Singapore will decriminalise sex between men said the country’s Prime Minister in a move damned by an alliance of religious groups.
Lee Hsien Loong’s decision to repeal Section 377A of the penal code, a British colonial-era law that criminalises sex between men, was welcomed by LGBTQ activists who also expressed concern after he ruled out introducing same-sex marriage.
In his annual national day rally speech, Lee said Singaporean society, especially young people in the city-state, was becoming more accepting of gay people.
“I believe this is the right thing to do, and something that most Singaporeans will now accept,” he said.
But Lee added that the government did not want “wholesale changes in our society”, including alterations to the legal definition of marriage.
“Even as we repeal 377A, we will uphold and safeguard the institution of marriage. Under the law, only marriages between one man and one woman are recognised in Singapore,” he said.
It was unclear when exactly Section 377A would be repealed.
Some religious groups including Muslims, Catholics and some Protestants continued to resist any repeal of the law, Lee said.
An alliance of more than 80 churches expressed strong disappointment on Sunday over the government’s decision.
“The repeal is an extremely regrettable decision which will have a profound impact on the culture that our children and future generations of Singaporeans will live in,” it said.
Singapore becomes the latest Asian country to move toward ending discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community.
In 2018, India’s highest court scrapped a colonial-era ban on gay sex, while Thailand has recently edged closer to legalising same-sex unions.
Under Singapore’s Section 377A, offenders can be jailed for up to two years under the law, but it is not currently actively enforced. There have been no known convictions for sex between consenting adult males for decades and the law does not include sex between women or other genders.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) groups have brought multiple legal challenges attempting to strike down the law, but none has succeeded.
On Sunday, several LGBTQ rights groups said in a joint statement they were “relieved” by Lee’s announcement.
“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,” they said in the statement.
