Straight families in Singapore weigh in on Section 377A debate in viral video (Photo: YouTube)
In Singapore, the debate over repealing the country’s anti-gay law, Section 377A, has grown increasingly ugly.
Religious leaders have encouraged Singaporeans to support the law that criminalizes gay sex with up to two years in prison.
Human rights groups have hit back but a petition to maintain the law currently has more signatures than a petition to repeal it.
Therefore, a video produced by Inclusive Singapore showing straight families speaking up for LGBTI rights is just what we needed.
The video shows a handful of families with heterosexual parents express their views on the LGBTI community and Section 377A.
They’re asked questions on whether they know LGBTI people and whether they think they are harmful to families.
‘LGBT people are just people,’ one of the interviewees said. ‘Who is to say two guys cannot be a family?’ one family member asks. ‘I think a family is love’.
The interviewer also asks the families’ dreams for Singapore. ‘I want my child to grow up in a Singapore that does not have the prejudices I grew up with,’ one respondent replied.
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Section 377A
Singaporeans have called to both keep and repeal Section 377A since India dismantled similar colonial-era legislation earlier this month.
A petition encouraging the government to keep the rights-abusing law was launched. It now has more than 100,000 signatures.
A counter-petition, Ready4Repal, however, has just 46,000 signatures.
Significantly, local DJ, Johnson Ong, has launched a legal appeal to the High Court. He is arguing the law is unconstitutional.
Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh has been the biggest figure to lend his voice to the repeal campaign. In an article this week, he said the law was ‘antiquated’.
Catholic and Muslim leaders, however, have encouraged followers to support the law.
