The gay teen romantic comedy Love,
Simon has received a 21 and older rating in Singapore.
The R21 rating means that a person must
be over the age of 21 to view the film. The film's target audience,
however, is teenagers.
In the film from out director Greg
Berlanti, 17-year-old Simon (played by Nick Robinson) begins
corresponding with another closeted high school student.
The film's “homosexual theme” is
specifically cited for the higher rating by the Infocomm Media
Development Authority (IMDA), the statutory board of the Singapore
government that issues such ratings.
“The theme of homosexuality,
therefore, forms the main narrative of the film as the protagonist is
portrayed to overcome his fear of being rejected as a gay male; and
coupled with the support of his friends, gradually gains confidence
to seek out the real identity of his love interest. According to the
R21 Classification Guidelines 'stronger and more explicit portrayal
and exploration of mature themes are allowed,'” the IMDA wrote in
the film's classification.
According to Indiewire,
nearly 12,000 people have signed a petition calling on the IMDA to
give Love, Simon a lower age-restricted film rating. The film
is rated PG-13 in the United States.
“By making Love, Simon NC16, I
am positive that it will have a huge impact on young teenagers
struggling to find acceptance from family and friends,” the
petition reads. “It will also educate people that being free and
accepted is just what everyone in this extensive community wants.
Hopefully, it will also change people's negative perception of the
LGBTQ+ community.”