astoning_x-men_newsSingapore: Singapore, much in the news recently for banning LGBT themed books and comics, has now allowed the publication of Astonishing X-Men‘s gay marriage issue.

This is because “The issue featured characters who objected to the wedding and this offered a balanced treatment on the issue of gay marriage,” a Media Development Authority of Singapore spokesperson told Singapore’s todayonline.com.

Issue 51 of the X-Men comic published by Marvel Comics in 2012 features the marriage of gay superhero Northstar to his boyfriend Kyle Jinadu.

Singapore’s National Library Board recently banned from libraries three children’s books featuring same-sex couples.

One of children’s books And Tango Makes Three depicts the story of a couple of male penguins in a New York zoo who adopt a young penguin chick while the other The White Swan Express looks at adoption including those of a lesbian couple.

After some public outcry, these two children’s books that were slated to be pulped were instead transferred to the adult section.

One other such book which every public library in Singapore did pulp was Who’s In My Family that discusses different types of families, including references to gay couples.

The state-run library board’s chief executive Elaine Ng said this was done to keep these titles off its shelves as they were unsuitable for children.

The popular iconic Archies comic book has also been censured for tackling LGBT issues.

Archie: The Married Life that features a gay character named Kevin Keller, whose marriage in issue #16 of the single issues was similarly banned.

“While themes may seem similar on the surface, depictions and context often vary across different works,” the media authority spokesman said adding that it had advised the distributor that the comic should be “shrink-wrapped and labeled with the consumer advice “Unsuitable for the Young.”

The spokesman of the statutory board added that there was no breach of content guidelines “which allow for the balanced depictions of same-sex relationships if they do not encourage or promote alternative lifestyles.”

Commenting, Bubai Dongfang,  a todayonline.com reader from Singapore wrote: “Why is such so-called “balanced” treatment even necessary? So gay marriage can’t be happy and must always come with “objections” to be legit? Isn’t this contrary to reality?

Some heterosexual marriages are happy while some are not. Some heterosexual marriages are objected to while some are not. EXACTLY like gay marriages. Why such lopsided, UNBALANCED treatment only applies to gay marriage?”

Gay rights are a contentious issue in Singapore, with many either wanting to retain or abrogate a British colonial-era “Section 377A” law that criminalizes sex between men with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years.

Source: todayonline.com