[1/2] A participant of Pink Dot, an annual event organized to support the LGBT community, poses for a photo at the Speakers Corner at Hong Lim Park in Singapore, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Feline Lim/File Photo
SINGAPORE, Nov 29 (Reuters) – Singapore’s parliament on Tuesday decriminalized sex between men but, in a blow to the LGBT community, also amended the constitution to avoid court challenges that have led to legalization in other countries have led to same-sex marriage.
The moves come as other parts of Asia, including Taiwan, Thailand and India, recognize more rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Activists welcomed the repeal, but said the constitutional amendment is disappointing because it means citizens will not be able to mount legal challenges to issues such as the definition of marriage, family and related policies, as these are only covered by the Executive and Legislature to be decided. .
The government has defended the constitutional amendment, saying that decisions on such matters should not be made by the courts. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his successor ruled out any changes to the current legal definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.
“We are trying to maintain a balance … to maintain a stable society with traditional, heterosexual family values, but with space for homosexuals to live their lives and contribute to society,” Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said in Parliament this week.
Both the repeal and the constitutional amendment were passed by an overwhelming majority, thanks to the ruling People’s Action Party’s dominance in parliament. There is no timeline yet for when the new laws will take effect.
The changes, however, leave room for a future parliament to expand the definition of marriage to include same-sex relationships.
Bryan Choong, president of LGBTQ advocacy group Oogachaga, said it was a historic moment for activists who have campaigned for 15 years to repeal the law known as Section 377A. But he added that LGBT couples and families also “have the right to be recognized and protected”.
In Singapore, attitudes towards LGBT issues have shifted to a more liberal stance in recent years, especially among the young, although conservative attitudes remain among religious groups. Of those aged 18-25, about 42% accepted same-sex marriage in 2018, up from 17% just five years earlier, according to a survey by the Institute for Policy Studies.
Report by Chen Lin; Editing by Xinghui Kok and Kanupriya Kapoor
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