LGBTQ groups welcomed Lee’s decision to repeal Section 377A of the penal code, a colonial-era law that criminalizes sex between men, but also expressed concern that a ban on same-sex marriage would help perpetuate discrimination . In his annual speech at the national day rally, Lee said Singaporean society, especially young people in the city-state, are becoming more gay-accepting. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register “I think this is the right thing to do and something that most Singaporeans will now accept,” he said. It was not clear when exactly Article 377A will be repealed. Singapore becomes the latest Asian country to move towards ending discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community. In 2018, India’s highest court overturned a colonial-era ban on gay sex, while Thailand recently moved closer to legalizing same-sex unions. Under Singapore’s Section 377A, offenders can be jailed for up to two years under the law, but it is currently not actively enforced. There have been no known convictions for sex between consenting adult men in decades, and the law does not include sex between women or other sexes. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) groups have brought several legal challenges trying to overturn the law, but none have succeeded. On Sunday, several LGBTQ rights groups said in a joint statement that they were “relieved” by Lee’s announcement. “For all those who have experienced the kinds of bullying, rejection and harassment that this law allows, the repeal finally gives us the opportunity to begin the process of healing,” they said in the statement. But the groups also urged the government not to heed calls from religious conservatives to enshrine the definition of marriage in the constitution, saying it would mean LGBTQ+ citizens are not equal.
RESISTANCE
In February, Singapore’s highest court had ruled that since the law was not being enforced, it did not violate constitutional rights, as the plaintiffs argued, and confirmed that the law could not be used to prosecute men for same-sex sex. Some religious groups including Muslims, Catholics and some Protestants continued to resist any repeal of the law, Lee said. An alliance of more than 80 churches expressed strong dismay on Sunday at the government’s decision. “The repeal is an extremely regrettable decision that will have a profound impact on the culture in which our children and future generations of Singaporeans will live,” it said. Singapore is a multiracial and multireligious society of 5.5 million, of whom about 16% are Muslim, with larger Buddhist and Christian communities. It has a predominantly Chinese population with significant Malay and Indian minorities, according to the 2020 census. Emphasizing his government’s continued support for the traditional definition of marriage, Lee said: “We believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, that children should grow up in such families, that the traditional family should is the basic structural element of society. .” Singapore will “protect the definition of marriage from being constitutionally challenged in the courts”, he said. “This will help us to repeal Section 377A in a controlled and carefully considered manner.” Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reporting by Chen Lin Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor and Gareth Jones Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
