Fridae

Singapore’s main opposition party has said it will not call for the repeal of the law, which criminalises sex between men, because there was no consensus within the party. Pritam Singh, head of the Worker’s Party (WP), said it was detrimental to ‘politicise’ the issue. Instead, he urged people to put ‘family first’, engage in dialogue and respect individual consciences. LGBT rights advocates have called Singh’s comments ‘disappointing’, and showing a ‘lack of empathy’ for those affected by the law. Section 377A of Singapore’s Penal Code is a legacy from the British colonial-era and prohibits sex between men.

The Singaporean government has said that the law will not be actively enforced. But LGBT rights proponents say its retention reinforces homophobia in the city-state. A renewed call for repeal was mounted last year. But studies show that the majority of Singaporeans think Section 377A should remain.

To read more, click here!