STATEMENT on AFFECT05 (www.affect05.org)

on 22 March 2005

Some Safehaven members got together last year to organize a concert to promote the message of relationship and sexual responsibility last year as well as to raise donations for Action for AIDS. The concert was funded wholly by these members, led by Gary Chan and Alphonsus Lee. The concert, AFFECT05 will feature the pop duo Jason and deMarco who are also a couple in a monogamous committed relationship. Gary, Alph and friends decided to highlight this couple because of their commitment towards responsible relationship and sexuality. We have also invited some other local artistes such as Hossan Leong and Selena Tan.

When the Government came forward with much foresight and courage to ask for champions in the gay community to pass on the message of the zero tolerance for unsafe sex, Safehaven encouraged Gary, Alph and friends to step up to the plate which they courageously have despite effectively outing themselves completely.

The concert is also open ONLY to people who are at least 18 years old.

The organizing committee is in discussions with the MDA. We trust that the MDA will grant the license because of the following:

1. In posters, flyers and the concert website content that has been submitted to the MDA there is nothing in the copy nor in the way the duo is featured that suggest that the concert promotes and celebrates their private relationship with each other. There is therefore no promotion of their relationship to the wider community.

2. The conduct of Jason and deMarco during performances are like any other pop duo ?strictly professional.

3. The concert is a charity concert. Every single cent that is collected via ticket sales will be donated to Action for AIDS. Some Safehaven members have personally paid for the entire cost of the concert. In addition, all 6 of the performers (including Jason and deMarco) have agreed donate their performances at no cost.

4. When Gary, Alph and friends commenced planning for the concert, the only 2 public objectives of the concert are to raise money for much needed AIDS support programmes, and to raise the cognizance of the growing HIV problem by creating awareness amongst the concert attendees. These objectives still remain as sole objectives.

However, it now actually seems God sent that the concert date should occur around a time, when the Government itself, has raised strong alarm bells about HIV infections amongst the Men who have Sex with Men (“MSM? population which includes the gay community and proceeded to call for gay community champions to present a message of zero tolerance for unsafe sex.

In light of this, in reality, the exemplary personal lives of the duo who have been in a committed monogamous relationship for the last five years, strongly emphasizes the fact that gay people who remain in faithful relationships can prevent the spread of HIV by abstinence from casual sexual relations. This is an urgent message that must be delivered to the gay community if we are serious about stemming the tide of HIV in Singapore.

This is also consistent with the government’s message that was reiterated in Health Minister Balaji’s interview on 18 March 2005 that the gay community needs positive champions who have “zero tolerance to unsafe sex.?To deny the license for this concert to be staged hampers the Minister’s call for champions in the MSM population and the gay community to take the lead towards HIV prevention amongst the gay community.

This concert provides an opportunity at a critical time in Singapore’s dealing with HIV to present a strong call to the gay community towards responsible relationships and responsible sexual practices. To disallow it on the basis that the performers are a gay couple fails to appreciate the important public health impact this concert will have in the years to come on the gay community in Singapore. The fact is this concert will save lives and will transform mindsets.

5. Recognizing the possibility that there may be people from more cautious or even homophobic segments of our society fearing that their children may attend the concert, the organizers are on their own volition are restricting attendance to people who are at least eighteen years old and will be conducting identity checks at the door.

6. The concert features not only the pop duo, but well-known local artistes as well. Last Saturday, we also announced the addition of Ms Selena Tan of “Dim Sum Dollies fame to the line up. Ms Tan herself who is a married straight woman, has also agreed to be part of the concert. All the performers have made a commitment to those affected or infected by HIV, and have wholeheartedly agreed to use their musical talents as a tool for healing, courage and hope.

7. In the year 2004, there were no few than 6 performances with gay themes, including “Mergers/Wills? “Private Parts? “Mardi Gras? “Top or Bottom? Not only that, many of the performers in the shows live as openly gay individuals. This is in addition to at least 3 gay themed exhibitions, including “Red + White = Pink? “Private Edge?and “Pierre & Gilles?

These public performances and exhibitions will naturally attract a higher percentage of gay people in the audience because of their themes, but MDA has allowed the permission for the performances to be held, some of them attracting more than 10,000 paying patrons spanning over runs of up to a month. Further concerts featuring openly gay performers like K D Lang; have been permitted to perform in Singapore with the public media making references to their sexual orientation. Added to this, even on “free-to-air?television over the last few years, everyone has access to shows like the “Amazing Race?and “Survivor?when openly gay couples in relationships interact with each other each week.

This is not a concert about promoting lifestyles to the wider public. It is about Saving Lives and Transforming Mindsets. The concert is about passing on an urgent message to an epidemiologically high risk community who are a part and parcel of our society. If we do not allow them more positive role models, we become complicit in their deaths and sufferings as HIV infections grow.