “1-on-1” games you can play... at night.

The Assassin:

The universal bodyguard, she is the person you should go to if you think that someone is following you. In charge of ensuring all campers are safe, she will not hesitate to use violence on any who attempt to prey on the campers. The best way to get to know her is to ambush her during her nightly patrols. But be warned that you may be the one who gets ambushed instead.

The Lifeline:

She will be the one you need if you feel sick or get injured. In charge of ensuring the physical well-being of the campers, she is armed with an extensive first aid kit and has the backup of a well equipped sick bay. The best way to get to know her is to fake a fainting spell and have her bring you to the sick bay... alone.

The Dealer:

The one with all the supplies, she is the person to go to if your t-shirt size is wrong or there is “something” missing from your goodie bag. In charge of ensuring that all campers have all materials they need, she has the keys to the storeroom and the supplies that are stored in it. The best way to get to know her is accidentally “lose” your handbook and follow her to the storeroom to get a replacement.

The Flasher:

The busy one with the constantly clicking camera, she is the one to look for if you love to pose in front of the camera. In charge of ensuring that all campers have photos of their memorable experience, she will always be there for every Kodak moment. The best way to get to know her is to profess your love for cam-whoring and request for a private photo shoot with her.

The Anchor:

She will be the one who you go to if you should miss the ferry and get stuck landside. In charge of ensuring that anyone who misses the ferry still manages to join the group, she will negotiate with or blackmail the authorities to make sure that no camper is left behind. The best way to get to know her is to intentionally miss the ferry and convince her that you would much rather keep her company in Singapore.

The One:

This is who you need to go to if you have any questions, problems or complaints that are not cover by any of the Sayonites mentioned above. In charge of ensuring that everyone is a happy camper, she will take care of your problems, or at least make sure that someone else is taking care of it. The best way to get to know her is to inform her that the camp is going splendidly and there is no need to worry, so she should join you for a massage at the spa instead.

The Two:

The person to go to when you can’t find The One, she has the powers to solve your problems or locate The One to solve them for you. In charge of ensuring that someone is holding the fort while The One is away, she will be there to help you in any way possible to maintain the Happy Camper rule. The best way to get to know her is to send your friend to lure The One away and invent an emergency that happens to be in your room.