Eye Candy: We Talk Zine Culture and LGBTQ Equality with Janice Chua, Co-Founder of Squelch Zines

PUBLISHED June 18th, 2021 05:00 am | UPDATED June 20th, 2021 01:46 pm

A brave new wave of indie zines has been surging through Singapore in the last five years, and one trailblazer in the local scene is Squelch Zines. First launched by Janice Chua and Nicholas Loke in 2013, Squelch spotlights made-in-Singapore zines of all shapes and stripes – the more boundary-pushing, the better. Over the years, they’ve amassed a hundreds-strong zine library, which they regularly share at swaps, exhibitions, and on their Instagram page. We chat with co-founder Janice on the growth of the zine community in Singapore, her favourite haunts for discovering zines, and her experiences as a semi-closeted queer person.

Hi Janice! Tell us about yourself – what gets you fired up?

I’m a person on an adventure of discovery, be it self-discovery, discovery about affairs happening around us, or simply human nature. I feel that the way I think and process things gradually changes as I grow older, so this discovery is something that will always be ongoing.

I also stand for equality of all stripes, be it for LGBTQIA+, race, social status, and so forth. I hate to see innocent deaths and unjust treatment of people. Apart from all that, I’ve found that I actually love staying at home and being in quiet.

What first got you into zines?

During my first year in LASALLE, I had my first formal exposure to zines and their history. In that first class, I realised that I had actually been making zines ever since I was in primary school – I just didn’t know that what I did was called a zine. Fun fact: the first zine I submitted for that class in LASALLE was scoffed at and thrown on the floor by my then-lecturer. My confidence was crushed and I thought I’d never make another one ever again… and then Squelch Zines happened two years later.

You launched Squelch Zines back in 2013. Eight years on, how has our local zine scene developed?

There’s been a tremendous difference. When we first started Squelch Zines, we were looking long and hard for people who were in the scene during the 80s and 90s to interview and learn from them, but we couldn’t get in touch with any. We were also searching for zine makers in Singapore then, but to no avail. This made us realise that there weren’t a lot of people making zines in Singapore, and if there were any, they were very quiet about it – it’s as if the culture just died along with time. We decided to start our project anyway, mainly because we wanted to connect with local zinesters.

Four years on, we began to notice more and more people starting to make zines, especially when we had open calls for submissions. My then-partner and I wanted just that – a zine community in Singapore. A rebirth of the culture. Since then, the scene has not just grown in numbers, but the variety of content has also expanded. The zines that people are creating now contain all sorts of things and include new methods as well. It’s really an exciting thing to witness. Also, with people becoming more vocal about issues that matter to them, we also see more content addressing sensitive issues that no one really wants to openly discuss, and that’s great!

What catches your eye when you’re curating zines for Squelch?

Any zine that has a strong story or message behind it, along with how creative the make of the zine is.

What’s one zine idea you’ve always bounced around in your head?

We used to make zines, but the content has always been freestyle. If the idea comes, we will do it. I’ve now become more of a reader than a maker, so I dabble in zinemaking only once in a long while.

What are some zines you’d recommend that have left an impact on you?

Wow, there are just so many. It depends on individual interests really – I particularly enjoy zines that feature LGBTQ content, ghost stories, mental health, body confidence, and even stories about heartbreak. I’m currently hooked on a bunch of zines from SketZINE.my by various artists. The illustrations and storylines are so cute and engaging!

Anyway, here are some recommendations for places to find zines: Queer Zine Library, Queer Reads Library, Zine Coop, Zinedabaad, Papeachu Press, Zine Nation, SketZINE.my just to name a few. Fiveoclockzine on Instagram does really enjoyable zine reviews every week too.

You’re passionate about equality of all kinds. Have you had experiences of inequality which hit close to home in Singapore?

For sure. I have to say that by race, I am already privileged, however I am not when it comes to my sexuality. I’m a semi-closeted queer up till now, because I’ve tried to come out to my family and it didn’t go well – so I pretended that it was a phase and went back in the closet. I’ve tried dating men just to fit into the mould of societal norms and to feel accepted by my family, but none of these relationships worked out. I’ve also tried to change the way I dress based on other people’s opinions.

Growing up, I’ve never truly felt like myself, or that I could be allowed to be myself. I mean, cutting my hair short was already an issue, so… I don’t know anymore. The discrimination I face is mostly from family members and some of my straight friends. I get it through their comments about the LGBTQ community, and although they aren’t directing them at me (because they don’t know that I am queer), I still feel hurt and uncomfortable, especially when I can’t find the courage to speak up.

Some of my friends have it tougher than me though, and to listen to their stories and not be able to do much makes me feel broken and helpless. Now that I’m older, though, I’ve learnt to speak up more when things don’t sit right with me, instead of staying silent or laughing it away.

I do wish that we could get the same rights as straight couples when it comes to balloting for a HDB flat. While I understand that the government prioritizes those starting a family, it gives us fewer options to have a place of our own, and most of us don’t come from places where we feel safe. That being said, I’m just grateful for Pink Dot and all the resources that are currently available. I went to the very first Pink Dot, and it’s been something that helps to keep me growing. It’s been heartwarming to see the little pink dot grow over the years, because it means there are more allies around than we think.

What’s one thing you’ve discovered about yourself recently?

That I actually have the ability to be patient, and that’s odd because I am usually very kancheong. I am learning and evolving everyday!

Your website bio states that Squelch Zines is ‘working on the next evolution in zine culture’. How do you foresee Singapore’s zine culture evolving in future?

I need to clear that up a bit – it doesn’t mean us putting in all the work! Squelch Zines’s inital goal was to bring back the zine culture in Singapore, and it has happened. I don’t think I have the power to create an evolution alone, however, the culture will definitely evolve with time in tune with the people in the community.

The way I see the current landscape, the culture will still be as PUNK as it should be, or maybe even more PUNK in the future! I see the local community leaning towards the younger demographic, and that means they’re more vocal with their beliefs. So instead of things being very PG (because of Singapore’s restrictive media control), zine content can become more real and expressive than it is now.

Keep up with Squelch Zines on their website, Instagram, and Squelch Zinecast on Singapore Community Radio.