Video: Gurmit Singh on his queer icon daughter Gabrielle: "Until the day I die, I will still love her."

[groyn88]

On 1 January 2025, Channel NewsAsia premiered the first episode of "The Assembly" in which 23 neurodivergent participants were brought together to engage its first guest - actor, comedian and host Gurmit Singh. In one section, Singh answers questions about his daughter Gabrielle who works as a drag performer with the stage name of Lychee Bye.

Transcript: 

Stephanie Fam (39 year old woman with cerebral palsy): Your oldest daughter Gabrielle is a very well known icon of the queer community. How did you come to accept it?

Gurmit Singh: Yeah, so she has taken that path and it was difficult at first because she's in the queer community. She does a show that's not TV-friendly for sure. But at the and the day, she is still my daughter.  Till the day I die, I was still love her. You know, like they say: Hate the game, don't hate the player. We may have differing opinions of things, and career paths and life choices, but she's still my flesh and blood. I'll still be there in the blink of an eye if she needs me. I also kind of reconcile that and akin that to when I made a decision to become an actor. My parents had high hopes for me to become and a lawyer, judge or whatever, policemen. And then I became this comedian, an actor. So, as far as Gabrielle is concerned, as a parent, as long as she is happy ,I'm happy. It may not be what I want to be or what I had hoped she would choose, but as long as it's legal and she's happy with it, I'm happy with it.

Another woman participant: A lot of Singaporeans may still not accept her identity as queer. So, do you sometimes worry about her safety, whether it be physically or mentally, in Singapore? 

Gurmit Singh: In terms of mental wellbeing, she used to be very, very shy. She used to be afraid of how people think of her. So in that respect, this orientation has helped to defeat that. And I'm only speaking on her behalf but she used to be ashamed of her body. But somehow being in this community, she shared with me, has made her less of that. She's proud of her skin, what she is and how she is. So in some respect, I can appreciate where she is now as far as mental wellbeing is. 

Edited January 4, 2025 by groyn88

[Steve5380]

I don't know much abut Gurmit Singh,  but my immediate reaction is:  OF COURSE!  Queer icon or whatever,  our children deserve our love NO MATTER WHAT!  ( with very few exceptions)   This is totally obvious here considering that homosexuality does not come from an act of will, and it is nothing evil.  

[Naveyafluz]

Acceptance is always what the parents should do. Especially when we need to face so much obstacles outside, it will be great if at least our parents can support us.