Singapore To Decriminalize Sex Between Men But Will Also Amend Constitution To Ban Same-Sex Marriage

ABC News reports:

Singapore announced Sunday it will decriminalize sex between men by repealing a colonial-era law while protecting the city-state’s traditional norms and its definition of marriage.

During his speech at the annual National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he believed it is the “right thing to do now” as most Singaporeans will now accept it.

“Private sexual behavior 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,” Lee said. “This will bring the law into line with current social mores and I hope provide some relief to gay Singaporeans.”

The Washington Post reports:

Singapore will not allow same-sex marriages even as it moves to repeal a law that criminalizes sex between gay men, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced Sunday.

The government plans to amend the country’s constitution to limit its definition of marriage to between a man and a woman, and protect that definition from court challenge.

Titled “Outrages on decency,” section 377A states that sex between men is punishable by up to two years in prison. Rights activists describe the colonial-era penal code section as archaic, discriminatory and a contributor to social stigma by branding members of the LGBTQ community as criminals.

The BBC reports:



Singapore inherited 377A from the British and chose to retain it after independence in 1965. Though the law technically criminalises sex between men, it is effectively seen as a ban on homosexuality. As it has not been actively enforced in recent years, a thriving and increasingly visible LGBT scene has developed in Singapore, including gay nightclubs.

But LGBT activists have long called for 377A to be scrapped, saying the law goes against Singapore’s constitution which forbids discrimination, and has trickled down to influence other aspects of life. For instance, any content deemed as “promoting homosexuality” can be banned from broadcast in Singapore, and TV shows and movies have in the past been censored.