Fridae

Fridae exclusive: Talented Armenian-Canadian director Atom Egoyan, director of Where the Truth Lies, Ararat and The Sweet Hereafter talks to Fridae's Zhuang Yisa about his work, the merits of alternate families gays often create for themselves, sexuality in his films and his "interest in human beings and how we communicate with each other."

Singapore has just released data of new HIV infection rates in 2005. Homosexual transmission accounted for 25 per cent of the new infections, a marginal increase of two per cent from 2004. Alex Au has more.

Held over Bangkok's wettest, hottest and most celebrated festival, Songkran which is also known as the Water festival, the aptly named Squirt and Slurp parties drew over 1,500 and some 2,500 attendees respectively.

Created for Her Majesty Elton John's 50th birthday bash and later performed to awestruck audiences worldwide, Burn the Floor is now on its Asian tour and is set to crashland in Singapore later this month before moving on to Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Fridae's club kid, Alvin Tan, offers his unsolicited advice on how to prepare for the fun-soaked three-day party to be held at Bangkok this weekend!

In Singapore this week, Singapore gay web site, Sgboy.com, is turning seven and they are having a "Prom King" contest and party. In Hollywood, Charlize Theron, Melissa Etheridge and "Transamerica" win the 17th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. In Hong Kong, "Brokeback" has inspired a new gay slang.

Featuring songs from a myriad Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, Darius Tan promises audiences a night of riveting, risqu� and raunchy theatre at the Play Den at the Arts House from April 12 to 15.

As Singapore is gearing up for a general election, several new candidates were queried on their stance on homosexuality, the ban on gay events and if the country is ready for a gay MP.

Hundreds (possibly thousands) of "red-shirted" gay men and lesbians are expected to descend on Hong Kong Disneyland before heading out to sea the next day for Floatilla - a gathering of boats and old-fashioned Chinese junks anchored off Lamma Island!

Fridae and Action for Aids wants all MSM (men who have sex with men) - gay, bisexual, straight, queer or what have you - to participate in the 2006 MSM survey.