ARI Working Paper Series

The Singaporean film Forever Fever projects a particular representation of Asian (read: Singaporean Chinese) masculinity that is as comfortable in its hybrid localized global identity as Singlish uniquely captures the grassroots national identity. Using Kam Louie’s model of ideal Chinese masculinities symbolized by the wen scholar and the more physical-oriented wu male, this paper argues that the film rejects the hegemonic ideal masculinity of the yuppie, upper-class scholar (wen masculinity) in favor of transsexualism and the working class, hybrid dancer-martial arts masculinity (mediated through Bruce Lee and a dancing John Travolta).

In response to baffled North American critics, this paper also attempts to apply a cultural reading of the film that takes into account the ubiquitous presence of transsexualism in Singaporean society as well as makes connections between this marginalized identity with the queer roots of disco in the US.