Call it the Sex-aporean Revolution. Call it the first government-endorsed aphrodisiac. Call it what you will.
The stuffy men of the amusingly strict and conservative Singaporean government have unexpectedly shed their suited image, unleashed their Dr. Ruth within and begun a policy designed to entice citizens of their tiny island nation to enter into committed sexual relationships.
Why? Well, as the profound Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong declared four years ago, "We need more babies!" Mr. Tong is not an alarmist, Singapore's birthrate has indeed plummeted well below the "replacement level" necessary to keep the status quo in the tiny city-state.
What's the problem? It is not that infertility is rampant on the island, but rather that Singaporeans appear to be simply not all that interested in sex. Two years in a row, Singapore has placed last in a Durex Condoms poll of how often men and women in 34 different nations have sex. The National University of Singapore sponsored a study of 1,000 Singaporeans under 40 which revealed that only 25 percent of men and 10 percent of women desired more than six sexual experiences a month.
So, what is the government proposing to do about Singapore's lack of salaciousness? For one, once-banned magazines like Cosmopolitan and television shows like "Sex and the City" are being allowed into the city-state. Second, the government has launched an aggressive pro-coupling policy complete with a dating Web site (www.lovebyte.org.sg) and discrete, suggestive articles like "Let's get on the Love Wagon" published in government-controlled newspapers. The above-mentioned article included suggestions on how to find secluded rendezvous sites.
But will these strategies work to pump up the romance in Singapore? Maybe, but probably not. Their goal is not random coupling, but marriages, especially among the educated. Tips like "the beach is a great place for a first date, just don't forget suntan lotion!" and "smiling is a great way to connect, so flash those pearly whites!" may provoke a bit of chuckling from readers but probably will not make them rush out to find a mate.
The problem the government of Singapore faces is not just flaccid libido, but the increasing acceptability of singleness. Across most of Western Europe a new type of civil union has replaced marriage. For both same-sex and opposite-sex couples these unions give legal-couple status without all the traditional trappings of marriage and without the lifelong commitment.
Floating out in cyberspace, intermixed with a plethora of dating engines and chat rooms is a new type of Web site, exemplified by quirkyalone.net and itsoktobesingle.com. These sites are havens for the chronically single who are not against romance but not actively seeking it and, thus, are often alone. These sites support singles reacting against the incessant push to find a life partner -- singles happy with their lives despite carrying the stigma of aloneness. Singleness is becoming no longer pathetic, but vogue.
So what can Singapore do to make sure its existence continues into the next century? Short of donning polyester pants and teaching all Singaporean men age 5 and up the art of speaking like Joey Tribbiani, there may be little they can do to reverse the trend. The zealously modern citizens of Singapore are doubtful to take to traditional romantic values, and that puts the government in a quandary. Endorsing non-committed sexual unions is a step few governments are willing to take.
But perhaps that is the future. Marriage is not obsolete, but the modern generation does not see it as necessary. More and more couples live together and start families without ever vowing "till death do us part." For its survival, Singapore may be forced to stop pushing traditional romance and start offering its citizens more options. Nothing is sexier than choice.
Katie Kelberlau learned everything she knows about relationships by reading "Let's Get on the Love Wagon." Reach her at katherine.kelberlau@asu.edu.
