Same-sex marriage is not legal in Singapore, but it’s fine to hold same-sex wedding ceremonies, since it’s a private affair behind the closed doors of a function hall. “Awkward” details and odd business double standards are revealed in Parkroyal Collection Pickering Hotel’s refusal to allow one lesbian couple to hold a private marriage ceremony.
The Hotel’s refusal highlighted by Prout
On 20 June, Prout shared a redacted screenshot of an e-mail from an unnamed five-star hotel that is adjacent to Hong Lim Park in its Instagram page.
It said, “We received a screenshot of an exchange between a lesbian couple and a 5 star hotel that neighbours Hong Lim Park that would disappoint many of us in the LGBTQ+ community. The email showed a response from the hotel that claims that they will not host a same-sex wedding* because of regulations.”
“This is particularly disappointing as many within our LGBTQ community regularly book out the hotel rooms at this particular hotel with vertical greenery, and the hotel clearly has no issue CAPITALISING on the annual pride event held at Hong Lim Park, with Pink Dot goers booking out their rooms or their pink dollar.
“This serves as a PAINFUL reminder that there are many businesses that may claim to be inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community but may not actually do so in their everyday practice. On Google, the hotel is listed as a LGBTQ+ friendly destination.”
Prout said that it understands that same-sex marriage is not recognised in Singapore but that is not illegal to have a same-sex wedding in Singapore.
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Prout’s post on the hotel’s rejection went viral with over 2,300 likes, with many commenters agreeing with Prout’s views.
After Prout’s Instagram post went viral, the ‘unnamed hotel’ identified itself on Instagram and also offered an apology.
The hotel, Park Royal Collection Pickering, attributed the rejection to “an unfortunate mistake and misinformation from one of (its) team members.”
“Thank you for your patience as we seek to understand this unfortunate mistake and misinformation from one of our team members at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering. We are an inclusive hotel, and we are truly sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience this may have caused. We have since reached out to the couple and will do our best to assist them with their special occasion at our hotel.”
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Yesterday (21 June), Prout took to Instagram again and said that the hotel had “publicly and privately” apologised to the couple. It’s post also carried a message from the unidentified couple who wanted to hold a marriage ceremony at the hotel.
“Thank you to Prout, our LGBTQ+ community, and allies for all your support during this troubling exchange.
“We thank the @parkroyalcollectionpickering for publicly and privately apologising to us. We accept the apology and appreciate the change in direction from the hotel to allow for such celebrations moving forward.
“Having said that, understandably we won’t want to hold our wedding there now. We hope that other hotels will be inspired by the Parkroyal Pickering and reconsider their own policies and communications towards allowing same-sex couples to hold their celebrations there. – Queerly yours, thelesbiancouplewhojustwanted2gethitched”
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