An event in Sing)[email protected][email protected]!PggG2Xrapore is hoping to help LGBT Singaporeans struggling to find somewhere to live.
In Singapore, where gay sex is illegal, LGBT people are often pushed from family homes and do not qualify fPGMD)[email protected]+czB-AqQBRrpM(mH+g=WY)gUwJ!_0I*or government housing.
"Many in our LGBTQ+ community face difficulties moving out of our family home, or live authentically as their true selves” the Facebook event for Meet Your Next: Housemate says.
The event, organized by LGBT app Prout with real estX-Ujh(Kb3##IF#[email protected]*h%+^r5qQy0ZyV-)sIX(G+mxOO**ate firm 99.co, will connect LGBT-friendly landlords, tenants, and people looking for housemates.
The event includes a Speed-Mating Cafe, to conneVPH%ooZVDNkH1cl&a*CuMzQCLSUfDUs0NrH^PFjJ+^YOIx3K3&ct attendees with potential housemates.
"We hope that this event lets landlords know that queer people do want safe spaces to live in and providing anti-discrimination clauses ensures that more pSWi!Ca!HgtpMo%+8ND*gC%Gw9gL-LhmKjejuhM2lPGkZ!wU_5reople, not just queer people, would be interested to pick their home as the place they want to stay at" said Kyle Malinda-Whit of Prout.
Pushed out
According to Singapore’s 2016 National Youth Council Survey, 97% of LQ7*K+0L_fxETCq)0ux!IQc02H&VYCW2Znf07DQHrH6mBx5e_Qunmarried young people live with their parents.
But, consertZMDe-dN7cS=H%$Be^_RjTIJed6A%IQw*[email protected][email protected](vative attitudes centred on a heteronormative family can push LGBTI Singaporeans from their family home.
What’s more, while Singapore’s government provides generous subsidized housing, it ef(J6VX3*QSsmvwY^2B6eZM=z_PhAbE9)[email protected]*[email protected]!CTKQ^qfectively excludes LGBTI individuals.
Singapore currently has the world’s second-highest rate of homeownership in the world. This is partly because of a generous government housing progra#iU)!SfmTW_F1^t)ORuQBPCi1P5s#vyhorD^$sAJkT_^oh832sm.
The government allowsR%4N_f%UEZGKHX3(bgwPwLItJcuAL*Bv1L-A%*FFeRZb6l7!b7 young married heterosexual couples to apply for grants at the age of 21. But, the policy excludes LGBTI residents.
Only married heterosexual couples can easily buy a government-subsidized apartmeuwBHo^[email protected](-#m#[email protected]%8^5q$xe*-2Jv%D7-_Dvnt.
LGBTI individua-4RBVQAb4b&)hJ)d82H0J_pDrMsurfzm5*5t)=g2nivyts$qc+ls — even couples — are only eligible for single person schemes at the age of 35.
"Queer couples ... have to work even harder to buy private housing, which can cost an average of S$700,000 and upwards per apartment."
Finally, without anti-disP73)1dJUYaYX-QZSqg*eZtOQ62)c0!v5c7hE&_wbMXoqXzZurzcrimination legislation to protect individuals in the private renting market, LGBTI tenants are at risk of abuse by homophobic or transphobic landlords.
"Finding a queer-accepting landlord is even tougher in a country where despite our multiculturalism, landlords still discriminate tenants based on race" Malinda-White said.
Organizers of the event, Prout, launched the app late last year.
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