Over the past few days, as I’ve mulled over the news of foreigners being barred from this year’s Pink Dot, it hasn’t been targeted discrimination or xenophobia that have weighed most heavily on my mind.

Instead, I’m reminded of the past few years of Pink Dot celebrations, when I’ve absented myself from Hong Lim Park because I consider myself pro-LGBTQ+, and hence unnecessary for me to be physically present to show my support.

But when I chanced upon a Facebook post suggesting that the prohibitions to non-citizens attending Pink Dot affected everyone (and not just the LGBTQ+ community), and that more Singaporeans should therefore support the event, I found myself agreeing, though for a different reason.

Before this, I’ve always seen the defence of gay rights as something non-queer folk do for their gay friends (or in the name of empathy or plain logic). The rationale was that non-queer folk have nothing real to gain from being an ally*. After all, if I’m not gay, why should it matter to me whether 377a is repealed or not? Read more via Rice Media