Khushboo Malhotra
It’s been a month since Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, announced that the government intends to repeal Section 377A, a colonial-era law that criminalizes gay sex, thus making it legal to be a homosexual in the city-state. However, today, the question remains: when will it come into effect?
During the annual National Day Rally, Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, announced on August 21, 2022, that the government will repeal Section 377A, effectively ending the criminalization of gay sex, both de facto and de jure. With this landmark announcement, Singapore joined the list of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region taking action on LGBTQ+ rights and decriminalising gay sex after India, Taiwan, and Thailand.
As reported by BBC, the decision, announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on national TV, comes after years of intense debate. PM Lee Hsien Loong said that attitudes have shifted since 15 years ago when the government decided the law should remain, although it has not been actively enforced.
Although, it is unclear when exactly Section 377A would be repealed.
“The government will repeal section 377A and decriminalise sex between men. I believe this is the right thing to do, and something that most Singaporeans will now accept,” he said. However, the repeal of section 377A falls short of full marriage equality.
PM said the government recognises that “most Singaporeans do not want the repeal to trigger a drastic shift in our societal norms across the board,” including how marriage is defined and how it is taught in schools. “Hence, we will uphold and safeguard the institution of marriage,” he said.
The treatment of LGBTQ+ groups has been a long-standing contentious issue in Singapore, which is known for preserving its conservative and traditional family values. Gay rights activists have long argued that the law conflicts with the affluent city’s evolving vibrant culture, thus a growing number of people demanded the repeal of the colonial-era Section 377A.
Section 377A is a Singaporean law introduced under British colonial rule and has remained a part of the Singapore body of law after the Penal Code review of October 2007 which removed most of the other provisions in Section 377. The law, while retained de jure in the Penal Code, is de facto not enforced – there have been no convictions for sex between consenting male adults in more than a decade.
Scrapping of section 377A law is a landmark decision for the nation and hailed as “a win for humanity” by LGBTQ+ rights groups. They have applauded the decision but also expressed concern that ruling out same-sex marriage would help perpetuate discrimination.
As reported by The Guardian, a jointly signed statement, released by 22 LGBTQ+ groups, including Pink Dot Sg, expressed relief that the law would finally be changed, describing the news as “our hard-won victory, a triumph of love over fear.”
“The repeal of section 377A, while long overdue, is a significant milestone and a powerful statement that state-sanctioned discrimination has no place in Singapore.”. The statement “For everyone who has experienced the kinds of bullying, rejection and harassment enabled by this law, repeal finally enables us to begin the process of healing. For those that long for a more equal and inclusive Singapore, repeal signifies that change is indeed possible,”
Meanwhile, Protect Singapore, a conservative opponent group, said they were “deeply disappointed” that the repeal was going ahead without assurance of “comprehensive safeguards.” They called for the definition of heterosexual marriage to be fully enshrined in the constitution, as well as laws banning “LGBT promotion” to children.
Khushboo Malhotra
Khushboo is a Twitter Editor at Empoword Journalism. She is an Award-nominated lifestyle and pop culture journalist, writer, and budding entrepreneur aiming to break down the boundaries of cultural stigma and shame attached to mental health and sexual health and bring marginalised topics to light. Send your stories, tips, and press announcements to khushboomalhotrafreelance@gmail.com