State media censors in Singapore have banned the sale of a ‘Life With Archie” comic due to its frank depiction of same sex marriage.
Released in 2012, the cover features the interracial same sex wedding of Kevin Keller and his partner Clay Walker.
The comic was banned earlier this year but news of its prohibition has only now surfaced following Singapore’s National Library Board pulling a number of books from its shelves due their depiction of LGBT people and same sex relationships.
The ban was put in place by Singapore’s Media Development Authority, who issued the following statement on the matter to TIME magazine:
““[We]… found its content to be in breach of guidelines because of its depiction of the same sex marriage of two characters in the comic,” a spokesperson said.
“We thus informed the local distributor not to import or distribute the comic in retail outlets.”
The MDA’s guidelines for imported publications state that comics and other illustrated materials are forbidden from depicting “alternative lifestyles or deviant sexual practices,”, which is specified to include homosexuality, group sex and sadomasochism.
The same comic series made headlines this week when its title character met his demise by taking a bullet for Keller, now a newly elected senator.
Oral and anal sex between men is currently banned in Singapore, however this law was legally challenged in the high court this week.
Singapore’s LGBT celebration, Pink Dot, this year drew a record number of 26,000 people.
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