More Than Half of All Singaporeans Support the Criminalisation of Homosexuality

A new study from Ipsos Public Affairs has found 55 percent of Singaporeans support Section 377A of the Penal Code, the law that criminalises consensual sex between adult men.

The survey asked 750 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 15 to 65 about the law. Only 12 percent of those asked opposed the law. The survey fond males in their fifties and sixties were more likely to be in favour of it.

Currently gay men in Singapore can face a penalty of up to two years if found guilty of having sex. The law originates from the same law that was recently struck down in India. Section 377 is a hangover from British colonial rule.

The survey comes as both conservative parties and LGBT+ activists ramp up petitions over the law. The recent decriminalisation of homosexuality in India has sparked a fierce debate amongst Singaporeans.

As of last Tuesday, more than 26,000 people have signed a petition to repeal the law in the island country, while more than 90,000 have signed a petition to keep it.

“It is a colonial relic of Victorian values that was left behind by the British from before Singapore’s independence,” said Pink Dot, the organisers of Singapore’s largest LGBT+ event. “Section 377A would have been the perfect candidate for a review and repeal.”

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