Walking the Tightrope: The Role of Action for AIDS in the Provision of Social Services in Singapore

Abstract

In societies where homosexuality is legally proscribed, gays & lesbians rely on private & informal networks for mutual self-help, information dissemination, sociability, & the sharing of gay goods. This is particularly the case in Singapore, where an authoritarian & paternalistic state is actively involved in the marriage & procreation of its citizens, & is hostile to homosexuality. In the era of AIDS, (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), a new social movement has developed in ways that de jure seek to educate the public about AIDS, but de facto serve the needs of the larger gay community. The dual roles of Action for AIDS are fraught with tension, ambivalence, & problems, but represent a strategic response to the social & political conditions in which the organization is located.