Among a record eleven parties set to contest Singapore’s election on Friday, there has been virtual silence on one of the conservative city-state’s most controversial issues, gay rights.

Advocacy groups have stepped up awareness campaigns with scorecards for politicians and online rallies in recent weeks over what they see as everyday discrimination that stems from a rarely-used, colonial-era law banning sex between men.

But for some gay Singaporeans, casting their vote in the mandatory July 10 ballot will serve as a reminder that they have few political allies on one of the issues that matters most to them.

“It’s a non-topic with the parties, the choices we have,” said Victor Ong, a 44-year-old Singaporean who lives with his British husband Harry, whom he married four years ago in London, and their amber-coloured cat Whisky.

“As much as I want to make my decision based on their stance on that, there isn’t any material to work with.”

Ong’s marriage is not recognised in Singapore, meaning the couple are not eligible for some benefits like housing and tax. They also say they avoid public displays of affection due to worries about social norms shaped by the 377A law which effectively criminalises them.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has previously called the law an “uneasy compromise” as society “is not that liberal on these matters”.

There is no mention of gay rights or 377A in the manifesto of his People’s Action Party, which has ruled Singapore since independence in 1965 and is widely-expected to be returned to power, or that of any other party in the election.

Of the four main parties contesting, only the new Progress Singapore Party responded to a request for comment. A spokesman said it did not object to removing criminal punishment for homosexuals but the debate over 377A was a “proxy combat zone” for other issues like family structures and marriage.

Political analyst Loke Hoe Yeong said the issue was considered “political suicide” for parties who feel they will be punished by either conservative or liberal voters.

Yet advocacy groups do sense a growing awareness around the issue, especially after India repealed a similar law in 2018.

“That tacit acceptance of the status quo is giving way to a sense of frustration amongst the younger voters,” said Clement Tan of Pink Dot SG, which hosted an online rally last month for Singapore’s LGBT community.

An ally has also emerged in Lee Hsien Yang, the prime minister’s estranged brother and son of the city-state’s modern day founder Lee Kuan Yew, who has become an increasingly vocal critic of the government in the run up to the vote.

“The tidal wave against discrimination on sexual orientation has swept across the world,” Lee, whose son is gay and married overseas, told Reuters.

“The British, from whom we ‘inherited’ 377A, have repealed it decades ago. A repeal merely decriminalises and ends this discrimination.”

Nearly 70 countries around the world criminalise gay sex, mainly in Africa and the Middle East.

Another rights group Sayoni changed tack ahead of this election. With parties mum on the issue, they decided to score individual politicians on their LGBT stance by reviewing public comments they had made and ranking them from A to F.

Ong says he will vote on Friday based on “basic needs” but he hopes that the future will bring change from a younger generation more supportive of gay rights.

“We are sons and daughters of Singapore, whether we are gay or straight, and to vote, I think it should be accounted for.”

Among a record eleven parties set to contest Singapore’s election on Friday, there has been virtual silence on one of the conservative city-state’s most controversial issues, gay rights.

Among a record eleven parties set to contest Singapore’s election on Friday, there has been virtual silence on one of the conservative city-state’s most controversial issues, gay rights. Advocacy groups have stepped up awareness campaigns with scorecards for politicians and online rallies in recent weeks over what they see as everyday discrimination that stems from a rarely-used, colonial-era law banning sex between men. But for some gay Singaporeans, casting their vote in the mandatory July 10 ballot will serve as a reminder that they have few political allies on one of the issues that matters most to them. “It’s a non-topic with the parties, the choices we have,” said Victor Ong, a 44-year-old Singaporean who lives with his British husband Harry, whom he married four years ago in London, and their amber-coloured cat Whisky. “As much as I want to make my decision based on their stance on that, there isn’t any material to work with.” Ong’s marriage is not recognised in Singapore, meaning the couple are not eligible for some benefits like housing and tax. They also say they avoid public displays of affection due to worries about social norms shaped by the 377A law which effectively criminalises them. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has previously called the law an “uneasy compromise” as society “is not that liberal on these matters”. There is no mention of gay rights or 377A in the manifesto of his People’s Action Party, which has ruled Singapore since independence in 1965 and is widely-expected to be returned to power, or that of any other party in the election. Of the four main parties contesting, only the new Progress Singapore Party responded to a request for comment. A spokesman said it did not object to removing criminal punishment for homosexuals but the debate over 377A was a “proxy combat zone” for other issues like family structures and marriage. Political analyst Loke Hoe Yeong said the issue was considered “political suicide” for parties who feel they will be punished by either conservative or liberal voters. Yet advocacy groups do sense a growing awareness around the issue, especially after India repealed a similar law in 2018. “That tacit acceptance of the status quo is giving way to a sense of frustration amongst the younger voters,” said Clement Tan of Pink Dot SG, which hosted an online rally last month for Singapore’s LGBT community. An ally has also emerged in Lee Hsien Yang, the prime minister’s estranged brother and son of the city-state’s modern day founder Lee Kuan Yew, who has become an increasingly vocal critic of the government in the run up to the vote. “The tidal wave against discrimination on sexual orientation has swept across the world,” Lee, whose son is gay and married overseas, told Reuters. “The British, from whom we ‘inherited’ 377A, have repealed it decades ago. A repeal merely decriminalises and ends this discrimination.” Nearly 70 countries around the world criminalise gay sex, mainly in Africa and the Middle East. Another rights group Sayoni changed tack ahead of this election. With parties mum on the issue, they decided to score individual politicians on their LGBT stance by reviewing public comments they had made and ranking them from A to F. Ong says he will vote on Friday based on “basic needs” but he hopes that the future will bring change from a younger generation more supportive of gay rights. “We are sons and daughters of Singapore, whether we are gay or straight, and to vote, I think it should be accounted for.”

Gay rights: The taboo subject in Singapore's election

Singapore&#39;s gay pride rally has attracted sponsorship from a record number of companies this year despite tighter government regulations aimed at stopping foreigners from supporting it, organisers said on Wednesday.

Organisers of the Pink Dot rally have raised S$253,000 ($183,000) from more than 100 Singaporean companies for the July 1 rally at a &quot;Speaker&#39;s Corner&quot; in a downtown park.

Last year, 18 companies contributed, 13 of which were multinationals like Alphabet Inc&#39;s Google and Facebook. Organisers declined to say how much was raised last year.

Days after last year&#39;s rally conservative Singapore&#39;s government announced that foreign firms would no longer be allowed to sponsor or participate in the rally.

Foreigners have never been legally allowed to join rallies in the city-state, but many have got around the restriction by &quot;observing&quot; such events.

But changes to the law announced in October removed the distinction between &quot;participants&quot; and &quot;observers&quot;, organisers said, leaving them &quot;no choice&quot; but to bar foreigners.

Darius Cheong, a Singaporean executive who led the funding drive, said the rally had gained recognition and this year&#39;s sponsors were mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises.

&quot;The more important part is to engage local companies to finally cement the position that the LGBT community is very well respected and accepted here and I think we did it,&quot; Cheng told Reuters.

The event has been celebrated since 2009. People attend dressed in pink and shining pink flashlights.

Under Singapore law, sex between men is punishable by up to two years in jail, though prosecutions are rare.

Adeline Yeo said she was disappointed that she would not be able to attend with her Polish girlfriend.

&quot;I feel let down ... we were looking forward to attending together,&quot; Yeo said. &quot;But this has definitely made us stronger,&quot; she said, referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. &quot;It&#39;s all the more reason to pull all your friends and colleagues together for the Pink Dot.&quot;

&nbsp;

LGBT elsewhere in Asia

The LGBT movement in other conservative Asian countries has faced pressure this year.

In neighbouring Indonesia, two men were last week publicly caned after being convicted by a sharia court of engaging in gay sex. In another part of Indonesia police have set up a special force to investigate LGBT activity.

Police in China briefly detained nine gay activists on Sunday after they tried to organise a gay rights conference, one of the activists told Reuters.

But a court in Taiwan, in a first for Asia, last week legalised same-sex marriage.

(Reuters)

In this conservative country, where sex between two men is a punishable offence, foreigners were barred from sponsoring

Singapore's gay pride rally has attracted sponsorship from a record number of companies this year despite tighter government regulations aimed at stopping foreigners from supporting it, organisers said on Wednesday. Organisers of the Pink Dot rally have raised S$253,000 ($183,000) from more than 100 Singaporean companies for the July 1 rally at a "Speaker's Corner" in a downtown park. Last year, 18 companies contributed, 13 of which were multinationals like Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook. Organisers declined to say how much was raised last year. Days after last year's rally conservative Singapore's government announced that foreign firms would no longer be allowed to sponsor or participate in the rally. Foreigners have never been legally allowed to join rallies in the city-state, but many have got around the restriction by "observing" such events. But changes to the law announced in October removed the distinction between "participants" and "observers", organisers said, leaving them "no choice" but to bar foreigners. Darius Cheong, a Singaporean executive who led the funding drive, said the rally had gained recognition and this year's sponsors were mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises. "The more important part is to engage local companies to finally cement the position that the LGBT community is very well respected and accepted here and I think we did it," Cheng told Reuters. The event has been celebrated since 2009. People attend dressed in pink and shining pink flashlights. Under Singapore law, sex between men is punishable by up to two years in jail, though prosecutions are rare. Adeline Yeo said she was disappointed that she would not be able to attend with her Polish girlfriend. "I feel let down ... we were looking forward to attending together," Yeo said. "But this has definitely made us stronger," she said, referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. "It's all the more reason to pull all your friends and colleagues together for the Pink Dot." LGBT elsewhere in Asia The LGBT movement in other conservative Asian countries has faced pressure this year. In neighbouring Indonesia, two men were last week publicly caned after being convicted by a sharia court of engaging in gay sex. In another part of Indonesia police have set up a special force to investigate LGBT activity. Police in China briefly detained nine gay activists on Sunday after they tried to organise a gay rights conference, one of the activists told Reuters. But a court in Taiwan, in a first for Asia, last week legalised same-sex marriage. (Reuters)

Singapore's gay pride rally attracts record sponsorship despite curbs

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Gay rights: The taboo subject in Singapore's election

Singapore's gay pride rally attracts record sponsorship despite curbs