Don’t scrap law penalising gay sex, warns Singapore’s archbishop

World

An old law  that dates back to the colonial era, that criminalises consensual sex between men should not be repealed in the “present circumstances,” said Singapore’s archbishop late Tuesday. This comment caused William Goh to be forced into a firestorm of a debate that has led to supporters and opponents taking stronger and stronger stands about gay rights in the city-state.

Under Section 377A of Singapore’s Penal Code, a man found to have committed an act of “gross indecency” with another man can be jailed for up to two years.

Though this law is rarely enforced, it has remained on the law books long after the end of British colonial rule.

However, he was worried  that such a move would only be a first step. He said there must be “no further demands… to legalize same-sex unions, same-sex adoption of babies, surrogacy, or to criminalise those who do not support the homosexual lifestyle.

“I am of the view that S377A should not be repealed under the present circumstances.”

The repeal debate was reignited after the Indian Supreme Court’s recent move to strike down a similar law, saying it has been a “weapon for harassment for the LGBT community.”

 

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