After 90 years homosexuality has been legalised in Singapore as the Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, has lifted the ‘gay sex ban’.
On August 21 Singapore’s PM announced on national TV that the law banning gay sex would be repealed, but same-sex marriage would remain illegal.
Singapore ‘gay sex ban’ lifted
Section 377A of Singapore’s penal code banned consensual same-sex activities between men. It was introduced in the 1930s as a result of British colonialism and has now been lifted.
The prime minister stated: ‘Private sexual behaviour between consenting adults does not raise any law and order issue. There is no justification to prosecute people for it nor to make it a crime.
‘This will bring the law into line with current social mores and I hope provide some relief to gay Singaporeans.’
However, the legalisation of homosexuality does not grant any further rights to LGBTQ+ people besides the element of persecution from the law. Lee went on to say that marriage would remain between man and woman and he vowed to uphold the institution of marriage.
While many have been celebrating this change, others have been critical of it. Jolovan Wham, social worker and activist, is one of the many voices criticising this move.
Speaking to the Financial Times, he said that the move to legalise gay sex while vowing to protect traditional marriages tells others it is acceptable to treat LGBTQ+ people as “second-class citizens”.
What other countries are doing
Around the same time that the Singaporean prime minister announced Section 377A was being repealed, Vietnam’s health ministry announced that being gay is “not a disease”.
What’s more, they announced that conversion therapy would be banned. Both Southeast Asian countries are making steps towards furthering LGBTQ+ equality.
Over in Europe, the European Commission is taking legal action against Hungary for banning what is often unrightfully called “homosexual propaganda”.
Although, steps are being taking there is still more that can be done for the rights of the LBGTQ+ community.
