Sgapore repeals gay sex ban but lims prospect of legalisg same-sex marriage | Rters

Contents:

• WHY SGAPORE’S GAY SEX LAW CHANGE IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD FOR LGBTQ ACTIVISTS
• SGAPORE GAY TRAVEL
• FOR SGAPORE’S GAY MEN, REPEAL OF SEX BAN BRGS HOPE AFTER YEARS OF PA
• END OF SGAPORE'S GAY SEX BAN A 'SMALL STEP' FOR SOME LGBT UPL
• SGAPORE’S LATT RULG ON GAY SEX IS ‘COLD COMFORT,’ ACTIVISTS SAY
• GO HOME, GAY BOY! OR, WHY DO SGAPOREAN GAY MEN PREFER TO "GO HOME" AND NOT "E OUT"?
• SGAPORE REPEALS GAY SEX BAN BUT LIMS PROSPECT OF LEGALIZG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
• SGAPORE UPHOLDS COLONIAL ANTI-GAY LAWS: BEG GAY REMAS ILLEGAL FOR 5.7 MILLN PEOPLE
• THE BT GAY BARS AND CLUBS SGAPORE
• SGAPORE REPEALS GAY SEX BAN BUT LIMS PROSPECT OF LEGALISG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
• A YEAR AFTER SGAPORE DECRIMALIZED GAY SEX, ITS LGBT COMMUNY TURNS ATTENTN TO FAY
• SHOGUN (SGAPORE GAY SNA)
• KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

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. 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.

SGAPORE GAY TRAVEL

So while activists the LGBTQ (Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr, Queer) muny weled the repeal of the gay sex law, many were disappoted too.

FOR SGAPORE’S GAY MEN, REPEAL OF SEX BAN BRGS HOPE AFTER YEARS OF PA

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.

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.

Phnom Pehn's gay men-only boutique hotel, spa, pool and rtrant...

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

QUNCI VILLAS, a gay-iendly, gay-managed tropil rort on the heavenly island of Lombak, jt next to Bali... Sgapore is a marvelo, glimmerg Southeast Asian statn that gay travelers love to vis.

A major bs hub, gay lols and ex-pats meld together, formg a strong and vibrant gay muny. To the surprise of many tourists, the cy has a cent bunch of entertag gay bars and snas to explore. I disvered so much about lol gay life durg my brief yet actn-packed vis to Sgapore.

SGAPORE’S LATT RULG ON GAY SEX IS ‘COLD COMFORT,’ ACTIVISTS SAY

I was lucky enough to make iends wh a few gay lols along wh their ex-pat iends who troduced me to the cy. When you add lic food, gay nightlife, and unbelievable hotel optns bookg a trip here sounds like a no-braer! Here are a few other fantastic hotels and hostels for gay travelers Sgapore that are highly rated, affordable, and perfectly loted for explorg the cy.

GO HOME, GAY BOY! OR, WHY DO SGAPOREAN GAY MEN PREFER TO "GO HOME" AND NOT "E OUT"?

Even though Sgapore is a nservative natn, that hasn’t stopped a vibrant gay neighborhood om thrivg here.

Sgapore’s gay district is effectively the Chatown neighborhood. And while ’s not as ostentat as the gay districts of big-time gay statns,  boasts a range of gay nightlife venu and LGBT-iendly tablishments.

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

As I remend the sectns above, stayg anywhere the southern half of Sgapore’s Central Area will make super nvenient to accs the lol gay bars.

From what I uld tell, though, gay lols don’t live exclively the Sgapore gay area. Gay bars tend to ncentrate Chatown, but don’t lim yourself to stayg this neighborhood! Dorothy’s is a pact Wizard of Oz-themed gay bar Sgapore’s Chatown neighborhood.

SGAPORE UPHOLDS COLONIAL ANTI-GAY LAWS: BEG GAY REMAS ILLEGAL FOR 5.7 MILLN PEOPLE

The vibe at Dorothy’s is fely more relaxed than your typil gay bar, but I found this to be enjoyable. He troduced me to his gay iends, who had moved to Sgapore om different untri like France and Costa Ri. Lluvia is one other lol gay bar and rtrant worth mentng, though they’re not nearly as popular as Tantric and Dorothy’s.

Given how nservative the untry is, might surprise you that Sgapore has several gay snas to explore. Keybox is the biggt gay sna Sgapore and has recently moved to a new 5, 000-square-foot space. One may thk that the morny of Sgapore would e along wh some gay rights.

There are still no protectns for LGBT dividuals though, and gay marriage is still not regnized Sgapore. But, he also mentned that visors mt regnize Sgapore’s nservative culture and anti-gay laws. Gay rights challeng asi, is fortg that Sgapore has gay bars and events that allow the LGBT muny to e together.

THE BT GAY BARS AND CLUBS SGAPORE

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

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

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.

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

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’. While many members of the gay muny live their liv relatively unmolted, there is always a sense of a hammer wag to fall.

SHOGUN (SGAPORE GAY SNA)

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. 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.

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

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

In fact, the only thg that might lim gay travellers is the same thg that would lim straight on – budget!

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

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.