In protest-averse Singapore, where civil society activists rejoice when their events draw more than 500 people, the annual Pink Dot gay pride rally has become a stand-out affair for its ever-swelling crowds.

Now in its 10th edition, this year’s rally to be held on Saturday afternoon is expected to once again pull in a crowd of more than 20,000 people comprising the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community as well as many of their straight allies.

As in previous years, the event will be held in Speakers’ Corner, the country’s sole free speech park and the only place where authorities say Pink Dot can be held.

Organisers and members of the LGBTI community say there is much to cheer about, given rising concerns that gay rights advocacy in the country, where consensual sex between men remains illegal, might be plateauing.

Also being celebrated is the proliferation of Pink Dot events overseas – Hong Kong is among a handful of places that hosts similar rallies.

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The steady rise in stature of Singapore’s Pink Dot was dealt a blow last year after government imposed new restrictions to keep out foreign participation.

Not only did this exclude foreigners from the rally, but it also barred prominent foreign companies like Facebook, JP Morgan and Google from sponsoring the event as they had done in previous years.

Alongside the new rules, police mandated tougher security checks, forcing organisers to set up barricades and security checkpoints at the event, known for its party-like atmosphere filled with many people wearing pink-coloured clothing and accessories.

In 2014, the event was forced to contend with a countermovement by Christian and Muslim conservatives called “WearWhite”, as it had become apparent that Pink Dot’s benign message – organisers say their only objective is to promote “the freedom to love” – had become an effective tool for gay rights advocacy.

Authorities stepped in, urging both sides to practice restraint.

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“It is definitely a milestone, because we were uncertain if we could even reach 10 years … we have had so many things thrown our way,” said Paerin Choa, a spokesman for Pink Dot who has been volunteering with the movement since its inception in 2009.

LGBTI activist Jean Chong was equally effusive about the milestone. “10 years is an amazing feat for a country that still criminalises consenting sex between men,” Chong said, referring to Section 377A of the penal code, which makes the act illegal.

The law, which dates back to British colonial rule, makes no mention of lesbian sex.

While Pink Dot has tilted popular opinion slightly in favour of LGBTI rights, Chong and others in the community say the 10 years since the event’s inception has seen little social change because of the government’s apathy about their rights.

Some 53 per cent of Singaporeans “accept gay lifestyles”, but 55 per cent reject gay marriage, according to a survey conducted in 2013.

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