Pink Dot 2023, officially called Pink Dot 15, was held on Saturday, 24 June 2023. The theme for the year was Celebrating All Families. It was the first Pink Dot event held after the historic repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalised sex between men.

Campaign launch and video[]

The campaign launch for the media as well as stakeholders in the LGBT community was held at the WeWork office at 21 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049320[1] to coincide with IDAHOBIT, the international day against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia, which fell on Wednesday, 17 May 2023. The event commenced at 8pm and included a panel discussion entitled "What makes a family" and the de rigeur unveiling of the campaign video[2]:

Pink Dot spokesman, Clement Tan, described the repeal of Section 377A as a "bittersweet milestone" noting that the lead up to the moment also saw an amendment to the Constitution to protect the definition of marriage from legal challenges, on the grounds of "traditional family values."[3] He further highlighted that the LGBT community had repeatedly heard that they were a threat to family values, in their fight for equality, elaborating "Family should be a source of love, safety and comfort. However, LGBTQ+ people experience so much rejection and hurt, not only from family members who may struggle to accept us, but from segments of society who espouse harmful messages that pit us against ‘family values'. The idea that LGBTQ+ people are a threat to families is preposterous. We have families too, and we love them and stand by them every day. These messages not only drive a wedge within Singapore society, they also divide households by turning family members against each other."

Replying to whether the decision to focus on the family was a reaction to parliamentary discussions, he clarified that while the decision by Pink Dot was in response to rhetoric in general about the issue, the takeaway from Parliament was less about specific statements and more about how "parliamentarians" had promised that the definition of marriage was subject to societal changes. Pink Dot was therefore of the view that its job was to start the conversation in society on broadening the institutions of family and marriage to include the LGBT community.

Panel Discussion: What makes a family?[]

Excerpts[4]:

Full discussion[5]:

During the panel discussion, Teo You Yenn, Associate Professor and Head of Sociology at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) pointed out that in many societies, the structural definition of family was often more rigid and narrow than the realities of actual families and lives. In addition, the way the family was defined in policies, regulations and laws was important because it affected the broader public discourse, popular narratives and imagination of who society thinks can themselves a family, along with the rights they are entitled to. Teo elaborated that within Singapore, "A relatively narrow definition of family has been idealised through housing policies, (and) pronatalist policies over several decades. And this ideal places a heterosexual couple at the centre...a couple that is compelled to orient their economic participation in a particular way, their childbearing in a certain way, their obligations to their parents in another way." She added that increasingly, the public can see and feel that these "narrow prescriptions" of family are starting to not fit with the actual needs and aspirations of a diverse population. "So when you ask why people have a hard time reconciling family and family values with LGBT rights, we should first note that policies and regulations have a very strong effect in shaping collective imaginations." She also noted that there were now more people than before who could see and accept that LGBT people also needed and did have family lives.

Another panellist, Tan Joo Hymn, one of the founding members of Supporting and Affirming our LGBT Friends and Family (SAFE Singapore), talked about the importance of providing support for family members of LGBT people, especially parents. According to her, many parents of LGBT people were concerned for their children's livelihood and future. Such concerns included the lack of a home if their children did not get into a heterosexual marriage, or the absence of someone to help take care of them when they grew old, because of the absence of a wife or children. There was also the fear of ostracisation by other family members, who might not understand or accept the child as part of their family. Such parents might also feel that they were alone, as they did not know how to reach out about such issues. Hence, when SAFE Singapore was started, the first thing the organisation did was to put up a website with resources to help reassure family members and that their "worst imaginings" were not true.

The media launch subsequently concluded with Leow Yangfa, executive director of Oogachaga, announcing a new community initiative, called "My Family Matters", to help family members of LGBT people. Organised by Oogachaga, and co-hosted with SAFE Singapore, Inter-University LGBT Network, and Free Community Church, the initiative was a gathering that would be held on 2 July 2003, with the location disclosed only to confirmed participants, and was primarily aimed at the family members of LGBT people. Leow added: "Many have told Oogachaga about relationship difficulties with their family of origin: parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles. Many feel unsure about what to do when they discover a family member is LGBTQ+, especially the parents. Some feel alone and unable to talk about it with others; others are worried, afraid, or ashamed. In recent years, Oogachaga has observed more parents coming forward to seek information and support." "My Family Matters" was therefore an opportunity for such family members to come forward and learn about the support services that are available for them, as well as to help them learn that they are not alone. It was also a chance for family members to ask questions that they may not have the opportunity to ask anywhere else.

The spokesman for Pink Dot further elaborated: "Through this programme, parents will have access to reliable and trustworthy information about the LGBTQ+ community, and meet other parents who are in similar situations. Pink Dot looks forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on families within our community."

Event day[]

On Saturday, 24 June 2023, thousands turned up at Hong Lim Park for the event to support the LGBTQ community. Like in previous years, many came with picnic mats, food and their pets[6]. As it was the first Pink Dot rally after the repeal of Section 377A, the mood was one of celebration. An individual who was attending Pink Dot for the second time said that while the event appeared the same, she felt very different this time. "Last year when I was here, I felt very stressed out...I think because we were fighting for the repeal," said the 18-year-old who identified as gender fluid and only wanted to be known as Gwen. "(This year), the atmosphere is a lot calmer, peaceful."

Pink Dot spokesperson Clement Tan said that the repeal of 377A was "an immense relief". "This is the first Pink Dot after repeal and for a lot of the people here, the mood of celebration and joyousness is palpable," he remarked, adding that the organisers had noticed an "opening up" of national conversations about issues that were "long overdue", and there were new initiatives sprouting up such as Proud Parents, a support group for LGBTQ parents to share resources. But he noted that the community had a "much longer road" ahead of them, pointing out that there were many campaigns calling for the protection of the family as an institution, and that constitutional amendments alongside the repeal had "blocked" any challenges to the definition of marriage. "We recognise that post-repeal, people need a moment to breathe, and more importantly, we feel that change can only happen after conversations," he said. "So we don't have anything specific at the moment, I'm just interested to see how society evolves over time."

Post-377A, the year's Pink Dot sought to celebrate the families of LGBTQ people and affirm that they, too, deserved a place in Singapore, organisers said. Following a concert and speeches by LGBTQ advocates, the event culminated in the formation of the pink dot, a signature of the annual event. Participants held up lights to form the word "family" in rainbow colours at around 8.40pm.

Five Members of Parliament from various political parties and one Nominated MP were seen at the event. Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, was there with paralympic athletes Yip Pin Xiu and Theresa Goh. Chua, who had just returned to Singapore that very morning after the Special Olympics in Berlin, said he was there in his personal capacity to support two of his close friends whom he had known for the past few years because of his work at MCCY. "So I'm here just to be with them, and show my support," he added. Chua also quipped that it was his first time at a Pink Dot event, although he had always had LGBT friends. He acknowledged that from the Government's point of view, such events provided opportunities to engage with different parts of the community. As such, it was important to "maintain a listening ear to what's happening on the ground", elaborating that "It could be the Pink Dot community, or it could be others. The key thing is to remain engaged, and remain in contact, in touch [with what's happening]. At the end of the day, we must reflect the sentiments on the ground. We really want to represent the broad swathe of what Singapore society represents, I think that's part of the process of engagement." Theresa Goh, who was a regular at Pink Dot, said that although 377A had been repealed, she wanted to "keep the support going". "I think that even though the repeal has happened...there is more beyond the Bill. There's so much more work to be done." Another PAP MP who arrived separately, Derrick Goh, also said he was attending Pink Dot to support his friends who had invited him[7]. He was keen to join the celebration since it was the first post-pandemic Pink Dot event. "Everyone's been through a very hard time through Covid-19 right? So it's nice to see everyone together." Stressing that he was attending in his personal capacity, he said that had spoken in support of the repeal of Section 377A and was glad that "we took the decision as a country to do this". When asked if he saw it paving the way for more of such policies in the future, he replied in his personal capacity: "I don't think so", explaining that it was a broader issue about treating each other with respect. "I think we want everyone to be treated equally, and well, with respect. I think that's where we are comfortable as a country."

Two Workers' Party MPs, Louis Chua and Hu Ting Ru, were at the event in their capacity as parliamentarians. Non-Constituency MP Hazel Poa, who was representing the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), said that she and a few PSP members were there to better understand the difference the 377A repeal had made to the community and what other challenges remained post-repeal. "I would like to hear from organisations, from activists who are dealing with this on a regular basis, to get a better understanding first," said Poa, who reiterated that the PSP's position on the issue that the definition of marriage should be decided by a referendum. When asked if she would be raising such issues in parliament, she said that the party was still "at the information gathering stage".

Not all participants were optimistic about the prospect of more change coming, with one lamenting that this could be the last Pink Dot she would be attending. Rachel Ng, 32, who was there with her partner Rosalind Ng and their friends, said discussions around the 377A repeal made it clear it was not likely that same-sex marriage would be possible in Singapore anytime soon. "My partner and I, we've been looking forward to getting married, possibly in Singapore...we know that there's not much of a chance for us in Singapore so...this may even be our last Pink Dot because we are looking to migrate to Australia where it may be a more...welcoming place for LGBT couples like us," said Ng.

Event video[8]:

Video report by the South China Morning Post [9]:

Security incident revealed post-event[]

See also: Harvey Chettiar saga

On Tuesday, 27 June 2023, four days after the event, Pink Dot uploaded a series of nine posters to its Facebook page to inform the public about a security incident which occurred during the rally. A group of people, most probably the same ones who had staged a sub-protest the previous year advocating justice for transwoman Harvey Chettiar, intended to disrupt the countdown but were thwarted by security officers stationed at the park[10]:

Editable text of the posters:

KEEPING PINK DOT SAFE FOR ALL

1. We are saddened by a series of troubling accounts regarding a security incident at Pink Dot 15, despite our best efforts to keep Pink Dot welcoming and safe for all. We wish to clarify the situation, and share what happened that day.

2. Prior to our 24 June event, Pink Dot was alerted by members of the community to the organisation of an unregistered protest within the park and a potential disruption to the event. In a 3-page document, a group of individuals outlined plans to recruit “~12 people in the core team, and -50 people in the general team” to organise a demonstration at Pink Dot 15 with illuminated banners, and that these plans had to be kept “strictly confidential”, so as to have an “element of surprise”. The document also mentioned a bag containing “operational materials” that a group member needed to “physically safeguard”, and an unknown number of “zero-visibility” personnel attending the event.

3. These organisers claimed within this document that their plan was legal. This is categorically untrue. Any protest or demonstration in Speakers’ Corner must be registered and approved by the authorities, and failing to do so will constitute a contravention of Singapore law. Pink Dot committee members have been held liable in the past for participants’ contraventions of park rules. We run the event at great personal risk, and are ourselves subject to police investigations for any incidents.

4. There was also a real risk of disruption to the safe and smooth participation of Pink Dot attendees, and to our programming. The safety of all attendees is our top priority, and we have to take necessary precautions to ensure their well-being. Given that some of the organisers had previously disrupted Pink Dot in 2022 with unlawful demonstrations (and had been warned not to do so again), we were concerned they might attempt this once more.

5. With this knowledge, we did not lodge a police report or turn the organisers away from the park, as we respected their right to be there as citizens and members of our community, and did not wish to cause undue stress to vulnerable LGBTQ+ people. Nevertheless, we decided to keep an eye out for potential disruptions and try to resolve this as amicably as possible.

6. On event day, the Pink Dot team saw members of the group (Persons A, B and C) enter the park separately. At least one of them, Person B, was a known participant of unlawful demonstrations that disrupted the Pink Dot programme in 2022. Despite giving them the benefit of doubt, the actions of Persons A, B and C throughout the day gave us reasonable cause to suspect that they were indeed planning to stage an unlawful and potentially disruptive demonstration.

a. As part of security checks that all participants have to undergo to enter the park, we found three large plastic jerry cans within Person A’s bag, which were completely empty and marked with duct tape. Security Officers (“SO”), hired to ensure safety and protect attendees from harm, found the objects to be suspicious and requested that they be left behind at the security checkpoint, which Person A agreed to.

b. Persons A, B and C then positioned a large ground sheet in the middle of the formation area, similar to the tactic used by the unlawful demonstrators in 2022. When asked to move their mats to avoid the formation pegs, they refused.

c. We then found long poles with Persons B and C that had bypassed our security checks, smuggled in with other equipment needed by community groups at the community tents.

d. We requested a second round of bag checks within the park, away from the crowd, to ensure that no other potentially disruptive items had bypassed security checks. SOs then discovered a concealed item wrapped in black and sealed with masking tape, within the same large bag brought in by Person A with the plastic jerry cans.

i. Persons B and C both reacted defensively when the concealed item was discovered, raising their voices at the SOs and becoming uncooperative.
ii. The SOs explained that they needed to verify the contents of the concealed item and determine its safety for other participants, but Persons B and C refused further checks.
iii. As SOs were managing this situation, Person B became increasingly agitated and advanced towards the unarmed SOs. When one of them placed his hand on her arm to stop her advance, she made strikes at them with the pointed end of a trekking stick.
iv. Person B then sat on the bag to prevent further access to the unidentified item, while SOs stood close by to monitor and prevent further escalation.
v. For the remainder of the time in the park, Persons A, B and C were given every opportunity to allow SOs to identify this item and resume participation in the dot, but this was consistently rejected.

e. Persons A and C subsequently dispersed. After some time, Person B left the park with the bag and the still-unidentified item.

7. We are responsible for creating a safe and respectful space for all participants and volunteers, and will always take carefully considered actions to prevent hijacks to the event, regardless of the underlying cause being championed. The actions undertaken by these individuals before, during and after the event have not been in good faith. While we did not lodge police reports for last year’s disruptions or this year’s attempt, authorities may choose to conduct their own investigations. We urge the community not to spread any misinformation.

8. Pink Dot SG is dismayed that we have to address this issue, instead of focusing on those for whom we fight to hold this space every year: the thousands of queer people and their allies who showed up to make a stand for a more inclusive Singapore.

9. That said, this is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the ways that the LGBTQ+ community has evolved, and will continue to evolve over time. As the space for advocacy in Singapore becomes increasingly more complex and nuanced, let us always treat each other with humanity and decency, and to conduct conversations civilly, truthfully, and in good faith.

References[]

Acknowledgements[]

This article was written by Roy Tan.

Pink Dot 2023

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