News (World)

Record fundraising for Singapore pride as foreigners are banned

People holding up the Singaporean flag and marching with it
A Singaporean contingent at WorldPride 2012 in London. Photo: Flickr/Su--May

Over 100 businesses have agreed to sponsor Singapore’s “Pink Dot” pride rally as the government tries to shut down foreign support for it.

Organizers say that they have raised S$253,000 ($183,000), a record.

Last year, 18 companies contributed, most of which were foreign multinational corporations. In October, though, a law was changed so that organizers had to bar foreigners from participating.

“The more important part is to engage local companies to finally cement the position that the LGBT community is very well respected and accepted here and I think we did it,” Darius Cheung, who led the fundraising effort, told Reuters.

Still, banning foreigners from participating in pride has led to disappointment. “I feel let down… we were looking forward to attending together,” Adeline Yeo said, who wanted to attend with her Polish girlfriend.

Singapore law bans sex between men, even though the law is rarely used. Punishment is up to two years of prison.

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