NextSharkNextShark.com

Singapore to end colonial-era ban on sex between men

Singapore to end colonial-era ban on sex between men

Men in Singapore can soon have sex with other men as the city-state announces its plan to repeal a colonial era law criminalizing the act.

August 22, 2022
SHARE
Men in Singapore can soon legally have sex with other men as the Southeast Asian city-state announces its plan to repeal a colonial era law criminalizing the act.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the long-awaited move in his National Day Rally speech on Sunday, saying he hopes it provides “some relief to gay Singaporeans.”
“The government will repeal Section 377A and decriminalize sex between men. I believe this is the right thing to do and something that Singaporeans will accept,” Lee said.
Singapore chose to retain Section 377A after winning its independence from Great Britain in 1965. For decades, the law, which sentences convicts for up to two years, has been a lightning rod for gay activists.
But there have been no known convictions for decades. Additionally, the law does not criminalize sex between women and other genders.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

While the repeal was planned and expected, Lee assured the public that “we will uphold and safeguard the institution of marriage.” This means marriage in the country remains reserved between a man and a woman.
It’s unclear when exactly the law will be repealed, but members of the local gay community welcomed the change nonetheless.
“We finally did it, and we’re ecstatic that this discriminatory, antiquated law is finally going to be off the books,” Johnson Ong, an activist, told the BBC. “There’s a sense that maybe it took a little too long, but it had to happen, you know. Today we are very, very happy.”
However, others believe it is not enough.
“It’s just a small, little step. But beyond that, if you’re going to have a family or you want marriage and want to be in Singapore and to be treated equally, that’s not going to happen,” Andre Ling, who is married to an Australian man, told Reuters. “By coming to Singapore, we knew that our marriage certificate will be like a piece of toilet paper.”
In a joint statement, 22 LGBTQ-plus organizations acknowledged the repeal as the “first step on a long road towards full equality.”
“Our immediate priorities in the wake of S377A will be to tackle the areas of discrimination that we continue to face at home, in schools, workplaces, and in housing and health systems,” the statement said.
 
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Carl Samson

      Carl Samson is a Senior Editor for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.