Gay
group seeks permit to hold mini-congress
South
China Morning Post. May 4, 2000
BY
BARRY PORTER in Singapore
THE homosexuals have
decided to test homophobic authorities by applying for a police permit
to hold a mini-congress in the conservative city-state.
Their move comes amid
what is seen as a hardline stance by officials against homosexuals and
their activities.
"It's a tip-toe
into the water, so to speak, because this will be the first time anyone
knows of where we will apply for a public entertainment licence for an
event with gay and lesbian writ large in the theme," gay rights activist
Alex Au said yesterday.
Organisers intend to
submit their application this week for the half-day forum on May 28.
Police licences are
required in Singapore for all public gatherings of more than eight people,
irrespective of the topic.
It is not illegal to
be gay in Singapore, but it remains illegal to conduct any homosexual acts,
either in private or public. Most other former British colonies lifted
such restrictions for consenting adults long ago.
All past attempts by
activists to register a gay and lesbian society in Singapore since 1993
have been rejected without explanation.
Senior Minister Lee
Kuan Yew, the country's patriarch, made his position clear on this rarely
discussed issue on a CNN television phone-in show three years ago.
"Singaporeans
are, by and large, a very conservative, orthodox society, completely different
from, say, the United States, and I don't think an aggressive gay rights
movement would help," said Mr Lee.
"But what we are
doing as a government is to leave people to live their own lives so long
as they don't impinge on other people. I mean, we don't harass anybody."
Under Singapore's Penal
Code, anyone who voluntarily has carnal intercourse "against the order
of nature" with any man, woman or animal can be jailed for life and
fined. Also, any male abetting or procuring "an act of gross indecency"
with another man can be jailed for up to two years.
Lawyers have interpreted
this to mean any overt sexual act that does not lead to vaginal intercourse,
including oral sex, sodomy and cunnilingus.
A Court of Appeal clarified
the issue a few years ago by ruling that mixed couples were allowed to
engage in oral sex and cunnilingus as foreplay before vaginal sex, but
that without the follow through to vaginal sex both were considered "unnatural".
Singapore's gay community
believes police no longer actively search for people engaging in "unnatural"
acts. However, they do regularly act and prosecute if one partner files
a complaint.
A heterosexual male
was recently prosecuted after his dumped girlfriend complained he had sodomised
her.
So far, no lesbians
have ever been prosecuted. However, an entire episode of the hit American
television series Ally McBeal was recently banned because it showed lawyer
Ally, played by Calista Flockhart, and co-worker Ling Woo, played by Lucy
Liu, kissing during an experimental date.
Although no gay and
lesbian societies have been allowed in Singapore, small gatherings of like-minded
friends take place discreetly to discuss sexuality and common concerns.
A few nightclubs stage gay and lesbian nights, but they are not openly
promoted. Boom Boom Room, a cabaret club fronted by comic transvestite
Kumar, recently closed, but not due to government pressure.
In addition, several
Internet Web sites have also been created by the local gay and lesbian
community to act as discussion forums and information sites. So far, none
has been blocked.