Why Sgapore's gay sex law change is a double-edged sword for LGBTQ activists | CNN

Contents:

• WHY SGAPORE’S GAY SEX LAW CHANGE IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD FOR LGBTQ ACTIVISTS
• SGAPORE REPEALS GAY SEX BAN BUT LIMS PROSPECT OF LEGALIZG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
• SGAPORE TO DECRIMALIZE GAY SEX
• END OF SGAPORE'S GAY SEX BAN A 'SMALL STEP' FOR SOME LGBT UPL
• A YEAR AFTER SGAPORE DECRIMALIZED GAY SEX, ITS LGBT COMMUNY TURNS ATTENTN TO FAY
• 377A: SGAPORE TO END BAN ON GAY SEX
• SGAPORE REPEALS GAY SEX BAN BUT LIMS PROSPECT OF LEGALISG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
• HOMOSEXUALY TO BE LEGAL IN SGAPORE, BUT GAY MARRIAGE WILL HAVE TO WA
• SGAPORE: CRAZY RICH BUT STILL BEHD ON GAY RIGHTS

WHY SGAPORE’S GAY SEX LAW CHANGE IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD FOR LGBTQ ACTIVISTS

When Sgapore announced this week would end a lonial-era law that crimalized sex between men, looked like a big victory for gay rights advot the Southeast Asian untry. That’s bee as put an end to that law, the Sgapore ernment reerated s opposn to gay marriage.

Soon after announcg that nsensual gay sex would no longer be illegal, Prime Mister Lee Hsien Loong said his annual Augt rally speech that his ernment would “uphold and safeguard the stutn of marriage” – fed the Constutn as a unn between man and woman. At the same time, the cy-state is home to var evangelil mega church that preach agast homosexualy.

SGAPORE REPEALS GAY SEX BAN BUT LIMS PROSPECT OF LEGALIZG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Lee noted his speech that gay rights remas “a highly sensive and ntent” issue to nservativ the untry. To gay rights activists, the ntug ban on same-sex marriage is a signifint blow. So while activists the LGBTQ (Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr, Queer) muny weled the repeal of the gay sex law, many were disappoted too.

And that disappotment will only have epened wh the suggtn by some of Lee’s misters that not only would the ernment rema opposed to gay marriage – may even create extra hurdl to prevent people om seekg to challenge the marriage laws urt. Law mister K Shanmugam said an terview wh state media that Parliament, rather than the urts, would hold the power to fe marriage – effectively makg harr for people to legally challenge the ernment’s polici as several gay men have attempted recent years. As associate law profsor Eugene Tan of the Sgapore Management Universy put : “Sgapore removed a law long regard as beg discrimatory towards gay men.

SGAPORE TO DECRIMALIZE GAY SEX

In 2012, Gary Lim and Kenh Chee, a gay uple who had been together for 15 years, challenged the law agast gay sex at Sgapore’s High Court. “For , repealg (the gay sex law) was never about gay marriage, ” the uple said.

“I hope that the nservativ n one day see gay people are not dangero or a threat to them or their children.

The mov e as other parts of Asia, cludg Taiwan, Thailand and India, are regnizg more rights for the lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) muny. “We will try and mata a balance…to uphold a stable society wh tradnal, heterosexual fay valu, but wh space for homosexuals to live their liv and ntribute to society, ” Home Affairs Mister K.

END OF SGAPORE'S GAY SEX BAN A 'SMALL STEP' FOR SOME LGBT UPL

Sectn 377A has a legacy of drivg stigma and discrimatn agast lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) people Sgapore. In a parliamentary bate on sectn 377A 2007, Lee acknowledged that “Homosexuals are part of our society.

Lee said his speech Sunday that he wants gay people to “live their own liv, participate our muny and ntribute fully to Sgapore. SINGAPORE, Aug 22 (Rters) - Sgapore's cisn to lift a lonial-era ban on sex between men is long overdue and will not end discrimatn of LGBT groups the nservative cy-state, rights activists and members of the gay muny said on announcement by Sgapore's prime mister to repeal the so-lled 377A law on Sunday me as he also said the ernment would take steps to prevent legal challeng that would allow same-sex marriag to be regnised.

5 though Sgapore's 377A, unr which offenrs n be jailed for up to two years, has not been enforced on nsentg adult mal for s, some relig groups wanted the statute to stay, fearg that s repeal may promote homosexualy and challenge tradnal fay a move to assuage some of those ncerns, Prime Mister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday his ernment would protect s fn of marriage, that of beg between a man and a woman, om beg challenged nstutnally the urts. Marriage equaly is important to many Sgapore's lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer (LGBTQ) muny, and "the doors to that possibily should not be closed", Choong 30 untri worldwi have legalised same sex marriage, wh Taiwan the only place Asia to do so.

A YEAR AFTER SGAPORE DECRIMALIZED GAY SEX, ITS LGBT COMMUNY TURNS ATTENTN TO FAY

While we believe gay travellers should be exced to vis this cy, ’s important to be aware of the suatn before travellg. The Legal Suatn Gay Sgapore.

Unlike India, Sgapore has not ma the cisn to repeal this law, meang that unr Sectn 377A homosexualy remas illegal (technilly, the law says nothg about same-sex relatns between two women). Other parts of Sgapore’s Penal Co uld also potentially be terpreted to prosecute gay men, like sectn 354 on the ‘outrage of mosty’ or sectn 294A verg obscene acts public.

The media is even forbidn to promote “the glamorizatn of the homosexual liftyle” so the rare ocsn an LGBT character appears on TV they are portrayed as damaged and have to be ‘fixed’.

377A: SGAPORE TO END BAN ON GAY SEX

The Social Suatn Gay Sgapore.

SGAPORE REPEALS GAY SEX BAN BUT LIMS PROSPECT OF LEGALISG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

While many members of the gay muny live their liv relatively unmolted, there is always a sense of a hammer wag to fall. Public opn has gradually swung towards slightly more tolerance towards same-sex relatnships or even gay marriage, although is still not overwhelmgly favour.

Pk Dot, the annual gay pri rally, started 2009 and grows year on year. Proment celebri have e out and there is hope that this will provi spirg role mols for young gay people the closet. To be hont, spe the dire legal suatn for LGBT people Sgapore, ’s unlikely that gay travellers will be negatively affected.

HOMOSEXUALY TO BE LEGAL IN SGAPORE, BUT GAY MARRIAGE WILL HAVE TO WA

After dark there’s a thrivg gay scene and of urse there’s more than enough to do durg the day to keep all travellers – gay, straight, unirn – by and happy.

SGAPORE: CRAZY RICH BUT STILL BEHD ON GAY RIGHTS

It’s jt important to be aware that technilly homosexualy is illegal and so to be nsc of surroundgs and behavur public plac.

Plac to Go Gay Sgapore. In fact, the only thg that might lim gay travellers is the same thg that would lim straight on – budget! In and around Chatown is where most gay bars and clubs are based, so to feel totally ee and easy ’s a good ia to stay here or spend a lot of time here.

) will be more nservative so gay travellers should be aware of any PDA or hand-holdg there.