In a national address on Sunday, the prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, said repealing Section 377A of the penal code would bring the law into line with current social attitudes and “provide some relief to gay Singaporeans”. However, Lee added that the government does not want “wholesale changes to our society”, including changes to the legal definition of marriage. “Even when we repeal 377A, we will support and preserve the institution of marriage. Under the law, only marriages between a man and a woman are recognized in Singapore,” he said. Article 377A, which was introduced under British colonial rule, criminalises “any act of gross indecency with another man”. The law carries a prison sentence of up to two years, although it is believed not to have been enforced for more than a decade. Campaigners gather in a formation to protest Section 377A of Singapore’s penal code which criminalises “any act of gross indecency with another man”. Photo: Feline Lim/Reuters For years, campaigners have repeatedly challenged Article 377A in the courts, but to no avail. A joint statement, released by 22 LGBTQ+ groups, expressed relief that the law would finally be changed, describing the news as “our hard-earned victory, a triumph of love over fear.” “The repeal of Section 377A, while long overdue, is an important milestone and a strong statement that state-enforced discrimination has no place in Singapore,” said the statement, which was signed by various groups including Pink Dot Sg, non-profit movement supporting the LGBTQ+ community. The decision was “a victory for humanity,” he said. “For all those who have experienced the kinds of bullying, rejection and harassment this law allows, repeal finally gives us the opportunity to begin the process of healing. For those who yearn for a more equal and inclusive Singapore, repeal means that change is indeed possible,” it said. But the groups said the move to repeal the law came too late for many. “To the past victims of section 377A and its consequential consequences, including those who faced threats of imprisonment by the police, raids and criminal prosecutions, repeal will never be able to fully right the historical wrongs you have faced.” The groups also expressed disappointment that Lee said he intended to change the constitution to prevent future legal challenges to the existing definition of marriage. The poll has shown that Singaporeans have become more supportive of same-sex relationships. The Ipsos survey, released in June, found that just under half of respondents, 44%, agreed with section 377A – up from 55% in 2018. A gay couple kisses during a mass wedding banquet in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei. Taiwan is the only country in Asia that legally recognizes same-sex marriage. Photo: Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images Religious groups, however, have voiced their opposition to the change and said it could lead to further calls for equal marriage. Lee said during his National Day speech on Sunday that most Singaporeans do not want changes in the definition of marriage, nor in “what we teach children in schools, what is shown on free-to-air TV and in cinemas or in general . acceptable behavior in public’. Singapore’s broadcast codes restrict content promoting LGBTQ+ “lifestyles” and have led to censorship of high-profile figures, including Barack Obama’s 2016 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, in which he praised the host as a role model. More recently, Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear was deemed unsuitable for children under the age of 16 because it features a lesbian couple. Benjamin Xue, co-founder of LGBTQ+ youth advocacy group Young Out Here, said the announcement that section 377A would be repealed was a pivotal moment that he hoped would “increase empathy and understanding for future policy changes”. Section 377, a legacy of colonial rule, continues to exist in some form in many countries across Asia, including Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Myanmar and Brunei. In all of Asia, only Taiwan has legally recognized same-sex marriage.
