Gay kiss photobombs news broadcast in Singapore where LGBTQ+ content is banned
In Singapore, two gay men made history when they shared a kiss in front of a camera in a Channel News Asia broadcast, making it the first same-sex kiss on live national TV.
As CNA journalist Low Minmin was reporting live from a Beijing pub where there was a watch party for the Winter Olympics on Feb. 4, two men suddenly appeared on screen, embraced, and shared a kiss. Before they walked out of the frame, the Asian man wiggled his eyebrows and smirked at the camera.
@starrie7777 they can’t censor the ending pose ??️??️⚧️?#singapore #channelnewsasia #cna #lgbt #lgbtq #gay #gaykiss #slay #beijing2022 #winterolympics ♬ Unstoppable - Sia
The kiss has gone viral in Singapore, where there are broadcasting codes that restrict content that depict LGBTQ+ lifestyles and relationships. It has been censored and edited out when the clip was posted to the CNA website.
However, the video has been shared on TikTok where it has 1.5 million views as well as on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo.
"This is actually an act of revolution," one TikTok user commented.
"He's like, 'let me have the honor to make history for the LGBTQ community," wrote another.
American LGBTQ organization GLAAD said in a statement: "This kiss, while a small action, is a breakthrough for the Singaporean LGBTQ community, who are still criminalized and censored in Singapore."
Singapore has Section 377A in its penal code, which criminalizes LGBTQ+ relationships. The provision calls gay sex as an "act of indecency" and makes it pubishable with imprisonment for up to two years.
"Let this Olympian kiss be a call to strike down Section 377A of Singapore's penal code, and end the criminalization of LGBTQ people globally," GLAAD's statement continued.
In China, hit sitcom Friends is facing similar censorship, with LGBTQ+ storylines in the show getting cut out from streaming services.