Does discrimination still exist post-repeal? Pink Dot interviews strangers to find out

Singapore LGBTQ+ movement, Pink Dot, has released three videos, directed by filmmaker Sally Lee ahead of its annual event at Hong Lim Park on 29 June to take a stand for a future where no one is left behind.

The sixteenth edition of the event seeks to highlight the ways LGBTQ+ people continue to experience marginalisation and discrimination in post-repeal Singapore.

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Against the backdrop of national conversations about building a more inclusive society, the question of whether LGBTQ+ Singaporeans will ever have a place in this vision of the future remains, it said. 

Whilst repealing Section 377A was a significant milestone, there is much work ahead to address the various forms of marginalisation LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face throughout every stage of their lives.

This includes being subjected to harassment and harms, and being persistently shut out of certain rights and protections that other Singaporeans take for granted, it added in a statement. 

To showcase this, Pink Dot will be releasing three videos featuring everyday Singaporeans meeting for the first time to candidly discuss different aspects of LGBTQ+ life here.

In the first video which has already been released, four pairs of strangers discuss their experiences growing up in Singapore, where they either felt unsafe or that they did not belong.

Two other videos – on love and relationships, and on ageing and dreams for the future – will be released on Pink Dot’s social media channels over the coming weeks.

“During this period of change and transition, we look to our leaders and their promises for what lies ahead. They have staked the future of this country on a vision where everyone in society benefits, not just a few” said Pink Dot SG spokesperson, Clement Tan.

“We share that same vision and want to build a society where marginalised communities are better cared for and have a real shot at achieving their ‘Singapore dream’. LGBTQ+ people matter too, and our leaders should bear in mind as they lead the country forward, not to leave us behind yet again,” added Tan. 

This year’s Hong Lim Park event, in addition to mainstays such as the community tents, rally speeches, and a light-up finale, will also invite participants to pen personal messages to Singapore’s new Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong.

Through these messages, participants will be asked to share their hopes for a more inclusive Singapore for LGBTQ+ people.

“The repeal showed us that change is indeed possible, as long as the community continues to show up and speak out. We urge the public and our leaders to hear what we have to say, and to address our most urgent concerns. LGBTQ+ people need to be assured that they have a future in Singapore that is worth staying and fighting for,” said Tan.

The theme this year builds on Pink Dot's theme last year which aimed to celebrate all families. 

The video shared last year by the organisation featured non-traditional families that may be adopted, chosen or queer alongside biological families to emphasise the idea that families are not defined by what they look like on the outside, but rather by the love they share and the bonds one has chosen to forge.

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