Hi I'm Marcus and an intern at Mothership.sg. As part of my internship, I get to do things such as eat food and write about it.

On June 13, 2015, my editors demanded I show up at Pink Dot 2015 at Hong Lim Park as part of my virgin experience of the event.

And then they interrogated me about my experience.

Here's the interview.

1. How did you find Pink Dot 2015?

It is kind of like Laneway Festival.

It was hot and crowded and there was a carnival vibe. The crowd’s energy level was high and the place was teeming with novel outfits. Navels were on display and weird headgear were all on show.

2. What were you surprised to see?

I was surprised to see so many elderly folk and heterosexual families at the event. I’ve always had the impression that those passionate enough to publicly rally for the LGBT cause are young, unmarried bohemians. Guess I have been living under a rock.

3. How would you describe this event to your mother who has never been to Pink Dot or even heard about it?

Pink Dot is for anyone who can keep an open mind. You don't even need to identify yourself as a liberal.

4. Was there anything that made you uncomfortable?

Some attendees were really pushing the boundaries of common decency, and that’s coming from someone who is receptive to men dressing as women, or vice versa.

Antics such as showing up in genitalia-accentuating briefs or making proclamations like “Mr Lee [Hsien Loong] needs to be careful, cos the gays know a lot about bending over to please others” belonged better at a convention promoting freedom of speech rather than freedom to love.

I can, therefore, also see why these actions are probably counter-productive to getting more Singaporeans to accept the LGBT community.

5. Why do you think this event is becoming more mainstream?

Other than what I’ve mentioned previously, there isn’t much to dislike about the event. Moreover, there are hardly any requirements or follow-up obligations that come with attending the event. Attendees did not have to commit themselves to future gatherings or pledge weekly donations. Also, there are plenty of freebies, and Singaporeans love that.

6. Did it really feel like 28,000 people in attendance to you?

It felt like 28,000 people, but certainly not 28,000 true supporters of the LGBT cause.

Like Laneway, there were probably a fair number of poseurs in the mix. Case in point, barely half the attendees showed adequate respect and listened to the speakers as they poured their hearts out on stage. The last I checked, this wasn’t just any other carnival. Unfortunately, to quite a number of attendees, queuing for free cotton candy was more important.

7. Why didn’t you attend the previous years’ Pink Dot

I wish I had a more interesting answer... but I was just too lazy. Shame on me.

8. Will you go back to Pink Dot next year?

The infectious enthusiasm of the volunteers and attendees certainly made being part of the gaiety a pleasurable experience.

Related articles:

People of Pink Dot 2015

Pink Dot 2015 Fashion: Shades of pink that covered Hong Lim Park

Pink Dot 2009 to 2015 in GIFs & photos

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