Pink Dot's latest short film highlights the HIV situation in Singapore
And, as with the two other videos this month, tugs at our heartstrings.
This week Pink Dot released its third and final mini-documentary highlighting everyday heroes in the LGBT community, and like the two others before it, it's been going viral on social media. Revolving around a young gay man AJ and his mother Honey Bee, the video begins with a traditional coming out story before arriving at the second revelation that AJ is HIV-positive. The video ends on a positive note, celebrating Honey Bee's unconditional love and support for her son.
This year's Pink Dot video campaign has touched on some of the under-discussed issues in Singapore's LGBT community. (The previous video told the story of an elderly transgendered woman.) While NGOs such as Action for AIDS are active in Singapore, with a few exceptions, the subject of HIV/AIDS is not often discussed. Pink Dot spokesperson Paerin Choa said, "AJ's HIV positive status, while not the main focus of the video, is something that is an important part of [the] story; it also highlights an actual struggle faced by some members of the LGBT community."
For over 20 years, HIV-positive people were barred from entering Singapore. The restriction on short-term travel was lifted in April 2015, although they remain ineligible for long-term visas and employment visas. In December 2015, the Ministry of Health released an annual factsheet on HIV cases in Singapore, saying there had been 380 new infections in the previous 10 months.
Advertisement