Disarming as a tactic of resistance in Pink Dot
Pink Dot is an annual rally in support of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people in Singapore. In a country
where many prefer to avoid overt displays of dissent, Pink Dot has gained significant popular support. In this article, I explore how it has
done so. Through a close multimodal analysis focusing on the use of colour, layout, and typography in a Pink Dot 2017 flyer, I demonstrate
how these features work together in the Singaporean context to realize meanings of positivity, warmth, and inclusivity whilst simultaneously
de-emphasizing notions of claiming rights. I argue Pink Dot discursively attenuates the potentially discordant elements of its message and
marshals this apparent neutrality to gather support for its ostensibly depoliticized message – a process that I term disarming. It is an
assimilationist strategy deliberately made for Singapore’s particular sociopolitical context and it has proven effective in securing mass
popular support amongst Singaporeans.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 1.1Singapore, Speakers’ Corner, and Pink Dot
- 1.2Pink Dot and resistance through assimilation
- 2.Theoretical approach: Undertaking a multimodal analysis
- 2.1Multimodality: A brief background
- 2.2Analytical framework
- 3.A multimodal analysis of a Pink Dot 2017 flyer
- 3.1Semiotics of colour
- 3.1.1Value
- 3.1.2Saturation
- 3.1.3Purity
- 3.1.4Modulation
- 3.1.5Differentiation
- 3.1.6Hue
- 3.2Semiotics of typography
- 3.2.1Weight
- 3.2.2Expansion
- 3.2.3Slope
- 3.2.4Curvature
- 3.2.5Connectivity
- 3.2.6Orientation
- 3.2.7Regularity
- 3.3Layout and information structure
- 4.Contextualizing Pink Dot’s discursive attenuation
- 5.Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
-
References