Marking a landmark moment for LGBT+ campaigners in Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave an address on Sunday, 21 August 2022 during the National Day rally to confirm the decision to repeal the colonial-era law – Section 377A – which criminalised sex between consenting male adults. The archaic law had not been enforced for decades; in fact, back in February of 2022, the Court of Appeal in Singapore ruled that the law could not be used to prosecute men for having sex. Nevertheless, the decision marks a change in attitudes toward the LGBT+ community in this traditionally minded city as well as a positive first step towards equality for Singaporeans who have been campaigning for this change in the law for many years. We commend the activists and campaign groups who have been and continue to tirelessly fight for equality in Singapore.

This historic decision for Singapore follows a similar ruling in India in September 2018 to overturn Section 377, as well as the decision in Taiwan in 2019 to legalise gay marriage, the Sapporo court ruling in Japan that the government’s failure to recognise same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and the beginnings of a positive decision in Thailand for same-sex unions earlier this year. All of these moves signal tentative steps across the Asia region towards equality and acceptance both in society and under the protection of governments.

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