We played with power and won. At our 12th Annual Ball this year, our generous donors smashed an all-time fundraising record of $865,000 on 7 September, 2024. The Tote Board and the Government matched our funding with an additional $250,000, which means our Ball raised over $1.1 million for women’s rights and gender equality.

Of course, we are not just here to raise funds — we are here to have a Ball. Every year, supporters of AWARE unite in a quest to dress their best, and this year’s theme was Royals and Rebels. That night, we saw Empress Dowager Cixi, Samsui women, politicians, and more.

“I support AWARE, because obviously I’m Frida Kahlo,” Ball supporter Dianne Rajaratnam said. She arrived in an iconic cosplay of Mexican feminist activist Frida Kahlo: in an indigenous huipil dress, a red rose flower crown, and a monobrow.

“On a more serious note, I support AWARE because I fundamentally believe the policies that AWARE is putting into place and fighting for [are] actually making Singapore a better place for women to be, and to live.”

“I’m a father of three girls, I want them to have equal opportunity in the world,” Ball supporter Simon Fiquet added. “and I think AWARE is helping to make that possible.”

To command this field of fashionable feminists, AWARE board president Aarathi Arumugam showed up as the queen of the ball herself: Ru Paul. In her first speech as president, standing on stage in a bald cap and a floral suit, Aarathi addressed why the category is: Power/Play.

“This year, we’ll be seeing more than 18 countries go to the polls, some with women as front runners, and where we tackle gender inequality every day,” Aarathi said. “We can’t do so without recognising the structures that exist to uphold those in power.”

Speaking of AWARE’s leaders: Executive Director Corinna Lim flew into the Ball as none other than Blossom, a Powerpuff Girl! She joined forces with Siti K and Pam Oei, or Bubbles and Buttercup, to fight for women’s rights.

On stage, Corinna recapped how she represented AWARE alongside 11 other NGOs at the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, or CEDAW. In 15 minutes, these organisations stood in solidarity to raise the most urgent issues Singaporean women face today.

Seven other CEDAW representatives formed a Ball table. This included Anne Goh (below, centre), who represents Sayoni, an organisation that supports Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LBTQ) women’s rights. She said opportunities to unite with AWARE with other NGOs are essential.

“LBTQ women’s rights are women’s rights,” Anne said. “NGOs should stand together in solidarity because we are all serving the same community.”

 

Many passionate individuals also stand in solidarity with AWARE to help women in need. For 23 years, Bharathi Manogaran helped survivors of abuse and violence as a social worker. She uses her extensive experience as a volunteer at AWARE, training people to be effective sexual assault first responders. And on stage that night, she announced she would be joining AWARE’s senior leadership team soon.

“I call on each and everyone of you to awaken the inner rebel in you. For we cannot do this work without you,” Bharathi said.

And the Ball heard our call. We asked attendees to raise their hands if they wanted to donate to help AWARE research masculinity norms in Singapore, and run consent education workshops. These projects are crucial: our masculinity research will inform future interventions. These can help reshape our perceptions of masculinity, so that we can work towards a more gender equal society. The consent workshops are dedicated to children and youth placed in residential homes for their protection, who have often experienced emotional, physical and sexual abuse. These workshops help them make informed decisions, support their peers, reclaim their agency and foster a culture of safety and respect.

Within seconds, we saw many hands fly up in the air. Together, they raised $18,500 to research masculinity, and $26,500 to run consent workshops. We thank our donors for this incredible display of solidarity.

Of course, no Ball is complete without congratulating our best dressed. Our best dressed group title belongs to the folks from digital marketing company, Xpointo Media, who truly played with power by dressing as human-sized playing cards. They dressed as a ten of hearts, a jack, a queen, a king and an ace — a royal flush.

Another group deserves an honourable mention for gracing the Ball together as Asian royalty.

We split the category for best dressed individuals into three themes. Wearing military uniform and high heel boots, Pink Dot organiser Harris Zaidi won the Most Subversive category. CEO of 1880 Singapore Jean Low wore a dress with text that read “Proud Feminist. We should all be feminists. The future is feminist!”, and clinched the Most Feminist category. Finally, by reusing Straits Times newspapers to construct and wear Elizabethan royal finery, Recyclopedia founder Robin Rheaume won the Most Creative category.

Honourable mentions go to Shyn Yee for arriving as Lady Jessica, a power player from Dune; Shawn and Emily as the Xianfeng Emperor and Empress Dowager Cixi, the last female empress of China; Michelle, Christine and Jeanette for arriving in politician glam; Melissa, Cherrylene and Lesley for posing as both the controversial Samsui Women mural, and as the mural’s artist Sean Dunston. You all captured the heart of being Royals and Rebels.

We cannot thank all 79 event partners and sponsors enough for donating an unprecedented amount of in-kind auction items, which fueled the Ball’s fundraising efforts. Over 60 volunteers poured a combined 400 hours of work, sweat and passion into making this night spectacular.

A special shoutout to Gold Sponsors KOP and KAH Motor as well as Wine Sponsor Cornerstone Wines who have been long-time supporters of AWARE. We couldn’t have pulled this off without you!

View the rest of the photos here.

Our fundraising campaign, “From Crisis to Change”, will continue to run online until the end of the year. If you would like to make a pledge, you can continue to do so via Give.Asia. To see how your contributions make a difference, we invite you to explore the 2023 Impact Report.