‘Long way to equality’ in Singapore despite plan to end ban on gay sex
Singapore’s gay community has hailed a plan to decriminalise sex between men as "a triumph of love over fear", but warned there is still a long way to equality and new bans on same-sex unions could entrench discrimination against them.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong caught many by surprisewhen he announced in his National Day Rally speech that the government would repeal Section 377 a of the pen al code, a colonial-era law that made sex between men punish able by up to two years in jail.
Since 2007, when parliament last debated whether to repeal Section 377A, its position was to keep the law but not enforce it, but Mr Lee said societal norms have shifted considerably and many Singaporeans will accept decriminalisation.
However, he vowed the repeal will be limited and will not shake Singapore's traditional family and societal norms including how marriage is defined, what children are taught in schools, what is shown on television and general public conduct.
He said the government will amend the constitution to "safeguard the institution of marriage" and prevent any constitutional challenge to allow same-sex unions.
The timing of the repeal or the constitutional change was not disclosed.
More than 20 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups - including Pink Dot SG, which organises an annual rally that attracts thousands of supporters - said the repeal was long overdue to show that "state-sanctioned discrimination has no place in Singapore".
They called it a" hard-won victory,a triumph of love over fear" that will enable victims of bullying, rejection and harassment to heal.
However, the groups said the repeal was merely "the first step on a long road towards full equality for LGBTQ people" amid other areas of discrimination they face at home, in schools, workplaces, and housing and health systems.
They expressed disappointment with the government's plan to introduce further legislation or constitutional amendments to ban same-sex unions that signal LGBTQ people as unequal citizens.
Such a decision will "undermine the secular character of our constitution, codify further discrimination into supreme law and tie the hands of future parliaments", they warned.
Religious groups were guarded in their reaction to Mr Lee's comments, saying the changes must not hinder their religious freedom to articulate views on public morality nor cause any "reverse discrimination" on those who do not support homosexuality.
Christian and Muslim groups said heterosexual marriage must be protected in the constitution before Section 377A is repealed and there should be no further liberalisation of policies.
"We seek the government's assurance that the religious freedom of churches will be protected as we continue to teach against same-sex sexual acts and highlight such acts ," the National Council of Churches said in a statement.
Pastors and church workers must be protected from charges of" hate speech" and not be compelled to adopt solely "Lgbtqaffirming" strategies in their counselling, it said.