Singapore: Pink Dot 2010 · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Last year, more than 2,000 Singaporeans gathered at Hong Lim Park to make a large human pink dot to celebrate love regardless of sexual orientation. It was Singapore’s first LGBT parade.
This year’s Pink Dot event gathered more than 4,000 people who honored the support given by the parents, siblings, relatives and friends of LGBT Singaporeans.
Pictures of Pink Dot 2010 are uploaded on Flickr and Style Hunter. Check also the videos on youtube. The event has a facebook page and blog account.
Photo from Pink Dot Blog
The Online Citizen has a video report of the parade. Ho Rui An writes about the power of the pink dot
The simple and understated pink dot is certainly more than a fleeting mark upon the grounds of a circumscribed space of freedom. It is an enduring testament to the power of love that seeks to reach out to all corners of society. It speaks of the possibilities of love when it is freed of the institutionalised strictures of dogma and prejudice.
It must be said that Pink Dot is an event of its own kind – a movement that has emerged from the cultural specificities of this city-state we call home. Indeed, it is neither a pride parade nor a protest. Neither is it a peaceful demonstration.
It is a space for collective imagination – an envisioning of a society empowered by love, family and soft diversity.
Miyagi pays tribute to his supportive family and friends
To anyone who has the misfortune of having been led to think that to support the rights of the LGBT community is tantamount to shunning family values should take a look at my brand new family – we are so loved by our friends – gay, straight or whatever.
We are really grateful for the support, love and understanding that our gay and lesbian friends have given us in building our family
Ho Chi Sam looks forward to greater respect for LGBT rights in Singapore
While this is a deemed a successful event, I personally look forward to the day when the expression of our acceptance of people regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity is more than just symbolic or abstract.
I have close friends and loved ones who identify as queer, and I love them all the same. I want them to enjoy the same freedom from discrimination and harassment that I enjoy.
Highlights of the Pink Dot 2010:
Mike comments about the exclusion of foreigners in the event
This is great, but one unfortunate thing about it was that foreigners could not participate in any of the activities. Probably has more to do with Singapore law than the rules of this event (I guess) but still odd in for an event that is supposed to break down barriers and bring people together.
Irreligious notes how organizers emphasized that the Pink Dot was a “legal and legitimate” non-protest event
I attended Pink Dot again yesterday. Billed as a legal and legit event, Pink Dot is an event that affirms the LGBT community's right to love. You know Singapore is still a conservative society when the organisers have to emphasise that the authorities have no problems with the event.
Benjamin Cheah thinks the Pink Dot 2010 was “underwhelming.”
That’s the only word I can think of to describe it. Yes, over 4000 people turned up. Yes, there was a general affirmation of the freedom to love, regardless of sexual orientation. Yes, there were decent performances during the main event. These are decent achievements, but I felt more could have been done.
Pink Dot exists because of a socio-political situation. But it did nothing concrete to address the problem; it merely brought people together to highlight that there is a problem. Never mind that the media and LBGT activists and ultraconservatives have been doing this on various scales for the past two decades — and this is just what I can find. Merely bringing people together is like a half-hearted attempt to change the situation