Towards a Singapore that leaves no one behind

Last year's Pink Dot event was the first after the repeal of Section 377A.

Dear Reader,

In my chapter in We Are Not The Enemy on behalf of Pink Dot SG, I reflected on the moment in 2019 when then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated that Section 377A had not prevented LGBTQ+ people from living their lives, using Pink Dot as evidence of Singapore’s inclusiveness. Our response was clear: we exist precisely because our community faces discrimination and inequality in “a multitude of ways”.

The key word is “multitude”.

Though Section 377A has been repealed, discrimination persists. Some quarters would have you believe that our movement is driven by some insidious foreign ‘woke’ agenda or that we are somehow inclined to have petty quarrels about pronouns. But the LGBTQ+ community remains marginalised in very real ways, from cradle to grave. Supposedly ‘safe’ spaces like homes and schools often are not safe for us at all. Many youth are still rejected by their families, leading to devastating outcomes such as dropping out of school and poor mental health. (A recent study of sexual minority men by the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health found that 59% have contemplated suicide, whereas 14% had attempted suicide.) Many leave home early, devoting much of their salaries to rent and life-saving healthcare. Adults face job insecurity and housing challenges. These struggles compound, severely impacting our mental, physical and financial well-being, and become even more pronounced as we approach our senior years. 

Today, we have a new Prime Minister who promises a more inclusive future. However, his vision of inclusivity—as far as we can see—excludes the LGBTQ+ community. While support for people with disabilities, lower-income households, and women’s empowerment has become more accepted, discussing LGBTQ+ issues remains taboo. It’s 2024, and we still witness a drag queen being assaulted in public, national newspapers misgendering or dehumanising transgender individuals, and talks about sex and gender being cancelled because of conservative backlash. Why are we not doing more about these injustices?

This Pride Month, my plea to you is not to look the other way. Communities like ours get left behind because it is convenient for the majority to forget about us as they focus on their own lives. Volunteer or donate to an LGBTQ+ organisation of your choice. Make active allyship part of your daily life. Educate yourself and your friends. Attend Pink Dot on 29 June and make your voice heard as we pen messages to our new leader. We must keep the momentum going. Let’s build a future for all, where no one is left behind.

In solidarity,

Rachel

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