The LGBT guide to Singapore ahead of Pink Dot - how to attend the rally despite curbs, and where to party, drink and eat

“Don’t worry, I am approved by the government,” says Singaporean cross-dressing stand-up comedian Kumar, assuring his audience that it is alright to laugh at his risqué and politically incorrect jokes.

Kumar, who has been entertaining since the 1990s, has learned to decode Singapore’s “Out of Bounds” or “OB” markers regarding homosexuality. These boundaries include not cross-dressing on national television or at public events, only in clubs and private corporate functions. Gay marriage is not legal in Singapore, where sex between two consenting adult men is a crime punishable by up to two years imprisonment.

“Even though almost every family has a gay person, it is difficult to be openly LGBT in Singapore. Coming out to parents in Singapore is a big issue,” says Kumar, adding that it’s especially hard for people in the corporate world to come out of the closet.

As 51-year-old home-patisserie owner/chef H.L. Chai puts it: “It’s OK to be gay as long as you stay out of trouble, especially with the police.” Chai does not go to spas catering to gay men. “I’ve been told police raid saunas occasionally checking for illegal workers, drug use and licences. It’s also one of their scare tactics. They don’t raid clubs so much.”

In June last year, Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs announced an amendment to the Public Order Act, regulating assemblies and processions in public places. Until last year, foreigners were allowed to “observe”, though not take part in the Pink Dot rally. Now, police will no longer distinguish between participants and observers. The gathering at Speaker’s Corner on 1 July, is restricted to Singaporeans and permanent residents. The government’s stated rationale for the move is to prevent foreigners from “advancing political causes in Singapore”.