Fridae

Pioneer gay activist and blogger Alex Au examines the arguments made in the second case and adds that Justice Quentin Loh is close to issuing his decision on the first challenge filed by Gary Lim and Kenneth Chee, and his decision may be released within this month (March 2013).

While the language of the judgement may sound “gay-friendly”, it does not necessarily mean the judges are leaning towards the merits of the case against 377A, says pioneer gay rights activist Alex Au. He also highlights that Tan Eng Hong, who filed the case, may face bankrupcy should an order of costs be made against him.

What’s the difference between a headline that says “Man robs drugstore” and another that says “Man in dress robs drugstore”?

Alex Au and other LGBT activists from Cambodia's Asean neighbours recently heard the stories of lesbian couples hailing from the deep provinces of Cambodia who survived the Khmer Rouge years about survival, staying together, and raising children and granchildren by adopting children – some from their own brothers and sisters, others anonymously.

Alex Au, who was part of a 3-member contingent from Singapore, reports on the Cambodia ASEAN Pride festival held last month that hosted activists from its neighbours in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which effectively made it the first ever ASEAN Pride event.

This week saw two milestones in the American march to gay equality with Washington State passing a bill legalising same-sex marriage and the federal court of appeal for the ninth circuit delivering its decision Tuesday that California's Proposition 8 was unconstitutional, since it violated the United States Constitution.

British singer-songwriter Elton John appeared with husband David Furnish and baby Zachary at the 20th World Orchid Conference in Singapore last weekend where he had an orchid named after him.

What does it mean for the Singapore government to tell the UN that the "principle of equality of all persons before the law is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, regardless of gender, sexual orientation and gender identity" when the specific terms are not found in the Singapore constitution?

Prominent Singapore gay activist and social commentator Alex Au draws on two recent news stories and cautions against over-focusing on the health benefits and/or the power of the pink dollar in arguing for the repeal of gay sex laws.

Although the Singapore High Court last week affirmed an earlier decision to dismiss the case, it also found that while the original 377A charge had been withdrawn against Tan Eng Hong who filed the constitutional challenge, he has indeed a legitimate interest in pursuing the case.