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
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• THE EXPERIENCE OF GROWG UP GAY SGAPORE: PERSONAL STORI OM THE LOL LGBTQ+ MUNY
• 'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY
• SGAPORE REPEALS GAY SEX BAN BUT LIMS PROSPECT OF LEGALIZG SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
• WHAT I WISHED MY PARENTS SAID WHEN I TOLD THEM I WAS GAY: REAL LGBTQ COMG OUT STORI & ROURC FOR SUPPORT
• GAY FURRY HACKERS ARE TARGETG US STAT FOR PASSG ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATN
• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT PUBLICLY 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.

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

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.

THE EXPERIENCE OF GROWG UP GAY SGAPORE: PERSONAL STORI OM THE LOL LGBTQ+ MUNY

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.

'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY

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.

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

But back the 1980s, before the age of the ter and Grdr, was a popular meetg spot for gay men a untry where homosexualy was effect crimalised. Authori argued that reflected Sgapore society's view that homosexualy was not last week s parliament repealed the law, jt months after lear Lee Hsien Loong's surprise announcement they would scrap the ban bee of changg repeal of 377A turns the page on a dark chapter of Sgapore history that is rarely talked about the days, where gay men not only faced tense social stigma but were even actively targeted by Heng and the other men at Esplana Park that night were let off wh only a warng. For several s, the police would nduct so-lled "anti-gay" raids on nightclubs that gay men were known to equent, or cisg spots beach and parks.

Often this would clu the ntroversial e of entrapment, where policemen would pose as gay men at popular meetg spots and promptly arrt anyone who engaged wh them. This was later overturned an appeal, wh the judge notg that the way the men were ught and charged was "disquietg" many gay men, the raids sent a clear msage that their existence was owned upon. While anti-gay vlence was not mon tightly-ntrolled Sgapore, many the muny were fearful of g out to their iends, fay and wir society.

That was part of the stct of beg gay back then, " said Mr Heng, who is 71 years the 2000s the raids had creased, and the issue of homosexualy - once a taboo topic - beme creasgly openly discsed. Recent surveys show that, while there is still a signifint number who thk homosexualy is "wrong", there is also risg support for gay cy-state has veloped a thrivg LGBT scene, wh an creasg number of LGBT-iendly tablishments and pani promotg diversy polici. Activism has bee more proment wh more lobby groups and support muni emergg - a far cry om the days where gay rights anisatns found difficult even to exist.

WHAT I WISHED MY PARENTS SAID WHEN I TOLD THEM I WAS GAY: REAL LGBTQ COMG OUT STORI & ROURC FOR SUPPORT

They would take as part of the landspe, that gay people are okay. The next stop was a nonscript office buildg, which ed to be Sgapore's first gay sna. Later, they were taken to an upsle hilltop rtrant - a popular gay cisg spot the past, they were Tng told the BBC he cid to start givg LGBT history tours after realisg there was an "amnia", particularly among younger Sgaporeans.

His tours have attracted a mix of both straight and gay oute of the lack of enforcement of 377A is that "there are people who don't really re bee they've never been subjected to , " he more attentn paid to 377A recent years, cludg legal attempts to overturn , "there's been greater tert and people are more cur now" about LGBT history, though "the rourc are still lackg", he source, BBC/Tsa WongImage ptn, Mr Tng's tours attract a mix of gay and straight attenWh 377A's repeal, the law is now officially a thg of the past.

Alongsi the repeal, lawmakers voted to amend the nstutn, which effect l out the possibily of gay marriage for now. The vote also saw parliamentarians voicg ncern about "ant homosexuals" and the erosn of relig eedoms, which LGBT groups turn have lled "unsubstantiated rhetoric and fearmongerg".

GAY FURRY HACKERS ARE TARGETG US STAT FOR PASSG ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATN

Gog forward I thk means gay rights will bee a lot more sensive. "I thk a gay iend put very well: 's like a nice, hot cup of ffee that got left on the table. -- Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's profsnal sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer and to possibly spire others siar 's a cisn and move that drew praise and support om owner Shad Khan, who was a vol and emphatic supporter of a cy ordance that expand protectns on the grounds of sexual orientatn, genr inty and genr exprsn.

Outsi lebacker Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay and to play a game Associated Prs ntributed to this report. Joshua spearhead The SG Boys podst to create a platform for gay stori Sgapore. From disapprovg star to judgemental ments, beg a homosexual relatnship is still not accepted by all Sgapore’s nservative society.

“We met on a gay datg app, and right off the bat, he ma me lgh.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

Thomas and I met on a gay datg app Myanmar September 2014. ”The are some of the rpons we received when we asked members of the lol LGBTQ+ muny what ’s like to grow up gay have gay bars, LGBTQ+ anisatns, queer-iendly bs and the annual Pk Dot (a non-prof movement that supports the eedom to love for everyone).

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

And if you happen to be queer, adds a layer of plexy: stgglg wh self-inty and wantg to be Lee, who works the media dtry, realised he was gay when he was 14, but he never told anyone. Natnal Service n be an timidatg experience for gay men. “I had other gay platoon mat who were pletely fortable wh people knowg.

”He creds his gay army iends for his personal growth and helpg him realise there’s nothg wrong wh beg queer. “I never had gay iends until NS, and they tght me so many life lsons. “Someone a different platoon my pany was bullied for beg gay, and rponse, my Commandg Officer (who is a Sikh) wrote a speech and announced to the whole pany that he would not tolerate any stanc of gay-bashg.

Known for s groovy vers of popular songs and posive portrayals of gay characters (we’re lookg at Kurt and Blae), the show ma a huge impact on his perceptn of LGBTQ+ relatnships. It tells the story of a girl om an Indian fay who out as gay and ends up beg wh the person she lov. 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.