tFreedom is a community of students at Tembusu College, a residential college at NUS, that aims to build a diverse and inclusive college, and promote an informed residential environment. We organise events that seek to expose members of our college to issues and ideas relating to gender, s*xuality, s*x and feminism. The Safe Word wing hosts closed social gatherings for LGBTQIA+-identifying members
of the college, creating a safe and important space for them to freely express themselves. The SpeQtrum wing organizes guest talks and discussion groups to facilitate conversations on gender and s*xuality. The Let’s Talk About S*x wing aims to destigmatize s*x as a taboo by providing room for open discussion. Ultimately, tFreedom strives to engage with the general college community to promote an informed residential environment. Safe Word Wing:
Harkening back to the founding principles of tFreedom, this wing of the strategic project aims to provide a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+-identifying members of the college. By forming an inclusive space for peer support and engagement, the wing aims to help our members work through and understand the specific issues and problems facing the quotidian lives of the q***r community. SpeQtrum Wing:
The SpeQtrum wing aims to create conversations and discussions relating to gender and s*xuality. We invite a range of speakers from q***r communities to share about their respective scenes and personal experiences. In addition, we host discussion groups for fellow Tembusians to share their opinions on such matters. We also collaborate with external student organizations, such as The G Spot @ Yale-NUS and Gender Collective @ USP, to bring such conversations to a wider audience. Femme Wing:
The Femme wing aims to navigate and explore the dynamic feminist movement together. With a selection of texts and films, this reading pod-style conversation is for individuals who are interested in the applications of feminism in everyday life. No one is an expert and we are all constantly learning from each other. Let's Talk About S*x Wing:
Imagine this: You and a group of friends are chatting. Someone mentions s*x, and asks your opinion. Would you speak freely and openly? Or would you be apprehensive and guarded?
“Will my friends judge me? Am I uncomfortable with sharing my own experiences and views? Maybe I don’t know enough? After all, it is a ‘taboo’ topic of conversation in Singapore.”
Yet, the myriad of questions about s*x remain. Is s*x before marriage appropriate? Should s*x be for pleasure or love? Does it matter that I’m not a virgin? What qualifies as losing my virginity? Is it immoral to have s*x? The Let’s Talk About S*x is the wing that hopes to create a safe space for willing individuals to discuss these questions, not with the hope of answering them, but simply making sense of them. We hope that through bringing into conversation thoughts we typically hold private, we might begin to clarify our opinions, feelings, and questions on this forbidden subject. And hopefully, learn more about ourselves in the process!
