Singapore will end its ban of gay sex following years of debate of gay rights in the conservative nation. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the decision on national television on Sunday.
Previously the government had indicated it would no longer prosecute people under the laws which could be traced back the country’s time as a British colony. Now the laws will be repealed completely.
“I believe this is the right thing to do, and something that most Singaporeans will accept,” Prime Minister Lee said.
“Like every human society we have gay people in our midst. They are our fellow Singaporeans, they are our colleagues, our friends and our family members.
“They too want to live their own lives, participate in our community, and contribute fully to Singapore, and we need to find the right way to reconcile and accommodate both the traditional mores of our society and the aspiration of gay Singaporeans to respected and accepted.
He went on to say that “gay people are now better accepted” and removing statute 377A of the country’s penal code would bring Singapore’s laws in line with “current social mores, and I hope it will bring some relief to gay Singaporeans.”
Prime Minister Lee said there was no longer any reason for people to be prosecuted under the act, and highlighted that recent court challenges had shown that there was a strong possibility that court’s would eventually rule that laws to be unconstitutional.
At the same time the Prime Minister announced that Singapore would make sure that it’s laws relating to marriage would be reviewed to ensure the definition remained strictly as an act between a man and a woman.
“We believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, that children should be born and raised within such families, that the traditional family should for the basic building block of our society. Most Singaporean’s would like to keep their society like this, and this is the government’s position too.”
The statements were made as part of the Prime Minister’s annual National Day Rally speech, an annual address which sees the government outlining it’s priorities for the year ahead. Singapore celebrates it’s National Day 9th August, and the speech is traditionally delivered within the following fortnight.
The campaign for gay rights has been restrained as the country does not allow overt political activism. However the annual Pink Dot gathering has slowly grown to increase awareness about LGBTIQA+ rights.
Since it first began in 2009, Pink Dot has attracted larger crowd each successive year with over 28,000 people gathering in Hong Lim Park to call for LGBTI rights in the island nation.
Following the announcement Pink Dot released a statement welcoming to government’s decision describing it has a “significant milestone and a powerful statement that state-sanction discrimination has no place in Singapore.”
“The demise of Section 377A represents something different for each of us. For everyone who has experienced the kinds of bullying, rejection and harassment enabled by this law, repealing it finally enables us to begin the process of healing.” the group said.
“However it has arrived far too late for many. To the past victims of Section 377A and its cascading effects, including those who have faced threats of police entrapment, raids and criminal charges, repeal will never be able to fully right the historic wrongs that you have faced.
“To others whom we have lost along the way, we have not forgotten the heavy toll that this law has exacted upon you and your loved ones.”
Pink Dot said it was disappointing that at the same time the laws criminalising homosexuality were being removed, the government was also adjusting the constitution to stop same-sex marriages being recognised in the future.
“Any move by the government to introduce further legislation or constitutional amendments that signal LGBTQ+ people as unequal citizens is disappointing.” Pink Dot said.
The group said the government should resists calls from religious groups to amend the constitution as it undermined the foundation of Singapore as a secular society.
Graeme Watson, Image of Lee Hsien Loong by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley (public domain)
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