Pink Dot rally contributes to rise in HIV infection

This letter was sent to ST Forum but was not published.

Despite much public education on HIV/Aids, there were 232 new HIV cases among homosexuals last year, a 27.5 per cent increase from 2014 ("New HIV/Aids cases among gays highest in seven years"; 3 Jun). 

I mourn the death of 1,816 people, out of 7,140 who are HIV-infected as of end-2015. 

According to the update by Ministry of Health (MOH), sexual intercourse is the main mode of transmission, of which 51% is from homosexual transmission and 8% from bisexual transmission. A very small population of people leading such a lifestyle contributes to more than half of the HIV cases. 

It is bewildering that MOH reiterates year after year that the most effective way to prevent HIV infection "is to remain faithful to one's spouse or partner and to avoid casual sex or sex with sex workers". This public advisory seems to be targeted to the majority of Singaporeans with heterosexual orientation yet heterosexual transmission accounts for only 38% of the HIV cases. While it is a sound advice to be faithful to one's spouse, it does not arrest the continuing rise in HIV infection among men having sex with men.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), condoms provide some protection but anal intercourse is too dangerous to practise. Condoms may be more likely to break during anal intercourse because of the greater amount of friction and other stresses involved. Tissue in the rectum can tear and bleed, allowing disease germs to pass from one partner to the other.

Why then is Pink Dot allowed to promote and encourage a lifestyle that contributes to the rise in HIV infection? HIV infection is highly preventable. If Singapore is to prosper as a nation, we cannot afford to have our children think that it is alright to engage in such high-risk sexual behaviour. It is no wonder that Pink Dot rally attracts the young because of the funding, support and influence from multinationals like Google, Facebook, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Apple etc ("MHA says foreign sponsors not allowed for Pink Dot, or other events, at Speakers' Corner"; 7 Jun).  

Singapore would do well without foreign intervention in our domestic issues. We certainly can make our own political, social and moral choices for ourselves.