Asia’s ‘Biggest’ Gay Party Starts in Singapore
Agence France Presse, August
8, 2004
Singapore A three-day gay and lesbian festival that
organisers have claimed is the largest in Asia got off to a rousing start in
Singapore—where homosexual acts are still illegal. At least 6,000 partygoers
from across the region danced from last night into the early hours of Sunday
at the opening event of Nation.04, organiser and regional gay website
Fridae.Com said.
The second leg of the festival, to take place on the eve
of Singapore’s 39th independence day, takes place on Sunday night on Sentosa
island.
Half of the revellers at the opening party in the Suntec
City Convention Centre were mainly from neighbouring countries like Thailand,
Taiwan and Japan, the website said.
“It was a very good night,” Stuart Koe, chief
executive of Fridae.Com, told AFP today. “Based on what people are saying,
they can’t wait for tonight so I think this is a very good sign.”
Sunday’s event will feature visual effects with US club
veteran Billy Carroll and his Taiwanese counterpart David Sung providing the
music. Some 8,000 people are expected at the party, Koe said, adding that it
was deliberately timed to coincide with the eve of Singapore’s independence
day so that all could celebrate regardless of their sexual orientation.
“We are Singapore citizens too and we have a right to
celebrate National Day and it has grown to such a scale that we have
foreigners coming in,” Koe said.
Homosexual acts are still outlawed in Singapore even
though the government has taken a more tolerant approach to the community and
more gay-friendly facilities and shops have opened.
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