Life / Jan. 19, 2018
Johnson BK is a world-renowned out-of-the-closet DJ, aka DJ Big Kid. He is set in Singapore but has performed in several cities such as Taipei, Bangkok, Sydney, Zurich and remixed songs from artists like Enrique Iglesias and Olivia Newton John. His numerous works have even entered the top ten of the American Billboard dance charts! GagaTai invited Johnson BK to share with us his experiences as a DJ and his opinion of gay culture.
Source: Big Kid.
1. You are a well-known DJ who performs worldwide, can you share with us what are the different reactions from people from different countroes? Music preferences? Interaction?
Different cities have their own music preferences. In Los Angeles & San Francisco, they like their beats “cunty” or with a lot of attitude, lots of rhythms and beats and vocals. In NYC, Atlanta and Tokyo they like it hard, heavy bass and kicks, less vocals and kinda “dirty”. In Taipei, Bangkok and most of Asia it is a lot more commercial, Top 40 remixes and vocals.
When I play live gigs, I always try to interact with the crowd so I get a good feel of what’s happening on the dance floor and what people are feeling at that moment. Every party in whichever city I play in is always a little different and that’s why DJing is so much fun and challenging at the same time!
Source: Big Kid
2. Music is known as the universal language, love without words; as a DJ, do you think music can unite LGBT, straight people, and all the people from the world?
Music is like love
Definitely! People from all over the world come together to attend music festivals or circuit parties in different cities. They may not speak the same language, but they are able to able to form bonds and friendships when they dance to the same music at these parties. Music is like love, you can’t explain why you love someone or why music moves you in a certain way, but you feel it in your heart and you have that shared experience at a party without having to use any words, and you remember them for life.
Source: Big Kid.
3. Which part of your body you think is the sexiest? Why?
My brain! Haha. Many people tell me I have a nice butt, :-P but I think I like my legs the best. I always train my legs so they get bigger. :-)
Source: Big Kid
4. Your body is the dream of many gay men, if someone wants to be as fit as you, what advice would you share with them? Do you think the gay community is obsessed with body culture.
Everybody is different, so you have to train according to what your body type is and what it responds to the best. It’s funny that many people don’t listen to their body, but instead chase after the latest dieting or fitness fad. For the circuit boys who want to have big muscles, my single advice is that you have to EAT, EAT & EAT some more!
The gay community has never been more obsessed with body culture than now, especially now with the popularity of Instagram, the obsession is out of control! I am definitely guilty of feeding into this culture myself, and I struggle with this issue personally. My wish is that the community will eventually evolve to accept different body types, and not judge someone based on the size of their biceps, or 6-pack. We need to integrate and socialize a lot more with people who may not look similar to us, that is how we can be stronger and more united as a community.
Source: Big Kid
5. You have worked at gay events many times, has anyone hit on you in a crazy way? Can you share with us some anecdotes?
Once when I was playing at a club in Shanghai, this guy tricked the security into letting him in the booth and when he got in, he came up to me and just hugged me really hard and refused to let go. The security guy had to peel him off me so I could continue working. That was quite amusing actually. :-)
Another time in San Francisco, I was followed by someone from the club back to my hotel. That was a little scary.
Source: Big Kid.
6. You and your partner are both famous in the gay community, and you both are very attractive, will you two have insecurities in this relationship sometimes? If so, how do you deal with it? If not, what’s your secret?
I think we are just like any other gay couple with our own set of challenges. Fortunately, I have a boyfriend who is quite secure of himself and independent. He is not a big clubbing person, and doesn’t mind if I go out with my friends without him. We take a practical approach to our relationship and understand that we may not share the same interests all of the time, and we both need space to do our own thing. Some couples need to do everything together, we don’t. At the end of the day, we are our own person. Maybe that’s the secret. Space, trust and being understanding.
Source: Big Kid.
Source: Big Kid.
7. What’s your impression of Taiwan? And of Taiwanese boys?
I’ve been to Taiwan so many times I have lost count. I love going to Taipei and I’ve visited Kaohsiung and done the hot springs and the beach, Taipei Pride…all of it! I love what Taiwan stands for in terms of freedoms and human rights.
Taiwanese boys are super cute, super sweet, and so easy to be around. It’s not a secret among my friends that I have a soft spot for Taiwanese boys. I have dated more than a few! :-p
Source: Big Kid
8. Gay marriage has recently been recognized by the judges in Taiwan, what are your thought on this?
Taiwan is definitely taking the lead for gay rights in Asia, and even though 2017 was generally a terrible year globally, this was the best piece of news to come out last year out of Asia. I remember my Taiwanese friends were so happy and proud when it happened - it definitely feels good to be acknowledged as equal to all other Taiwanese, no matter your orientation.
Source: Big Kid.
9. You have posted some words about “No one has a perfect life” on Facebook, being a gay man in Singapore, what difficulties you have encountered?
When I made that post, my boyfriend and I were going through a difficult time trying to get him his work visa to move to Singapore from Thailand so that we can live together. In fact, we are still facing that issue right now. So, one difficulty being a gay man in Singapore is that I can’t live with my foreign partner in Singapore because our relationship is not being recognized. I can’t marry him because we do not have gay marriage and even if I marry him in a country that allows gay marriage, our marriage will still not be recognized by the Singaporean government. This would have been an option available to us if we were a straight couple.
Source: Big Kid.
10. Can you talk about the condition of gay rights in Singapore now? How can make a difference?
The advancement of gay rights in Singapore in the last 10 years has been dismal and disappointing to say the least. Gay sex is still illegal in Singapore even though oral sex and sodomy laws for heterosexuals were repealed in 2007. The Singapore government cited Asian values when they refused to repeal anti-sodomy laws for gays, but Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Japan and most Asian countries do not have anti-sodomy laws on their books or have repealed them decades ago.
The current Prime Minister has promised not to enforce the anti-sodomy law against gays in Singapore while still leaving it on the books, but who is to say a new government or the new Prime Minister (we’re supposed to get a new one in a few years) will not change that policy and start prosecuting Singapore gays under the law? So even though gay Singaporeans can live quite openly right now, but as long as we have that law on our books, things can change drastically and very quickly.
Source: Big Kid.
I can’t speak for the gay community in Singapore, but personally, I am getting increasingly frustrated with condition of gay rights in Singapore. It seems we are moving backwards or at a standstill at best, while our Asian brothers and sisters in Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and others continue to move forward to consider or embrace gay marriage, or legitimizing their respective gay citizens as equal before the law, and given the same benefits and respect like any other citizen.
11. There was a recent court ruling in Singapore that denied the adoption of a child by its own biological gay father that made headline news. What are your views on that?
This almost tragic situation is precisely what I am referring to. As long as we are not recognized before the law, it becomes “against policy” to even allow a gay parent who is in a stable relationship with a long-term partner to adopt his own biological child that was conceived from surrogacy. Now the child is legally parent-less and is also denied Singapore citizenship. This is unjust, unnecessary and not in the best interest of this innocent child.
Source: Big Kid.
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Author：Salim
