Singapore to scrap anti-gay sex law, amend constitution to prevent marriage equality
- PM Lee said in a key policy speech that the dual move represented a balance of views among Singaporeans on the issue
- It will provide ‘some relief to gay Singaporeans’ while also retaining ‘the basic family structure of marriage between a man and a woman’
Speaking during his annual policy address, Lee said the dual move represented a “political accommodation … that balances different legitimate views and aspirations among Singaporeans” on the issue.
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Singapore to decriminalise gay sex, but will not change city state’s definition of marriage
The announcement was widely expected, with local media in recent days publishing reports speculating on the form of constitutional amendments that might be enacted to accompany the scrapping of a law that is a holdover from the time of British colonial rule.
Some religious groups have strongly opposed changes to the status quo, with a major bloc representing the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches saying that repealing S377A would facilitate “the progress of a brand of intolerant and aggressive LGBT activism which seeks to impose its ideology upon Singapore society”.
In his speech, Lee said the government’s consultations before its decision found that “most Singaporeans do not want the repeal to trigger a drastic shift in our societal norms across the board”.
He added: “For most, their main worry is what they feel S377A stands for, and what they fear repealing it may quickly lead to.”