Singapore’s gay sex ban and the LGBTQ+ movement: The story so far

 | 
02/01/2021

It has been an important week for LGBTQ+ activists in Singapore, both in the courtroom and on the streets. While the affluent country has seen some moves towards liberalisation, the queer community continue to fight against legal and social inequality. Recently, campaigners launched an appeal against the 2020 High Court decision to uphold Singapore’s colonial-era gay sex ban. Section 377A of the Penal Code was enacted in 1938 and carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison for consensual sex between adult men. Though it is rarely enforced, the law is a major concern for the LGBTQ+ community and a divisive issue for Singaporean society as a whole. After a government review of the penal codes in October 2007, many of the provisions of Section 377 were repealed, however, the ban on gay sex was maintained. In the years since, several different cases have been brought against the legislation, primarily on the grounds that it undermines the rights to personal liberty and equality as outlined in Singapore’s constitution. In 2012, Lim Meng Suang and Kenneth Chee Mun-Leon, a gay couple of over 15 years, brought a constitutional challenge to Section 337A. However, the case was dismissed by the High Court and later the Court of Appeal, where it was ruled that the issue was a matter for parliament.

Regions: ,

Share this:

Latest Global News

Added on: 12/05/2023
12/04/2023
Nineteen states, including Nebraska, joined last week to oppose a proposed federal rule that aims to protect LGBTQ youth in foster care and provide …
Added on: 12/05/2023
12/04/2023
Transgender women with a history of violence against women and girls will not be held in female prisons – unless there is “compelling evidence” …
Added on: 12/05/2023
12/04/2023
“Gay or not gay, Uganda’s AHA is coming for you.” That is human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo’s description of the effects of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality …

Explore LGBTQ+ Issues

Other News from ,

Added on: 12/04/2023
Hochemin Islam, a prominent transgender rights activist, was set to speak at “Women’s Career Carnival” on November 24 at the capital’s North South University …
Added on: 12/04/2023
Nepal’s first legally recognized gay couple have vowed to continue fighting for the rights of men and women who are just like them, citing that …
Added on: 12/02/2023
A tight-knit community in San Francisco has suddenly found itself divided over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, leaving some feeling cut off from the …