Wednesday, 8 August 2007

Singapore Bans Gay Picnic


No fun run for Singapore’s queers. The government banned gay group, People Like Us from hosting their pride picnic in the city-state’s Botanical Gardens.

The National Park Board’s decision comes right on the heels of a scrapped gay forum and a shuttered photo show.

The Board apparently objected to the “politicization” of the public park, saying,

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a premier botanical institution. We do not want it to be used as a venue for interest groups to politicize their cause. Let’s keep our green space as areas for relaxation and recreation. It is our policy to keep such activities out of our parks and gardens. Let’s keep our green space as areas for relaxation and recreation.
Outspoken activist Alex Au claims the event never had a political tone, just good old fashioned fun, of which the government apparently does not approve.

While Au and his peers fight for their gay pride rights, a one Dr Alan Chin Yew Liang penned a piece taking on the “dangerous gay lifestyle,” which allegedly spread AIDS with the greatest of ease. His conclusion?

I feel that not enough has been done to warn our youth that leading a ‘gay lifestyle’ is not cool. On the contrary, it is very unhealthy. There is a very high risk of contracting not only HIV but also a slew of other sexually transmitted disease.
And, judging from Liang’s statements, homophobic straight people have a higher incidence of terminal idiocy.

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