Singapore Court Won't Overturn Ban on Sex Between Men
South China Morning Post that the statute still needs to be struck down because it “is a huge signpost to society that gay men are still criminals.” Tan, a retired doctor, plans further legal challenges.
But the court said it is up to the city-state’s Parliament, not the courts, to change the law.The law, known as Section 377A, dates to 1938, when Singapore was a British colony.
It provides for up to two years in prison for violators. It does not apply to sex between women.Other LGBTQ+ rights activists joined Tan in expressing disappointment with the ruling. “The acknowledgment that Section 377A is unenforceable only in the prosecutorial sense is cold comfort,” said a statement from the LGBTQ+ organization Pink Dot SG. “Section 377A’s real impact lies in how it perpetuates discrimination across every aspect of life: at home, in schools, in the workplace, in our media, and even access to vital services like health care.”Speaking to The New York Times, Pink Dot SG spokesman Clement Tan added, “Today’s ruling is frustrating for those who were hoping for some real change.
Despite acknowledging that gay men should be able to live freely in Singapore, without harassment or interference, the court still hesitated to strike it down.
