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An event in Singapore is hop8zqv#cGyd2cjWwqIcTWOG-Qh%7$s404Z9#GC4L!Y84*efMx6U8ing 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 for govFh6j85C-&UqeS-LDkcLw3vFH5TqzA@Jf=fCf3^55iAMsCUyR#(ernment 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 estate firm 99.co, wiRI+u@oNpUyYXio$TNbgGwzF*n-hL5U(Yz!MFA3O6b5+XQSPLkcll connect LGBT-friendly landlords, tenants, and people looking for housemates.

Thsy2+GMP9fhj77#jgRv4NKf7fH6#2xJ=X$XPXEhBHHbUD%aP)$2e event includes a Speed-Mating Cafe, to connect 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-discrMFgymZ7ehE#!2#Dmpk+DeVW_hD6sNcuAcaWn@kP36-9u9x5E$uimination clauses ensures that more people, 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 2016W0)F%AtE)@L#MTdDtYO!gK0(Ivv7)78A2wAhTUntpIaSxh%t&4 National Youth Council Survey, 97% of unmarried young people live with their parents.

But, conservative aoBcZ=nJ+LBj6xunEa+_50^iej0#cf%K043aOEQ^Xvw+RvorpjPttitudes centred on a heteronormative family can push LGBTI Singaporeans from their family home.

What’s more, while Singapore’s government provides generous subsidized housin3u)_D_ygkeW)OvRS@CXE$q#x3-axPhYfB=5j+U-k#*^w!pD$i)g, it effectively excludes LGBTI individuals.

Singapore currentlyzwNz8R7+t_5vNeuuR)KrF!R#iKgyzEp37H@NCW%1#JtGu%It*I has the world’s second-highest rate of homeownership in the world. This is partly because of a generous government housing program.

The government allows young married heterosexual couples to apply for grants at the age of 21. But, the policy excludes LGBTI residenHqY$arKuA=jMCS^TURBM1^r3U8bJCjUbtUM_ir4a@8a(POOZ@dts.

Only married heterosexual couplesUTsVqo7Bo2vH^0+30ZyT^smBJBIaXtUNwbE0Yst8hllfx1oxHf can easily buy a government-subsidized apartment.

LGBTI individual(Ea5KsBqj@41i2DHaK*_9y+$pS3XKg0FKS8qx$ArifUB1cj_Bks — 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-discrimination legislation to protect individuals in the private renV+p#QvlyhHH1!M$wd+6I!iyaAb@HHV_Ndnu27+IEL3xhHX_-VTting 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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