Editor’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on LGBT rights and discrimination in various countries around the world.
Plans for an annual festival in Singapore supporting LGBT rights came under threat last year when the government denied sponsorship requests from multinational companies. In the end, however, the Pink Dot festival went ahead with the backing of more than 100 Singaporean companies. In an email interview, Linda Lakhdhir, a legal adviser for the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, describes Pink Dot’s significance and the challenges facing LGBT Singaporeans.
WPR: What is the general human rights situation for LGBT people in Singapore, and how has it evolved in recent years?