SINGAPORE: Should a legislation criminalising sex in between men be repealed, the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community’s immediate priorities may unlikely be to seek same-sex marriage in order to redefine families, non-profit organisation Oogachaga mentioned on Monday (Aug 1).
“For Oogachaga and, towards the best of our knowledge, others in the local LGBTQ community, there are no immediate plans to mount legal challenges to redefine marriage as it presently stands in the Women’s Charter, ” executive movie director Leow Yangfa added.
He was addressing queries from CNA, after Law plus Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Saturday that the Government was looking at ways to safeguard the current legal position on relationship – defined as being between a man and a female – while it looks at next steps with regard to Section 377A of the Penal Code.
Mr Shanmugam was offering an update around the Government’s efforts to find views on the law, a week after a gathering of 1, two hundred people was held in order to call for the “protection” of families, marriages plus children in relation to a possible repeal of Section 377A.
But Mr Leow said that “when 377A is repealed, hopefully in the near future”, the community will instead prioritise providing support designed for fellow LGBTQ Singaporeans.
“Regarding the standing of marriage, we are unsure how otherwise the Government can safeguard ‘the current lawful position on marriage’ from being challenged in the courts, ” he said.
“The current position is clearly instituted in legislation. ”
Pink Dot SG, the non-profit movement behind the annual LGBTQ event, said that upon matters relating to relationship and families, it acknowledges that while behaviour are shifting, community has not yet reached a consensus.
“We know that such a landmark will only come about via education and changing hearts and minds, ” added spokesman Clement Tan. “The Government itself provides acknowledged that procedures should reflect altering norms.
“We only hope the fact that changes they are contemplating will leave area for society to keep having good-faith discussions on these issues. ”