Singapore abolishes sex between men – but PM pledges to protect institution of marriage | World News
The Prime Minister said that sex between men will be eliminated in Singapore at a time when society is becoming more accepting of gay people.
Lee Hsien Loong announced the government would repeal Section 377A of the penal code, a colonial-era law that criminalized sex between men.
Under Section 377A, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, but it is currently not actively enforced.
For decades there has been no conviction for sex between consenting adult males, and the law does not include sex between women or of other genders.
Mr. Lee said Singapore is a traditional society with conservative social values, and he also vowed to “preserve and protect the institution of marriage” between men and women, saying that only such marriages are recognized in the city. city.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups in Singapore have faced numerous legal challenges trying to get rid of the controversial law, but none have been successful.
Explaining the reason for the repeal, Mr. Lee noted that there was a real risk that the judges would rule against the law in future challenges, and that it would be unwise to ignore this and do nothing.
Society’s attitudes towards homosexuals, he added, have also “changed dramatically” and it’s timely to reconsider whether private sex between men is a crime or not. are not.
“We need to find the right way to reconcile and accommodate the traditions of our society, as well as the desire of Singaporean gays to be respected and accepted,” he said.
Thousands of people gathered at a park for the annual Pink Dot gay pride event in Singapore in 2017. Photo: AP
“I believe (repeat) is the right thing to do and is something most Singaporeans would accept today. This will bring the law into line with current social issues and, I hope, will helping gay Singaporeans,” he said. said by the Straits Times.
Speaking about his annual rally, the prime minister said that Section 377A was originally introduced in the 1930s by the British colonial government, when attitudes differed.
He said that over time, homosexuality has become more understood, leading to greater acceptance of homosexuals.
Many countries with similar laws have also abolished them, including some in Asia, he continued.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
According to previous polls, 6 out of 10 people in 2013 felt homosexual sex was always wrong, the South China Morning Post reported.
But that number dropped to 5 out of 10 when the same question was asked in 2019 to more than 4,000 respondents.
Another poll showed that the proportion of Singaporeans opposed to 377A had increased from 12% in 2018 to 20% now, the newspaper said.
