An Unpublished Press Statement
SAFE's opposition to Section 377A, the portion of the Penal Code which criminalises gay male sex. (dated November 14, 2006)
We are a group of parents, families and friends of lesbian and gay people who believe in a society that accepts, affirms and empowers everyone to participate fully in it regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
We write to voice our opposition to the proposed changes to the Penal Code and in particular to the retention of s.377A which criminalizes male same-sex acts even if conducted in private.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has come public to say they will "not be proactive in enforcing the section against adult males engaging in consensual sex with each other in private." Why then have a law if it is not going to be enforced? Is it not illogical and a self-contradiction to have a law on the statute books and not enforce it? It appears that the government wants to have its cake and eat it too -- employing gay people in civil service, welcoming foreign talent even if they might be gay and benefiting from the contributions of intelligent & creative gay brains while not doing anything at all to protect these same gay people's human rights.
Are we to remain on the surface, according to MHA, "by and large, a conservative society (where) many do not tolerate homosexuality, and consider such acts abhorrent and deviant", while covertly wooing the gay community's pink dollar and creative talents?
As friends and families of gay people, we are strongly against any law that makes the people we love and respect - our adult gay sons, brothers, grandsons,nephews and friends, "criminals" simply by what they do in private with another consenting adult.
Do we have an agenda? Yes indeed. Our agenda is to strive for a society based on justice and equality,and respect for individual dignity and a society opposed to bigotry, homophobia or any other form of hatred and discrimination.
We are a group of parents, families and friends of lesbian and gay people who believe in a society that accepts, affirms and empowers everyone to participate fully in it regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
We write to voice our opposition to the proposed changes to the Penal Code and in particular to the retention of s.377A which criminalizes male same-sex acts even if conducted in private.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has come public to say they will "not be proactive in enforcing the section against adult males engaging in consensual sex with each other in private." Why then have a law if it is not going to be enforced? Is it not illogical and a self-contradiction to have a law on the statute books and not enforce it? It appears that the government wants to have its cake and eat it too -- employing gay people in civil service, welcoming foreign talent even if they might be gay and benefiting from the contributions of intelligent & creative gay brains while not doing anything at all to protect these same gay people's human rights.
Are we to remain on the surface, according to MHA, "by and large, a conservative society (where) many do not tolerate homosexuality, and consider such acts abhorrent and deviant", while covertly wooing the gay community's pink dollar and creative talents?
As friends and families of gay people, we are strongly against any law that makes the people we love and respect - our adult gay sons, brothers, grandsons,nephews and friends, "criminals" simply by what they do in private with another consenting adult.
Do we have an agenda? Yes indeed. Our agenda is to strive for a society based on justice and equality,and respect for individual dignity and a society opposed to bigotry, homophobia or any other form of hatred and discrimination.
posted by Alvin | 3:35 AM
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