Heckin' Unicorn Blog

Singapore is one of the countries that still criminalises sex between men. On top of that, systemic censorship and oppression of LGBTQ+ folks is pervasive here. 

Yet our senior politicians often claim that no LGBTQ+ discrimination exists. What, then, is the truth of the matter? Is Singapore really safe for LGBTQ+ foreigners? 

Since 1989, police in Singapore have conducted numerous "anti-gay" operations to bait and arrest queer men. Even today, they refuse to explain why they conducted these operations (we asked). 

Before you brush this off as something for the history books: their latest operation might have happened in 2010. And the worst part? Nothing appears to prevent them from continuing such operations again today. 

Queer representation comes in many forms, and it isn’t always positive. On top of that, even accurate and compelling forms of queer representation can (surprisingly) upset queer folks. Representation is a nuanced topic, not just because diversity is difficult to depict, but also because different forms of representation can achieve very different outcomes. 

It’s time for us to take a trip down the complex path of queer representation in media. 

Schools in Singapore have been suppressing, erasing, and bullying LGBTQ+ folks for decades. Yet this form of institutionalised discrimination has been so successful that most people don’t even notice that it exists.

Here’s how it works. 

Ustazs convinced Iani’s parents that an evil spirit was causing their child to be lesbian. They engaged in “conversion therapy” practices until Iani collapsed from a mental breakdown.

The bisexual and pansexual online communities appear to be at war with each other. 

And it’s painful to watch, to say the least. Insults are hurled around as people from both camps call each other’s sexuality exclusive, transphobic, harmful, fake. 

But why is this happening? How did members of the LGBTQ+ community — a community that’s all about diversity — end up attacking each other with such vehemence? 

So it has begun. On 10th July 2020, Singapore will head to the polls to vote in the General Election. And it’s going to be a pretty weird one. 

LGBTQ+ people in Singapore are systematically disadvantaged in financial, legal, and psychological ways. So for the people in the community and allies who believe in electing a more inclusive government, here’s a rundown for you to make a more informed decision.