Fridae

The following is a message from the organisers of Pink Dot 2010:

For the second consecutive year, Singaporeans are invited to come together in a show of unity and solidarity to celebrate the Freedom to Love. Pink Dot 2010 will be a peaceful gathering where Singaporeans will converge once again at the Speaker’s Corner, Hong Lim Park, to form a giant human pink dot.

The goal for 2010 is to exceed last year’s turnout, which stands at approximately 2,500 – the largest public gathering at the park since September 1, 2000, when it was designated as Singapore's Speaker's Corner.

Pink Dot aims to drive awareness and foster deeper understanding of the basic human need to love and be loved, regardless one’s sexual orientation. The movement, comprising volunteers who care deeply about the place that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Singaporeans call home, seeks to underscore the importance of celebrating diversity in its myriad forms amid social prejudices that continue to exist today.

This year, Pink Dot focuses on Family – the bedrock of Singapore’s social fabric and something that is central to the hearts and minds of Singaporeans. The bond between family members is unique and irreplaceable – yet, there are those who choose to deny themselves this privilege that many others take for granted. Many LGBT Singaporeans choose not to reveal their sexual orientation to their loved ones, worried that their honesty will push family members away.

Pink Dot 2010 aims to highlight stories of honesty, openness and the strength of families who have unconditionally stuck by their loves ones, in the hope that all Singaporeans will join in celebrating the freedom to love within families, where sexual orientation represents a trait, not a barrier.

In keeping with this year’s theme, three celebrities have stepped forward to take on the role of Ambassador for Pink Dot 2010: prominent veteran actors Adrian Pang, Tan Kheng Hua and popular DJ Big Kid aka Johnson Ong. Each of the Pink Dot 2010 Ambassadors appreciates the importance of the family as the basic foundation of society – Adrian and Kheng Hua are themselves parents – and they share a hope for a world where families can overcome the barriers to love. The Ambassadors are also featured in the inaugural publicity video for Pink Dot 2010: 

“Pink Dot in 2009 was, in many ways, a watershed moment for Singapore – it was the first time an event of that kind and scale had ever been put together, thanks in large part to the great support Singaporeans gave us. We hope Pink Dot 2010 will reach out to even more Singaporeans, straight and gay, who share in our belief that Family is very important to us,” said Pink Dot spokesperson Jack Yong.

“And given that Pink Dot 2010 coincides with the International Day of the Family, we hope that all families will look beyond LGBT labels and continue to love and support one another. Pink Dot 2010 is not a demonstration or a protest, but a celebration of love and kinship. So come join us on 15 May 2010, 5pm, at Hong Lim Park, to make Pink Dot."