By Doctor, lawyer or engineer. Those are the only occupations traditional Asian parents will approve of.
Entrepreneurship is certainly nowhere near the top of the list. Heck, it wouldn’t even crack the list. After all, entrepreneurship is a highly risky endeavour. Success is elusive. And it has been reported that around 70% of start-ups fail within their first few years.
Despite these unfavourable odds, a handful of gay Asians have flipped the bird to parental expectations and fearlessly embarked on the thrilling roller coaster ride of self-employment.
Dear Straight People,
In the spirit of Pride Month, here are gay Asian-owned businesses you can support this month.
1. FABULOUSME – PARTY ACCESSORIES
First up on the list is a business that isn’t afraid to let their gayness shine through.
From tantalising fans to stylish harnesses, FabulousMe has got everything you need to turn heads at your next soirée. High quality materials aside, FabulousMe’s signature fans feature one-of-a-kind designs, ranging from inspiring to downright cheeky.
Founded by Lan Vu, FabulousMe is more than just a supplier of fabulousness. They’re on a mission to empower people to proudly embrace their true selves. Last year, FabulousMe stepped up to proudly sponsor the gay short film ‘Home Par’, which aimed to spread inclusiveness, solidarity, and the power of chosen families. Talk about walking the talk!
Based in the US, FabulousMe ships internationally. So you can support them from anywhere in the world!
Website: https://fabulousme.com/
2. CLUBLAND – PARTY SANCTUARY FOR GAY ASIAN AMERICANS
Founded by the same guy behind FabulousMe, Clubland has become a sanctuary of sorts for gay Asian-Americans in San Francisco.
Lan Vu
I feel like it’s where the Asian gay minority feel more at ease in an environment that is usually dominantly white.”
Since their first party in early 2021, Clubland has gone from strength to strength. Their line-up have included Grammy nominee Tony Moran, internationally renowned DJ Las Bibas as well as RuPaul Drag Race alumni Pangina Heals and Nikki Valentine.
3. BOKKSU – AUTHENTIC JAPANESE SNACK BOX SUBSCRIPTION
Founded in 2015, openly gay entrepreneur Danny Taing managed to bootstrap Bokksu into a $100 million dollar business in less than a decade.
Bokksu is a monthly subscription service that ships authentic Japanese snacks to thousands of customers all over the world. Each month features a different theme, and their snacks are generally sourced from family businesses in Japan.
Yummy snacks aside, Bokksu also boasts a very diverse staff; 80% of their team are female, queer and/or POC.
Website: https://www.bokksu.com/
4/5. SUPAWEAR & 2EROS – UNDERWEAR, SWIMWEAR, BEACHWEAR AND MORE
Supawear is an online men’s clothing shop that offers a ‘supa-cool’ collection of men’s underwear, swimwear, sportswear and more. 2Eros is one of Australia’s top boutique men’s underwear & beachwear brands.
Both brands are founded by Australian fashion entrepreneur and creative director Jason Hoeung. Having grown up in Sydney, Jason had to contend with the challenges of being both a racial and sexual minority. As such, Jason is a strong advocate for greater minority representation.
This is best exemplified by how Jason was quick to lend his support in producing Singapore’s first gay BL drama series in 2022. Both Supawear and 2Eros jumped on board as sponsors, which helped make Getaway a reality.
Website:
- Supawear: https://supawear.com/
- 2Eros: https://2eros.com/
6. ETTE TEA – CONTEMPORARY TEA BLENDS
Ette Tea is a contemporary tea company specialising in tea blends with Singapore and South East Asian taste, with its main shop nestled in Singapore’s Chinatown.
Founded by Singaporean entrepreneur Victor Koh in 2014, Ette Tea is known for its unconventional tea blends inspired by Singaporean cuisine. Some of its unique tea blends include Nasi Lemak and Orh Nee.
Ette Tea has also sponsored various Singapore LGBT initiatives, including Pink Dot and Getaway, Singapore’s first gay BL web series.
Website: https://www.ettetea.com/
7. SHOP377A – PREMIUM MALE SEX TOYS
Inspired by the repeal of Section 377A, Shop377A is a premier destination for male sex toys.
As a gay owned business, Shop377A boasts an exceptional selection of male sex toys tailored to the unique needs of the MSM community. Some notable offerings include the BlowMe, a masturbator that imitates a blowjob, and the PleasureWave, a prostate massager designed to hit your prostate.
High quality sex toys aside, Shop377A is dedicated to empowering all men to embrace their sexuality. In line with that mission, Shop377A have pledged to donate 15% of their June proceeds to Gayhealth.sg, which provides essential sexual health services to the gay and MSM community in Singapore.
Best part is that while Shop377A is based in Singapore, they ship internationally too!
Website: https://shop377a.com/
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Just like the aforementioned businesses, Dear Straight People is an independent, gay-owned enterprise. Based in Singapore, Dear Straight People has been dedicated to producing LGBT+ content with a distinct Asian focus since 2015.
Contrary to popular belief, content creation takes up considerable time, effort and resources. Dear Straight People needs the support of the community in order for it to continue running.
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