Definition
'Homosexual' is this article is defined as 'having a greater sexual attraction for the same sex than for the opposite sex'. Thus, a person happily married to a spouse of the opposite sex may still be gay even though he or she consciously refrains from or has never indulged in homosexual acts.
Statistical Problems
It is unknown exactly how many homosexuals there are in Singapore or what percentage of the population they constitute. The main reason for this is that section 377 of the Singapore Penal Code criminalises 'carnal intercourse against the order of nature' which includes even consensual, private, adult homosexual acts. The penalties are either:
- life imprisonment, or
- imprisonment for up to 10 years with or without a fine.
As such, in any survey or census, no citizen would readily admit to being what is essentially, in the eyes of the Law, a criminal. By the same token, it is impossible to determine how many murderers, rapists or grand larcenists there are.
This has not presented any problem in the past as no population census conducted in Singapore has ever endeavoured to quantify such people. However, with the increasing cognisance of equal, universal human rights, freedom of individual expression and the growing political and economic clout of homosexuals, this hitherto neglected aspect of sociological statistics will become increasingly important.
The 2000 U.S. decennial census estimated (by extrapolation from hard data) that the proportion of gay men in America was 2.5 percent and of lesbians, 1.2 percent (source: Scientific American, March 2005 issue, page 20, 'Gay and Lesbian Census' by Rodger Doyle [1]) even though socio-psychological studies from the Kinsey era to the present day show that the same percentages of those claiming greater erotic attraction for the same sex were 7.7 for men and 7.5 for women. No conclusive explanation exists for this anomaly. Figures in Singapore may be broadly similar.
Historical Background
Singapore gay culture
Singapore gay personalities
Historical
Contemporary
The following categorisations are arbitrary as most of the LGBT individuals listed are active in more than one field.
Activists
Entrepreneurs
Arts Practitioners
Academics
Professionals
Ordinary Folk
Singapore gay venues
Being frequented by a stigmatised minority in fear of running afoul of the law every time they congregate for social or sexual intercourse, gay venues have remained largely unknown to the mainstream public. Outdoor hangouts tend to be patronised mainly at night and it was only in the past few decades that openly gay establishments have been allowed to operate relatively free of police harassment.
The following list, which includes cruising areas some conservative gays may feel does not cast a favourable light upon the Singaporean homosexual image, has been drawn up for the sake of academic comprehensiveness and as a record of the collective local gay memory.
(For transgender (transvestite/transsexual) venues such as Bugis Street and Johore Road, see Transgender people in Singapore)
Outdoor venues
Historical
- Boat Quay and the adjoining back alleys- very cruisy at night before the area was rejuvenated with the present row of restaurants in the early 1990s. Surreptitious sex also took place at the foot and back alley of OCBC building nearby, before bright lighting was installed which serves no real purpose other than to deter nocturnal homosex.
- The Esplanade- a broad walkway fringing the outlet of the Singapore river lined by bushes enclosed in tiled rectangular stone enclosures where strollers could sit and chat before the present arts centre was built in the early 2000s. It was frequented for decades by especially gay young men who acted more girlishly than usual to attract straight pick-ups for the night. Some activity also spilled over into The Padang, which at night, was mainly the territory of straight couples making out on mats. Other parks which were relatively cruisy but less well known in the 1970s were Central Park, accessible via the long flight of steps up from River Valley swimming pool, Fort Canning Park nearby, Labrador Park, accessible only by car or motorbike, Mount Faber, the Botanic Gardens and MacRicthie Reservoir.
Contemporary
- Hong Lim Park- the first and formerly the most famous Singaporean gay venue, listed in the foremost international gay tourist reference, the Spartacus Gay Guide. Cruisy at night for more than half a century, its dim lighting and shrubbery provided ideal conditions for quickies between gay men, especially elderly Chinese-educated ones, until bright lights were installed in the early 90's to deter such activities. The construction of the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post next to the car park was also considered a measure to curb late-night cruising. Straight patrons were shocked at some young boys holding hands and wrote letters to the newpapers in the 80's to complain. In spite of several police patrols in which these boys were questioned, no one was charged as nobody was caught flagrante delicto.
- Fort Road Beach- a secluded stretch of reclaimed land near Fort Road in Tanjong Rhu, visited by gay men since the 1980s. Nude sunbathing or swimming sometimes takes place as it is remote from public view and no one is disturbed. Its future as an idyllic gay venue is uncertain as development plans may bring it into direct public access. Less frquented stretches of beach include the more secluded areas near Changi Point which in the past were occasionally visited by heterosexual Gurkhas and Korean construction workers who served as the draw for local gay men, the segment of East Coast Parkway near Big Splash and the area near the People's Association chalets.
- Ann Siang Hill- cruisy at night since the early 1990s, but much less so since a landscaped sanctuary named Ann Siang Hill Park was built in 2004 with adequate illumination so that clandestine activities are not so convenient.
- Back alleys in the Central Business District and Tanjong Pagar- less popular since the sprouting of numerous gay saunas since the late 1990s and the development of well-lit commercial complexes like China Square which replaced the dark, dank, derelict shophouses where night-time cruising took place.
- Katong Park- the previous toilet which was completely enclosed by 4 brick walls was a hive of activity. The new toilet, built in 2003 during a major redesign of the park, whose interior is visible from the outside via large gaps in the slotted timber walls is much less conducive to cruising, although some still takes place. Most homosexuals prefer to stroll in the fresh air along tracks traversing and skirting the perimeter of the park.
Enclosed/Indoor public venues
Historical
- Toilets- public toilets have their fair share of furtive homosex. Some of the historically popular ones which no longer exist were those near Hong Lim Park, at the former Odeon cinema where Orchard Cineleisure now stands, and along Balestier Road next to the open market.
- Swimming Pools- the most notorious one no longer extant was River Valley swimming pool. It was one of the few public pools built in the city area, sandwiched between Liang Court and the imposing backdrop of Fort Canning Park. In one incident, two men were caught by the lifeguard for underwater fellatio and jailed. It was also one of the few swimming pools where outdoor photography was banned. Less well known were Yan Kit swimming pool, Jurong swimming pool and Bukit Merah swimming pool.
- Shopping Centres
Contemporary
More comprehensive and up-to-date listings can be found at the Utopia website's Singapore pages:[3]
- Toilets
- Swimming Pools
- Shopping Centres
Pubs, Bars and Karaoke joints
Historical
- Le Bistro- Singapore's first gay bar, as far as many gay Singaporeans can recollect. One retired New Zealand serviceman, in a chance encounter with Alex Au, claimed that in the early 1960s when he was stationed in Singapore, there was a Golden Venus bar in the Orchard Hotel along Orchard Road. This claim has not been corroborated by Singaporeans. The old Orchard Hotel has since been reconstructed beyond recognition. Le Bistro and Golden Venus no longer exist.
- Pebbles Bar- located on the ground floor of the now-demolished Hotel Singapura along Orchard Road, it was the most famous gay bar operational in the 1970s. It was patronised largely by the English-educated, upper-strata gays of Singaporean society. Its main draw was the live band Tania, whose lead singer, Alban de Souza, was decked out in glitz, painted his face à la KISS but with red makeup instead of black-and-white, and entertained with energetic camp. Although it was the only one of Singapore's first 3 gay bars to have a dance floor, no homosexual dancing was allowed. However, it was a common sight to behold men pecking each other on the cheek or lips, incidents which raised nary an eyebrow.
- Treetops Bar- located at the now-demolished Royal Holiday Inn along Orchard Road. Gays also adjourned to Café Vienna after a night of hectic discoing in the 1970s.
- Vincent's lounge (at Lucky Plaza)- opened on 18 May 1989, the forerunner of the present East-meets-West bar at Duxton Road in Tanjong Pagar.
- Inner Circle- the grand daddy of all gay karaoke joints, along with Babylon, located in Tanjong Pagar, it finally drew its shutters on 24 July 2004 after providing divas an outlet to show off their vocal skills for almost ten years.
- Taboo- pub-cum-disco in Tanjong Pagar; one of the most popular with the trendy young crowd for seven years since 1997, attaining quasi-icon status. It closed in August 2004.
Contemporary
- Babylon- karaoke in Tanjong Pagar. A miniature version of its legendary namesake in Bangkok and the original Sumerian city.
- Why Not?- former karaoke, but now a disco along Tras Street in Tanjong Pagar.
- Vincent's- an East-meets-West pub where Asian potato queens can meet up with their Caucasian aficionados, otherwise known as rice queens.
- Happy- new pub-cum-disco at the same ___location as the former Taboo along Tanjong Pagar Road.
Discoes
Originally catering to a gay customer base only once a week, usually on Sundays, newer small establishments have managed to survive on the burgeoning pink market by going full-time, on every night of the week.
Historical
- The Hangar- Singapore's first gay pub-cum-disco located in a hard-to-find alley near Changi Point was operational in the early 1970s. Looking back, some patrons presently in their fifties could not imagine how they could have grooved to the now seemingly uncool hits of that era like 'Beautiful Sunday' by Dawn.
- Marmota- located on the second level of Kallang Leisure Centre in the early 1980s, was one of the first to hold Sunday gay nights when the dance floor was packed with the then unusual sight of men dancing with each other. However, this happened only during the fast numbers. When the slow songs came on, the dance floor cleared faster than if a tsunami threatened and only the daring ones irresistibly smitten with their partners were left in tight embrace to be ogled at by those on the sidelines. It was the first disco to organise unofficial masculine Mr. Gay Singapore contests long before Manhunt began. Ironically, the first winner of the contest was a straight boy named Oliver.
- Niche (at Far East Shopping Centre)- opened in April 1983 to cash in on the popularity of Marmota. More popular with the English-educated crowd. Forerunner to its present day namesake at Pagoda Street in Chinatown.
- Studebaker's/Venom- situated at the top floor of the present Pacific Plaza along Scotts Road was the largest disco that homosexuals had ever experienced in Singapore. It remade its image several times over since the early 1990s to remain fresh and introduced webcams where people could see who was dancing in real time by logging onto the Internet. Needless to say, this raised a howl of protest.
- Music World- 2-level disco in Katong Shopping Centre, operational in the early 1990s.
Contemporary
- Happy- located where Taboo used to operate, along Tanjong Pagar Road, but incorporating double the space with the takeover of the next-door unit, giving it a sizeable dance floor.
- Cocconuts at Cocco Latte- located along the perimeter of the Gallery Hotel. Despite unique features like kitschy decor, striptease poles, flashing neon signs, drink specials and date-matching via number tags, the atmosphere is rather sedate.
- Chinablack- the present reincarnation of Studebaker's/Venom occupying the mammoth 2-level penthouse at Pacific Plaza along Scotts Road. Features techno beats and gay anthems, ideal for bare-torsoed exhibitionists itching to strut their stuff on platforms.
Spas and saunas
Historical
- Spartacus- the first gay sauna in Singapore opened in 1997 by pioneering entrepreneur Max Lim, it was four storeys of hedonism, with a daily gay disco on the ground floor fringed by an overhead observation deck, and showers, a gym and sauna above that. One could recognise it immediately from its external façade because of its colossal signage and the painted sketches of nude gladiators on its external wall facing South Bridge Road, near its junction with North Canal Road. It experimented with the novel concept of giving its customers the option of buying shares in the business. It also pioneered services like offering upmarket buffet meals on its premises, but unfortunately, demand for the meals and disco was poor, even though the spa facilities were a resounding success. It closed in 1999 due to high rental costs and other factors.
- Stroke- the successor to Spartacus under the same management, located along Ann Siang Road, it had a spell of success from 2000 to 2002 when it was the only gay sauna in Singapore, before the opening of other saunas forced its owner to move into newer premises to refocus its strategy two years later.
- Rairua- a multi-level sauna along Neil Road, the brainchild of activist Alex Au, it opened in 2002 and positioned itself as Singapore's first luxury gay sauna, with prices to match. It pioneered Singapore's first 'skin nights' touted as 'all nude, all floors, all night', a concept that unexpectedly proved so popular amongst supposedly 'conservative' Singaporean gays that such nude nights spread to all saunas within the span of one year and continue to be a major draw. It also organised special events like cultural talks, personalised photography and naturist art sessions, and erotic dancing by showerboys. Unfortunately, due to the expiry of its lease and disagreements with its landlord over maintenance, it closed down in April 2005.
- Diamond Health Sauna- located on level 5 of Sultan Plaza along Jalan Sultan, it started as a straight sauna offering massage by women masseuses, but gradually gained a predominantly gay, elderly Chinese-educated clientèle. It was the first sauna to have a coin-operated karaoke machine on its premises, free buffets and Hollywood/Hong Kong movie screenings, all of which proved to be very popular. It closed in early 2005 for renovations and reopened for business on 29 May 2005 with a relocated entrance but has, since the latter date, been patronised by mainly elderly straight Chinese customers.
Contemporary
- Raw- the third sauna established by entrepreneur Max Lim in 2003, its competitive advantages are its budget entry fees, 24-hour opening times and a 'barracks' containing individual rooms for those desiring to stay for prolonged periods. It pioneered the concept of theme nights, which later spread to all saunas. This introduced variety and catered to subsegments of the gay crowd such as chubs, foam party lovers, minority races, foreigners and sun worshippers. It also experimented, for a short period, with an à la carte restaurant on the ground floor, a transvestite cabaret and male undergarment/swimming trunk fashion shows. It is the only sauna to proudly hang a rainbow flag, an LGBT icon signifying diversity, outside its main entrance. It is located next to Ann Siang Hill, already a popular cruising ground. Membership no longer required.
- Towel Club- billed as Singapore's largest gay sauna and also the most expensive. Its monthly nude 'full moon' parties and youthful attractive patrons are the greatest attractions. Consistently ranked as the most popular sauna in Singapore through various polls. Located along Loke Yew Street near the City Hall MRT Station.
- V-club- a 3-level sauna along Mosque Street near Chinatown appealing to a mainly Chinese-educated clientèle. It has the most nude nights in a week.
- The Box/Shogun Spa- the first cruise club, a concept which proved less popular locally, which was later converted into a sauna. Located near Tanjong Pagar. No membership required.
- Club One-Seven- an upmarket sauna near Raffles Place. It was the first to have an al fresco swimming pool which later had to be covered up, as office workers in the neighbouring building could have a bird's eye-view of the frequently naked men lounging around the poolside. The floor above was acquired and renovated at great expense in 2004 which effectively doubled its cruising space. Two men were arrested here by undercover policemen for homosex in 2003. Their penalty was commuted from a potential 2-year jail sentence under section 377 of the Singapore Penal Code to a mere $600 fine under section 20 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act in what may be a landmark ruling in Singapore legal history, as far as gay rights are concerned.
- Blue Heaven- a sauna near Bugis Junction established by a naturalised Frenchman. Another four men were arrested here in April 2005 in a police raid masquerading as a night-time fire-safety inspection. The outcome of this case is still pending amidst the apparent official backlash against the rising incidence of HIV infection amongst homosexuals in Singapore.
Non-commercial/non-sexual venues
Historical
- The Attic- the former ___location of the Sunday services of the Free Community Church (see below)
Contemporary
- Pelangi Pride Centre (PPC)[4]- set up by activists from Action For AIDS (AFA) to inculcate pride in being gay and in staying HIV negative, it is located at 22a Rowell Road, above the AFA headquarters, in the Serangoon or Little India area. Its main features are the extensive library of local and international gay literature, whose catalogue can be searched online on its website, and an archive of Singapore gay history and culture. Open once a week on Saturdays from 3 to 7 pm.
- The Free Community Church [5] at #04-02/04, Yangtze Building, 100A Eu Tong Sen Road- a Singaporean Christian church which welcomes all people regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or economic status. It conducts Sunday services at 10:30 am.
The Future
The greatest impediment to the achievement of absolute gay equality in Singapore is the rampant spread of HIV infection amongst Men who have Sex with Men (MSM). The Ministry of Health is contemplating measures to curb this exponential increase. These may include the closure of gay saunas.
Looking beyond the immediate crisis, however, it is probable that with the intensive international efforts at developing an HIV vaccine, a cure for AIDS will be found before the decade is out. This would remove the raison d'être for the current conservative backlash and the liberalisation that had been witnessed in the years prior to 2004 would in all likelihood resume its normal course.