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
• END OF SGAPORE'S GAY SEX BAN A 'SMALL STEP' FOR SOME LGBT UPL
• SGAPORE GAY TRAVEL
• THE BT GAY BARS AND CLUBS SGAPORE
• SGAPORE’S LATT RULG ON GAY SEX IS ‘COLD COMFORT,’ ACTIVISTS SAY
• ATRALIAN OUTLOOK HOME ATRALIAN OUTLOOK A STEP FORWARD FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS SGAPORE, BUT A LONG JOURNEY REMASIN THIS SECTN GO BACK TO ATRALIAN OUTLOOKABOUTA STEP FORWARD FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS SGAPORE, BUT A LONG JOURNEY REMAS02 SEP 2022BY PROFSOR MEREDH L. WEISSANALYSIS SHAREFACEBOOKTWTERLKEDSGAPORE’S ERNMENT PLANS TO REPEAL A LONIAL-ERA BAN ON SODOMY, WHILE STRENGTHENG NSTUTNAL SAFEGUARDS TO FORTALL MOVEMENT TOWARD MARRIAGE EQUALY. HOWEVER IMPORTANT, CRIMALISATN ALONE WILL HAVE LIMED IMPACT ON MOST LGBTQ SGAPOREANS’ LIV ABSENT WIR SOCIETAL AND LEGAL CHANG.IN HIS 21 AUGT 2022 NATNAL DAY RALLY SPEECH—SGAPORE’S PREEMENT FOM FOR GRAND POLIL PRONOUNCEMENTS—PRIME MISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG CLARED THAT HIS PEOPLE’S ACTN PARTY (PAP) ADMISTRATN WOULD REPEAL PORTNS OF SECTN 377A OF THE LONIAL-LEGACY CRIMAL , RENRG SODOMY OFFICIALLY LEGAL. THE ERNMENT CLARED S TENT NO LONGER TO ENFORCE THE LAW S OF NSENSUAL, PRIVATE SEX BETWEEN ADULTS FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, ALBE RETAG THE PREROGATIVE TO VTIGATE POSSIBLE VLATNS OF THOSE CRERIA. LEGAL CHALLENG NOTED THE PATENT IRREGULARY OF RETAG A LAW NOT TO BE ED, TH STAG THE ISSON OF THREAT OR A CHANGE OF HEART. BY NOW, PECIALLY ON THE HEELS OF A THREE-SE EFFORT THE HIGH URT THAT END ON APPEAL WH A JUDGMENT ALL BUT DARG PARLIAMENT TO LEGISLATE—AMID ANX MBLGS OM RELIG NSERVATIV—REPEAL OF SECTN 377A WAS ALL BUT CERTA.HOWEVER EXPECTED, THE ERNMENT’S CHANGE OF HEART STILL RAIS QUTNS. MOST OBVLY: WHAT DO THIS MEAN FOR GAY RIGHTS SGAPORE? AND IS THIS A MOL OR TIPPG POT FOR THE REGN?ALAS, REPEALG THIS ONE LAW WILL NOT RADILLY CHANGE EXPERIENCE OF GAY LIFE SGAPORE. ON THE ONE HAND, LEGALISATN IS NOT TANTAMOUNT TO SOCIETAL EMBRACE: SOCIETAL PREJUDICE MAY WELL OUTLAST SECTN 377A. ONE NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE OTHER SHAS THE LGBTQ RABOW BEYOND GAY MEN FOR PROOF. SECTN 377A DO NOT ADDRS LBIANS OR TRANSGENR PEOPLE, YET THEY, TOO, ENDURE NSTRATS. ELSEWHERE ASIA, SUCH AS TAIWAN, VIETNAM, AND THAILAND, LGBTQ MUNI HAVE EXPERIENCED SOC-POLIL BACKLASH AND PERSISTENT SOCIAL STIGMA AND DISCRIMATN SPE LEGAL REFORM.INED, LEE TRODUCED THIS SEGMENT OF HIS SPEECH BY VOKG AN ANNOUNCEMENT LAST YEAR’S ERATN, ALLOWG MLIM PUBLIC-HOSPAL NURS TO WEAR TUDUNG (HEAD VERGS) AT WORK. WHILE AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD DIFYG CLIVY, SUCH A LE CHANGE DO LTLE ON S OWN TO UNTERACT TERNALISED BIAS, SUPPORTED UNTIL THAT MOMENT BY REGULATNS AMG TUDUNG-WEARG AS APPROPRIATE SUCH SETTGS. THAT SAID, CRIMALISATN OF HOMOSEXUALY DO HELP TO NORMALISE THE PRACTIC AND MUNI QUTN, REMOV A READY JTIFITN FOR DISCRIMATN, AND ACKNOWLEDG THAT SGAPOREAN SOCIETY IS NOT HERENTLY MORE “NSERVATIVE” THAN OTHERS—ALL OF WHICH DO HAVE THEIR HOMOPHOB, TOO.ON THE OTHER HAND, LEE TRODUCED REPEAL WH A LENGTHY EXPLANATN OF NEW NSTUTNAL GUARDRAILS TO MAKE SURE QUEER SGAPOREANS REMEMBER THEIR PLACE. WHILE SGAPORE LAW ALREADY F MARRIAGE AS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN, NSTUTNAL AMENDMENT WOULD ENSURE THAT POSN—WHICH LEE ALL BUT ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE DUB—ULD NOT BE CHALLENGED URT ON EQUAL-PROTECTN GROUNDS. HE REMD HIS LISTENERS THAT,SGAPORE IS A TRADNAL SOCIETY WH NSERVATIVE SOCIAL VALU. … THE TRADNAL FAY SHOULD FORM THE BASIC BUILDG BLOCK OF OUR SOCIETY. MOST SGAPOREANS WOULD LIKE TO KEEP OUR SOCIETY LIKE THIS. THIS IS THE ERNMENT’S POSN TOO. … HOWEVER, LIKE EVERY HUMAN SOCIETY, WE ALSO HAVE GAY PEOPLE OUR MIDST. … WE NEED TO FD THE RIGHT WAY TO RENCILE AND ACMODATE BOTH THE TRADNAL MOR OF OUR SOCIETY, AND THE ASPIRATN OF GAY SGAPOREANS TO BE RPECTED AND ACCEPTED.RELUCTANCE TO LEGALISE GAY SEX SGAPORE HAS F WH A BROAR HETERONORMATIVE PROGRAM. TACTICS RANGG OM “BABY BON” TO STATE-N DATG SERVIC TO RPORATE TELEVISN ADS AX STRAIGHT SGAPOREANS, PECIALLY WELL-TED ETHNIC CHE, TO PAIR UP AND PROCREATE. THE DIENCE FOR THE “SAVE-THE-FAY!” MEASUR IS TH WIR THAN MARRIAGE-MD GAYS, THOUGH THE WARNG TO THE LATTER NOT TO PH THEIR LUCK WAS EXPLIC:MOST SGAPOREANS DO NOT WANT THE REPEAL TO TRIGGER A DRASTIC SHIFT OUR SOCIETAL NORMS ACROSS THE BOARD, CLUDG HOW WE FE MARRIAGE, WHAT WE TEACH CHILDREN SCHOOLS, WHAT’S SHOWN ON EE-TO-AIR TELEVISN AND CEMAS, OR WHAT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE NDUCT PUBLIC … IF ONE SI PH TOO HARD, THE OTHER SI WILL PH BACK EVEN HARR.THAT PRECISE LIMATN OF WHICH RIGHTS GAYS WILL NOT GET ATTRACTED UNSURPRISG PHBACK OM OTHERWISE-PLEASED BENEFICIARI OF SECTN 377A’S REPEAL. WAS REALLY SO NECSARY FOR LEE TO GO TO SUCH VOLUBLE LENGTHS TO CLARIFY THE EXTENT TO WHICH HIS ERNMENT WOULD STILL NFIRM LGBTQS’ LSER RIGHTS AND SENTIAL WRONGNS? IF FURTHER NON-DISCRIMATN MEASUR ARE THE OFFG—REGARDG HOG, EMPLOYMENT, OR OTHERWISE—LEE OFFERED NO SPOILERS. OVER 20 LGBTQ GROUPS ARGUED A STATEMENT SOON AFTER THAT THE NSTUTNAL RERCEMENT OF “RTRAT” THAT LEE PROMISED AS A SALVE TO SGAPORE’S RELIG RIGHT—WHO WERE HARDLY PLATED, REGARDLS—VLAT THE UNTRY’S SECULAR PREMISE AND “DIFY FURTHER DISCRIMATN.”ALL THE SAME, LEE’S PREMISE WAS THAT SHOULD BE UP TO THE (PRUMABLY PERENNIALLY PAP-LED) LEGISLATURE RATHER THAN THE URTS TO CI WHEN TO EASE OPEN THE HATCH—AND THAT THAT SHOULD FOLLOW PUBLIC OPN. UNTIL NOW, THE PAP HAS FLTED THE LATTER FOR THE IMPRACTILY OF REPEALG SECTN 377A. AS LEE PUT , “WHILE WE REMA A BROADLY NSERVATIVE SOCIETY, GAY PEOPLE ARE NOW BETTER ACCEPTED SGAPORE, PECIALLY AMONG YOUNGER SGAPOREANS.” INED, SURVEY DATA SHOW A CLEAR UPTICK ACCEPTANCE OF GAY RELATNSHIPS AND REJECTN OF ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMATN, PECIALLY AMONG YOUTH. SO, WE MIGHT SEE THE NEW AMENDMENTS AS A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR QUEER ACTIVISTS: THEY MIGHT FOC ON SHIFTG PUBLIC OPN AND LOBBYG MPS RATHER THAN THE LEGAL STRATEGY THEY TRIED AGAST SECTN 377A. INED, THAT ALREADY ABOUT HALF OF SGAPOREANS THK SAME-SEX UPL ARE LIKELY TO BE SIARLY AQUATE PARENTS AS STRAIGHT UPL AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED EQUAL ADOPTN RIGHTS SUGGTS POSSIBLE NSTUTNAL WHTLG AHEAD.AS FOR THE REGN, THERE IS NO REASON TO EXPECT SGAPORE’S LEGALISATN TO TIP THE SL S NEIGHBOURS. AFTER ALL, EVEN INDIA’S REPEAL OF SECTN 377 2018 FAILED TO MOTIVATE THE SGAPORE ERNMENT TO FOLLOW S LEAD. THAT SGAPORE HAS NOW DONE SO IS, SENTIALLY, CINCE, DRIVEN BY SIAR ISSU OF SHIFTS SOCIETAL VALU, NCERN FOR ENOMIC PETIVENS, AND THE CREASG DIFFICULTY GENERALLY OF JTIFYG CLGG TO A BRISH RELIC THE UK DISRD SELF OVER A HALF-CENTURY AGO. EVEN WHERE LAWS AGAST HOMOSEXUALY ARE A LONIAL LEGACY— FORMER BRISH LONI, GENERALLY ANCHORED BY SECTN 377— LLS FOR REPEAL SEEM VARIABLY TO PRODUCE CLAIMS OF WTERN FLUENCE AND A NEFAR GLOBAL QUEER AGENDA, SPE MANIFOLD EXAMPL OF SEXUALY DIVERSY AND GENR FLUIDY ACROSS PRELONIAL ASIA.THE LARGER ISSUE, THOUGH, IS THAT NOTWHSTANDG A MODULAR ASPECT TO STATE HOMOPHOBIA—A SYNDROME OF NORMS, TROP, STOCK PHRAS, AND APOCRYPHAL PREDICTNS— OVERLAYS DISTCTLY DIFFERENT SOCCULTURAL AND POLIL TOPOGRAPHI WH SOUTHEAST ASIA. IN SOME STAT, PECIALLY VIETNAM AND THAILAND, ZEAL TO “PKWASH” A SULLIED HUMAN RIGHTS RERD OR WOO “PK DOLLARS” UNRGIRDS PROGRS ON CERTA LGBTQ LEGAL RIGHTS. IN OTHERS, ANTIGAY RELIG LEARS CLAIM CENTRE STAGE AND RIST LIBERALISATN OR PRS CRIMALISATN, WHETHER THE NAME OF ISLAM, AS MALAYSIA OR INDONIA, OR CATHOLICISM THE PHILIPP. AND ACROSS THE REGN, REGARDLS OF OTHER IMPET, WE SEE A NATNALISTIC, “ASIAN VALU” DISURSE THAT RISTS EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF FOLLOWG THE WT. MOREOVER, EVEN BASIC LEGAL REGNN IS LOGISTILLY PLEX SOME STAT. MALAYSIA, FOR STANCE, HAS S OWN SECTN 377—SOUVENIR OF THE SAME BRISH LE—BUT ALSO STATE-LEVEL SYARIAH LAWS APPLIBLE TO THE MLIM MAJORY, WHICH MAY TARGET ALSO SUCH SS AS CROSS-DRSG AND SEX BETWEEN WOMEN.FOR SGAPORE, CRIMALISATN IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP, NOT AN END POT. LGBTQ RIGHTS WILL REMA GHT TERRA THERE AS ELSEWHERE. YET AMID NSEQUENTIAL REVERSALS OF GAY RIGHTS BOTH THE WT AND SGAPORE’S CLOSER- NEIGHBOURHOOD, AND AFTER S OF OFTEN TRATGLY THWARTED MOBILISATN, THIS REGNN AND REASSURANCE HAS REAL VALUE.MEREDH L. WEISS IS PROFSOR OF POLIL SCIENCE AT THE ROCKEFELLER COLLEGE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS & POLICY OF THE UNIVERSY AT ALBANY, STATE UNIVERSY OF NEW YORK. SHE HAS PUBLISHED WILY ON SOCIAL MOBILISATN, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND LLECTIVE INTY; ELECTORAL POLICS AND PARTI; AND ERNANCE, REGIME CHANGE, AND STUTNAL REFORM SOUTHEAST ASIA, PECIALLY MALAYSIA AND SGAPORE. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED UNR A CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE AND MAY BE REPUBLISHED WH ATTRIBUTN.RELATED ARTICL

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

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

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 GAY TRAVEL

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.

“I hope that the nservativ n one day see gay people are not dangero or a threat to them or their children. While we believe gay travellers should be exced to vis this cy, ’s important to be aware of the suatn before travellg. 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’. While many members of the gay muny live their liv relatively unmolted, there is always a sense of a hammer wag to fall.

THE BT GAY BARS AND CLUBS SGAPORE

Public opn has gradually swung towards slightly more tolerance towards same-sex relatnships or even gay marriage, although is still not overwhelmgly favour.

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.

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

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

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. Of urse, if gay travellers would like to ensure they’re around more ‘like-md’ people then ’s a matter of dog some rearch and gettg remendatns om fellow LGBT travellers.

ATRALIAN OUTLOOK HOME ATRALIAN OUTLOOK A STEP FORWARD FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS SGAPORE, BUT A LONG JOURNEY REMASIN THIS SECTN GO BACK TO ATRALIAN OUTLOOKABOUTA STEP FORWARD FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS SGAPORE, BUT A LONG JOURNEY REMAS02 SEP 2022BY PROFSOR MEREDH L. WEISSANALYSIS SHAREFACEBOOKTWTERLKEDSGAPORE’S ERNMENT PLANS TO REPEAL A LONIAL-ERA BAN ON SODOMY, WHILE STRENGTHENG NSTUTNAL SAFEGUARDS TO FORTALL MOVEMENT TOWARD MARRIAGE EQUALY. HOWEVER IMPORTANT, CRIMALISATN ALONE WILL HAVE LIMED IMPACT ON MOST LGBTQ SGAPOREANS’ LIV ABSENT WIR SOCIETAL AND LEGAL CHANG.IN HIS 21 AUGT 2022 NATNAL DAY RALLY SPEECH—SGAPORE’S PREEMENT FOM FOR GRAND POLIL PRONOUNCEMENTS—PRIME MISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG CLARED THAT HIS PEOPLE’S ACTN PARTY (PAP) ADMISTRATN WOULD REPEAL PORTNS OF SECTN 377A OF THE LONIAL-LEGACY CRIMAL , RENRG SODOMY OFFICIALLY LEGAL. THE ERNMENT CLARED S TENT NO LONGER TO ENFORCE THE LAW S OF NSENSUAL, PRIVATE SEX BETWEEN ADULTS FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, ALBE RETAG THE PREROGATIVE TO VTIGATE POSSIBLE VLATNS OF THOSE CRERIA. LEGAL CHALLENG NOTED THE PATENT IRREGULARY OF RETAG A LAW NOT TO BE ED, TH STAG THE ISSON OF THREAT OR A CHANGE OF HEART. BY NOW, PECIALLY ON THE HEELS OF A THREE-SE EFFORT THE HIGH URT THAT END ON APPEAL WH A JUDGMENT ALL BUT DARG PARLIAMENT TO LEGISLATE—AMID ANX MBLGS OM RELIG NSERVATIV—REPEAL OF SECTN 377A WAS ALL BUT CERTA.HOWEVER EXPECTED, THE ERNMENT’S CHANGE OF HEART STILL RAIS QUTNS. MOST OBVLY: WHAT DO THIS MEAN FOR GAY RIGHTS SGAPORE? AND IS THIS A MOL OR TIPPG POT FOR THE REGN?ALAS, REPEALG THIS ONE LAW WILL NOT RADILLY CHANGE EXPERIENCE OF GAY LIFE SGAPORE. ON THE ONE HAND, LEGALISATN IS NOT TANTAMOUNT TO SOCIETAL EMBRACE: SOCIETAL PREJUDICE MAY WELL OUTLAST SECTN 377A. ONE NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE OTHER SHAS THE LGBTQ RABOW BEYOND GAY MEN FOR PROOF. SECTN 377A DO NOT ADDRS LBIANS OR TRANSGENR PEOPLE, YET THEY, TOO, ENDURE NSTRATS. ELSEWHERE ASIA, SUCH AS TAIWAN, VIETNAM, AND THAILAND, LGBTQ MUNI HAVE EXPERIENCED SOC-POLIL BACKLASH AND PERSISTENT SOCIAL STIGMA AND DISCRIMATN SPE LEGAL REFORM.INED, LEE TRODUCED THIS SEGMENT OF HIS SPEECH BY VOKG AN ANNOUNCEMENT LAST YEAR’S ERATN, ALLOWG MLIM PUBLIC-HOSPAL NURS TO WEAR TUDUNG (HEAD VERGS) AT WORK. WHILE AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD DIFYG CLIVY, SUCH A LE CHANGE DO LTLE ON S OWN TO UNTERACT TERNALISED BIAS, SUPPORTED UNTIL THAT MOMENT BY REGULATNS AMG TUDUNG-WEARG AS APPROPRIATE SUCH SETTGS. THAT SAID, CRIMALISATN OF HOMOSEXUALY DO HELP TO NORMALISE THE PRACTIC AND MUNI QUTN, REMOV A READY JTIFITN FOR DISCRIMATN, AND ACKNOWLEDG THAT SGAPOREAN SOCIETY IS NOT HERENTLY MORE “NSERVATIVE” THAN OTHERS—ALL OF WHICH DO HAVE THEIR HOMOPHOB, TOO.ON THE OTHER HAND, LEE TRODUCED REPEAL WH A LENGTHY EXPLANATN OF NEW NSTUTNAL GUARDRAILS TO MAKE SURE QUEER SGAPOREANS REMEMBER THEIR PLACE. WHILE SGAPORE LAW ALREADY F MARRIAGE AS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN, NSTUTNAL AMENDMENT WOULD ENSURE THAT POSN—WHICH LEE ALL BUT ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE DUB—ULD NOT BE CHALLENGED URT ON EQUAL-PROTECTN GROUNDS. HE REMD HIS LISTENERS THAT,SGAPORE IS A TRADNAL SOCIETY WH NSERVATIVE SOCIAL VALU. … THE TRADNAL FAY SHOULD FORM THE BASIC BUILDG BLOCK OF OUR SOCIETY. MOST SGAPOREANS WOULD LIKE TO KEEP OUR SOCIETY LIKE THIS. THIS IS THE ERNMENT’S POSN TOO. … HOWEVER, LIKE EVERY HUMAN SOCIETY, WE ALSO HAVE GAY PEOPLE OUR MIDST. … WE NEED TO FD THE RIGHT WAY TO RENCILE AND ACMODATE BOTH THE TRADNAL MOR OF OUR SOCIETY, AND THE ASPIRATN OF GAY SGAPOREANS TO BE RPECTED AND ACCEPTED.RELUCTANCE TO LEGALISE GAY SEX SGAPORE HAS F WH A BROAR HETERONORMATIVE PROGRAM. TACTICS RANGG OM “BABY BON” TO STATE-N DATG SERVIC TO RPORATE TELEVISN ADS AX STRAIGHT SGAPOREANS, PECIALLY WELL-TED ETHNIC CHE, TO PAIR UP AND PROCREATE. THE DIENCE FOR THE “SAVE-THE-FAY!” MEASUR IS TH WIR THAN MARRIAGE-MD GAYS, THOUGH THE WARNG TO THE LATTER NOT TO PH THEIR LUCK WAS EXPLIC:MOST SGAPOREANS DO NOT WANT THE REPEAL TO TRIGGER A DRASTIC SHIFT OUR SOCIETAL NORMS ACROSS THE BOARD, CLUDG HOW WE FE MARRIAGE, WHAT WE TEACH CHILDREN SCHOOLS, WHAT’S SHOWN ON EE-TO-AIR TELEVISN AND CEMAS, OR WHAT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE NDUCT PUBLIC … IF ONE SI PH TOO HARD, THE OTHER SI WILL PH BACK EVEN HARR.THAT PRECISE LIMATN OF WHICH RIGHTS GAYS WILL NOT GET ATTRACTED UNSURPRISG PHBACK OM OTHERWISE-PLEASED BENEFICIARI OF SECTN 377A’S REPEAL. WAS REALLY SO NECSARY FOR LEE TO GO TO SUCH VOLUBLE LENGTHS TO CLARIFY THE EXTENT TO WHICH HIS ERNMENT WOULD STILL NFIRM LGBTQS’ LSER RIGHTS AND SENTIAL WRONGNS? IF FURTHER NON-DISCRIMATN MEASUR ARE THE OFFG—REGARDG HOG, EMPLOYMENT, OR OTHERWISE—LEE OFFERED NO SPOILERS. OVER 20 LGBTQ GROUPS ARGUED A STATEMENT SOON AFTER THAT THE NSTUTNAL RERCEMENT OF “RTRAT” THAT LEE PROMISED AS A SALVE TO SGAPORE’S RELIG RIGHT—WHO WERE HARDLY PLATED, REGARDLS—VLAT THE UNTRY’S SECULAR PREMISE AND “DIFY FURTHER DISCRIMATN.”ALL THE SAME, LEE’S PREMISE WAS THAT SHOULD BE UP TO THE (PRUMABLY PERENNIALLY PAP-LED) LEGISLATURE RATHER THAN THE URTS TO CI WHEN TO EASE OPEN THE HATCH—AND THAT THAT SHOULD FOLLOW PUBLIC OPN. UNTIL NOW, THE PAP HAS FLTED THE LATTER FOR THE IMPRACTILY OF REPEALG SECTN 377A. AS LEE PUT , “WHILE WE REMA A BROADLY NSERVATIVE SOCIETY, GAY PEOPLE ARE NOW BETTER ACCEPTED SGAPORE, PECIALLY AMONG YOUNGER SGAPOREANS.” INED, SURVEY DATA SHOW A CLEAR UPTICK ACCEPTANCE OF GAY RELATNSHIPS AND REJECTN OF ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMATN, PECIALLY AMONG YOUTH. SO, WE MIGHT SEE THE NEW AMENDMENTS AS A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR QUEER ACTIVISTS: THEY MIGHT FOC ON SHIFTG PUBLIC OPN AND LOBBYG MPS RATHER THAN THE LEGAL STRATEGY THEY TRIED AGAST SECTN 377A. INED, THAT ALREADY ABOUT HALF OF SGAPOREANS THK SAME-SEX UPL ARE LIKELY TO BE SIARLY AQUATE PARENTS AS STRAIGHT UPL AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED EQUAL ADOPTN RIGHTS SUGGTS POSSIBLE NSTUTNAL WHTLG AHEAD.AS FOR THE REGN, THERE IS NO REASON TO EXPECT SGAPORE’S LEGALISATN TO TIP THE SL S NEIGHBOURS. AFTER ALL, EVEN INDIA’S REPEAL OF SECTN 377 2018 FAILED TO MOTIVATE THE SGAPORE ERNMENT TO FOLLOW S LEAD. THAT SGAPORE HAS NOW DONE SO IS, SENTIALLY, CINCE, DRIVEN BY SIAR ISSU OF SHIFTS SOCIETAL VALU, NCERN FOR ENOMIC PETIVENS, AND THE CREASG DIFFICULTY GENERALLY OF JTIFYG CLGG TO A BRISH RELIC THE UK DISRD SELF OVER A HALF-CENTURY AGO. EVEN WHERE LAWS AGAST HOMOSEXUALY ARE A LONIAL LEGACY— FORMER BRISH LONI, GENERALLY ANCHORED BY SECTN 377— LLS FOR REPEAL SEEM VARIABLY TO PRODUCE CLAIMS OF WTERN FLUENCE AND A NEFAR GLOBAL QUEER AGENDA, SPE MANIFOLD EXAMPL OF SEXUALY DIVERSY AND GENR FLUIDY ACROSS PRELONIAL ASIA.THE LARGER ISSUE, THOUGH, IS THAT NOTWHSTANDG A MODULAR ASPECT TO STATE HOMOPHOBIA—A SYNDROME OF NORMS, TROP, STOCK PHRAS, AND APOCRYPHAL PREDICTNS— OVERLAYS DISTCTLY DIFFERENT SOCCULTURAL AND POLIL TOPOGRAPHI WH SOUTHEAST ASIA. IN SOME STAT, PECIALLY VIETNAM AND THAILAND, ZEAL TO “PKWASH” A SULLIED HUMAN RIGHTS RERD OR WOO “PK DOLLARS” UNRGIRDS PROGRS ON CERTA LGBTQ LEGAL RIGHTS. IN OTHERS, ANTIGAY RELIG LEARS CLAIM CENTRE STAGE AND RIST LIBERALISATN OR PRS CRIMALISATN, WHETHER THE NAME OF ISLAM, AS MALAYSIA OR INDONIA, OR CATHOLICISM THE PHILIPP. AND ACROSS THE REGN, REGARDLS OF OTHER IMPET, WE SEE A NATNALISTIC, “ASIAN VALU” DISURSE THAT RISTS EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF FOLLOWG THE WT. MOREOVER, EVEN BASIC LEGAL REGNN IS LOGISTILLY PLEX SOME STAT. MALAYSIA, FOR STANCE, HAS S OWN SECTN 377—SOUVENIR OF THE SAME BRISH LE—BUT ALSO STATE-LEVEL SYARIAH LAWS APPLIBLE TO THE MLIM MAJORY, WHICH MAY TARGET ALSO SUCH SS AS CROSS-DRSG AND SEX BETWEEN WOMEN.FOR SGAPORE, CRIMALISATN IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP, NOT AN END POT. LGBTQ RIGHTS WILL REMA GHT TERRA THERE AS ELSEWHERE. YET AMID NSEQUENTIAL REVERSALS OF GAY RIGHTS BOTH THE WT AND SGAPORE’S CLOSER- NEIGHBOURHOOD, AND AFTER S OF OFTEN TRATGLY THWARTED MOBILISATN, THIS REGNN AND REASSURANCE HAS REAL VALUE.MEREDH L. WEISS IS PROFSOR OF POLIL SCIENCE AT THE ROCKEFELLER COLLEGE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS & POLICY OF THE UNIVERSY AT ALBANY, STATE UNIVERSY OF NEW YORK. SHE HAS PUBLISHED WILY ON SOCIAL MOBILISATN, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND LLECTIVE INTY; ELECTORAL POLICS AND PARTI; AND ERNANCE, REGIME CHANGE, AND STUTNAL REFORM SOUTHEAST ASIA, PECIALLY MALAYSIA AND SGAPORE. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED UNR A CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE AND MAY BE REPUBLISHED WH ATTRIBUTN.RELATED ARTICL

There are certaly a range of hotels that have got brilliant reviews om our gay iends – some high-end sophistitn, some cheap (for Sgapore) and cheerful. For more gay-specific pastim you will ually have to wa until after dark, unls you’re Sgapore for the Pk Dot rally. Dpe the law, Sgapore is surprisgly great for gay nightlife wh cktail bars, drag shows and wild dance parti galore.