Joe.My.God. LGBT News
From the Straits Times:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday (June 7) it will “take steps to make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence” events held at Speakers’ Corner, like the annual Pink Dot event last Saturday.
This year’s event – the eighth such – attracted 18 sponsors, twice as many as last year. The corporate sponsors included multinationals such as Google as well as banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Apple, Facebook, Visa and General Electric were first-time sponsors.
In its statement, MHA noted that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community expresses its views on issues of concern to it during Pink Dot.
“The Government’s general position has always been that foreign entities should not interfere in our domestic issues, especially political issues or controversial social issues with political overtones. These are political, social or moral choices for Singaporeans to decide for ourselves. LGBT issues are one such example.
“This is why under the rules governing the use of the Speakers’ Corner, for events like Pink Dot, foreigners are not allowed to organise or speak at the events, or participate in demonstrations.”
Pink Dot, the chief organizer of the events, responds:
Pink Dot SG started off first and foremost as a platform on which values of inclusion and diversity are celebrated, and over the years this has only strengthened with the growing support of Singaporeans from all walks of life, including a significant portion of its corporate citizens.
For all the LGBT Singaporeans and their allies that this movement has striven to help give a voice to and done its part to push the envelope in helping to create greater visibility of Singapore’s LGBT community, we have done all we can to ensure Pink Dot SG stays within the law.
Our Corporate Sponsors that have supported us over the years are all registered and incorporated in Singapore. We are fortunate to count among them admired household names, employers of choice for a sizeable portion of our workforce, inextricably linked with and fully a part of this beautiful fabric we call home.