The T Project Founder, Ms June Chua, is honored and humbled to be invited on board Peace Boat 97th Voyage Asia to be a Mizuan, a guest speaker, to share about her work at The T Project and her journey as a transgender woman living in Singapore.
What is a Mizuan?
First Transgender woman to be invited as a Mizuan, Guest Educator, on board Peace Boat in their 35 years history.
Miizuan, are Guest Educator, literal translation is 'Navigator'.
Artists, journalists, musicians, writers, NGO activists, scholars and a variety of people from different backgrounds are invited on board to act as 'navigators' for Peace Boat participants. The guest educators help bring the passengers closer to the people and places they visit, and shed light on a board range of issues in these areas.
Sharing my experience of being a transgender woman, whilst debunking myths and prejudices about the transgender community.
Sharing my work at The T Project, Singapore first social service support for the homeless transgender community.
Ms June Chua also did a close door session for the LGBT community, parents, siblings and allies that are on board the ship. Its a chance for them to learn more and gain a better understanding of the transgender community so that they can support and affirmed their transgender sister/brother, colleague or a former best friend.
While on board Peace Boat, Ms June Chua was delighted to hold a Chinese-only session:
Asian Family Values-How to Love your transgender child. In this session attended by the Taiwanese passengers on board the ship, Ms June Chua talked about Choosing Love over hating your transgender child as no parents will consciously want to hate their children. To give themselves and their transgender children a chance at love and not to quickly passed judgement and condemn their child to a life without love and support. Ms June Chua extorts the parents to see the potentials of each transgender child and not only to see their gender identity which belongs to their child and to allowed their child to freely transitioned accordingly to their gender identity and expression.
Its an honor to meet fellow Mizuan Dr. Farish A. Noor, an associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
A big Thank You to Nancy for being such a great host to me on board peace Boat, designated Photographer Trevor, and my partner-in-crime passenger/supporter Nicole.
Meet this international group of awesome volunteers and translators on board Peace Boat that makes this trip so unforgettable.
Ms June Chua last session was held together with Ms Yasutomi Ayumi, Professor of the Institute of Advanced Studies on Asia, Tokyo University. In this shared session, Ms Ayumi talked about how at age 50, she started to transitioned and wear female clothing and immediately feel free and liberated.
Ms June Chua talk about the importance to be true to yourself and shared that sometimes she held a conversation with herself in order to understand and love herself more.
“Why I want to be a transgender woman?
Because I AM.”