Pink Dot: Singapore’s rare gem for LGBT community shines brighter than ever

In a city state where sex between men remains illegal, the 10-year-old annual gay pride rally keeps growing, even if advocates say the expanding crowds have not yet moved the needle for equal rights

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Two women cheer at a Pink Dot rally in support of gay rights in Singapore. Photo: AP

Published: 8:48am, 21 Jul 2018Updated: 3:23pm, 21 Jul 2018

In protest-averse Singapore, where civil society activists rejoice when their events draw more than 500 people, the annual Pink Dot gay pride rally has become a stand-out affair for its ever-swelling crowds.

Now in its 10th edition, this year’s rally to be held on Saturday afternoon is expected to once again pull in a crowd of more than 20,000 people comprising the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community as well as many of their straight allies.

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As in previous years, the event will be held in Speakers’ Corner, the country’s sole free speech park and the only place where authorities say Pink Dot can be held.

Organisers and members of the LGBTI community say there is much to cheer about, given rising concerns that gay rights advocacy in the country, where consensual sex between men remains illegal, might be plateauing.

Also being celebrated is the proliferation of Pink Dot events overseas – Hong Kong is among a handful of places that hosts similar rallies.

Event participants form a giant pink dot at the Speakers' Corner in Hong Lim Park in Singapore. Photo: EPA

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