SINGAPORE: 28,000 Attend Seventh Annual Pink Dot LGBT Rights Rally

Via Reuters:

Singapore's Pink Dot gay rights rally drew a record number of participants on Saturday, even as the country remains deeply divided over homosexuality. In early evening, a mostly young, pink-donned crowd was filling up the small Hong Lim Park, decked out in hot pink balloons and signs, next to Singapore's central financial district. The event, in its 7th year, included speeches and a concert, while 28,000 participants formed a gigantic human pink dot after night fall, the organiser said. The event's spokesman, Paerin Choa, somberly recounted the challenges the gay rights movement had encountered over the past year, including a court decision to uphold a law criminalising sexual acts between men. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said last week that the country was not ready for same-sex marriage, while a "Wear White" movement started by religious groups to counter Pink Dot has entered its second year. "I hope that they will legalise gay marriage," said a 20-year-old Danish man, holding up a pink sign with a friend to offer free hugs near a subway exit on the edge of the park.

The promotional clip for Pink Dot is always wonderful.

PROMO: Singapore's Pink Dot 2014

(Tipped by JMG reader Endriko)

SINGAPORE: First Openly Gay Politician Vows Decriminalization Of Homosexuality

After coming out last week on his Facebook page, Vincent Wijeysingha vowed this week that Singapore will soon decriminalize homosexuality.

“I am entirely convinced the law will eventually be repealed,” said Wijeysingha, treasurer of the Singapore Democratic Party. The decades-old law makes “gross indecency” between men punishable by up to two years in prison. It has not been actively enforced in recent years, but 185 men were convicted under the law between 1997 and 2006, according to government data. Complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation have become less common in Singapore, a Southeast Asian economic powerhouse of about 5 million. But until a decade ago, government policies barred gays from “sensitive positions” in the civil service and imposed strict censorship on gay-related content in movies and TV shows.

RELATED: Watch yet another gorgeous video from Saturday's Pink Dot event in Singapore's Hong Lim Park. The ending!

Singapore's Pink Dot: June 29th

Singapore's Pink Dot videos are always gorgeous. You are going to want a tissue for this one.

(Tipped by JMG reader Eugene)

Utah's Pink Dot 2012

Utah held its second annual Pink Dot festival yesterday in an event that took its lead from Singapore's ground-breaking event of the same name.  Great photos are here. Below is Utah's gorgeous promotional video.

Utah's Pink Dot 2012: September 22nd

Lovely. Get a tissue. For real.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ken)

SINGAPORE: Pink Dot 2012

Stick around for when they light up the pink dots. This was Singapore's third fourth Pink Dot and I think I need a tissue.

NOTE: Organizers point out that the fireworks and national flag fly-over was just a happy coincidence from the nearby National Day Parade.

Photo Of The Day: Salt Lake's Pink Dot

Inspired by Singapore's event of the same name, yesterday Salt Lake City residents gathered for their first Pink Dot celebration. [Photo credit: Steve Griffin/Salt Lake Tribune]

Oct. 11th: Utah's Pink Dot

October 11th: Utah's Pink Dot

After seeing JMG posts about Singapore's now-annual Pink Dot event, activists in Salt Lake City are throwing their own Pink Dot. Very cool.

SINGAPORE: The Freedom To Love

Beautiful. By filmmaker Boo Junfeng.

Singapore's Pink Dot 2010

Singapore's nascent LGBT rights movement staged its second annual Pink Dot event this weekend, where over 4000 folks in pink clothing jammed a city park for a day of music and celebration. And for the first time, the media took positive notice.

The 30-second clip on Singapore-based Channel NewsAsia showed participants in a carnival-like atmosphere and cultural performances at Hong Lim Park where over 4,000 people turned up to show their support for the gay community by forming a huge pink human dot on Saturday. The record turnout makes Pink Dot 2010 the largest public gathering at Speakers’ Corner, Singapore’s only government-designated venue for public assembly and free speech where a police permit is not required. The inaugural Pink Dot event, held at the same venue last year, was attended by 2,500 people. Roy Tan, one of the organisers of Pink Dot, told Fridae, "I think it is groundbreaking in that this is the first time Singapore television has reported on a local LGBT-supportive event in positive terms."

In 2007 Singapore repealed a ban on lesbian sex, but sex between men remains a crime. Here's a heartwarming clip from the day.

Singapore Goes Pink (Dot)

Singapore's Pink Dot project, the first public show of support for LGBT people in the city-state's history, was a resounding success. Lovely video.

Singapore's Pink Dot

This video is so frickin' sweet, you might need a tissue. On Saturday, Singapore will see the first public display of support for its LGBT citizens in which thousands are expected to gather in a public park to create a giant pink dot to be photographed from the sky.

"Do you support the freedom of LGBT people to love? Then show your support by joining our smart mob at Hong Lim Park on 16th May! This is NOT a protest nor a parade, just a simple call for open-minded Singaporeans to come together to form a pink dot, of which aerial photographs will be taken. This pink dot is a celebration of diversity and equality, and a symbol of Singapore's more inclusive future.

(Tipped by JMG reader Christina in Singapore)