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25 Jul 2011

Singapore govt tells UN: "No plans in place to repeal" gay sex law

The head of Singapore delegation, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Halimah Yacob reiterated that the government has no plans to repeal the law against male-to-male sex when asked to clarify the status of lesbians in Singapore.

"There were no plans in place to repeal section 377(a) of the Penal Code. That had been vigorously debated in Parliament, resulting in divided views. The general approach, however, was that the provision would not be enforced unless a complaint was filed. There was no systemic discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people, she emphasised. With regard to censorship, all movies, including those with such themes, were subjected to the same review by a board of censors as all other movies."

That was the response from the head of Singapore delegation, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Halimah Yacob – as recorded in an UN report – at the 49th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) held the United Nations Headquarters on July 22.

The response was in relation to questions posed by Patricia Schultz, an expert member from Switzerland, who asked if Singapore planned to repeal the section of the Penal Code on male homosexuality. She added, "In a related vein, the delegation had not responded to the question about the status of lesbians. Could the delegation explain whether all employment discrimination cases could be brought to court, or if any exceptions existed?"

Halimah did not respond to the question about how lesbians may be affected by the country's gay sex law (Section S377a of the Penal Code) or bringing employment discrimination cases to court. Her comments regarding censorship was in response to Schultz's questions: "Finally, the media were fined for 'presenting lesbianism as acceptable', she said, asking how Singapore could reconcile such activities with the principles of the Convention [on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which Singapore acceded to in 1995]."

For the first time during the CEDAW review process, a separate report about the concerns of lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women in Singapore was submitted by Sayoni, a queer women's group, alongside a report by the stalwart Association of Women and Action (AWARE).

The report can be read here.


Experts’ Questions and Comments

SILVIA PIMENTEL, Committee Chairperson and expert member from Brazil, asked how a grievance of gender stereotyping could be brought, if a general anti-discrimination law was being considered and if reform of censorship laws on homosexual matters was being considered.  She also asked about laws to prevent domestic violence in the context of same-sex relationships.

Ms. PIMENTEL, Chairperson and expert from Brazil, asked whether women undergoing childbirth and other necessary health procedures, who were not covered by health insurance, had access to free prenatal, antenatal and related care in hospitals?  Was pre- and post-test counselling, or provisions for treatment, available for those found to be living with HIV/AIDS?  Would Singapore consider the recognition of same-sex partnerships in order to make health-care benefits more equitable?

Delegation’s Responses
Most of Singapore’s laws were gender neutral and did not consider the sexual orientation of a person in their application, he said. Therefore, all rights, services and mechanisms available were accessible by both hetero- and homosexual people alike.

讀者回應

1. 2011-07-26 02:23  
Please do not be a rep. of delegation if u do speak lies to international members. Get one who truly speaks up for the true scenario. It;s really annoying to read such response.
2. 2011-07-26 07:56  
I like gender neutral laws, its the new trend. The Fridae board of censors is just as tough and covering up the stupid behavior of the gay sauna activists. What happened to fun topics about sex and hot guys on Fridae and muscle worship? I never see lesbians and gay men together out socially at the bars except for the dot. Where are all the hot, fit, successful, sexually responsible, good looking men going to have fun these days, not here I guess.
回應#3已於於2011-07-26 16:09被管理員刪除。
回應#4已於於2011-07-26 16:10被管理員刪除。
5. 2011-07-26 14:58  
Lagunabro@2, bro aren't you late for your Hitler Youth meeting?

On the questioning, can't the reps press for better responses than that?!
回應#6於於2011-07-26 23:51被作者刪除。
7. 2011-07-26 23:57  
Is it any surprise?

8. 2011-07-27 11:31  
What else would you expect from a dictatorship that calls themselves democratic?
9. 2011-07-28 19:39  
Did anyonme expect anything different from the bozos in the Singapore government.....?
修改於2011-07-28 19:42:11
10. 2011-07-30 00:17  
The former MM has said 377a will be repealed, and that it is inevitable, Singapore does not live in isolation from the rest of the world. Things appear to be changing for the better with increasing velocity, and it shouldn't be long now.
11. 2011-07-30 10:12  
People, Singapore's govthas come along way since the 70s and 80s but there is still a lonnnnng way to go before they ever give us recognition.
12. 2011-07-30 14:03  
As a gay man, I would never visit such a backward, Asian place like Singapore. There are much nicer destinations in Asia where gay men can be respected for their sexuality and therefore have a nice holiday. I have only ever transited at Changi Airport en route to Philippines and back to UK. From what I have seen of Singapore from the air, it looks like an overheated concrete jungle. Who on earth would want to go for a holiday in such an indescribably horrible looking place anyway!?

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