An anonymous website condemning the repeal of Singapore’s gay sex law has surfaced.
A confused Redditor this morning posted the Protect377a.sg website, which strongly supports Section 377A of the Penal Code which bans “acts of gross indecency” between men.” It listed justifications on why its a “good law” that protects families, children, and even the “future.”
“Section 377A is good because it has protective and affirmative functions in Singapore. It is protective because it prohibits a harmful behaviour,” the website read, adding that there are “many” men who are victims of the “harms” of gay sex.
The site includes no information about who is behind it beyond the vague concern troll title of “Concerned Singaporeans.” Domain information identifies a Grace Chan as the registrant.
Messages sent via the website and to Grace Chan went unreturned.
The website relies on culturally conservative tropes that abstaining from gay behavior “protects” people. It notes that the law has not been enforced since it was enacted in the 1930s, as no one has been publicly charged under it since then.
Challenges to the law have failed several times through the years. Most recently, the Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge in February based on the law’s unenforceability.
The site repeats the argument that by being on the books, the law has symbolic value in showing society’s disapproval of men doing sex stuff alone together.
“The existence of S377A informs society that homosexuality is not a norm and it is not healthy. It is unenforced only because of a societal compromise,” it says.
Most of the Redditors replying in the thread were unconvinced.
“Having a law which turns gay men into unprosecuted criminals is very useful for bigots to justify their bigotry under the guise of legality,” one wrote.
“It isn’t just symbolism. By turning all gays into criminals, it allows society and businesses to discriminate against them freely,” wrote another. “When you are discriminated at work because the law says you are a criminal, you face very real consequences.”
The site declares heterosexual unions a “social ideal” and LGBT lifestyles “against national values and public morality.”
It says repeal of the law will be a win for all the big scary gay people, as without it on the books, more people will become “victims of LGBTQ ideology.”
“The knock-on effects of the repeal of S377A, if it happens, are real. LGBTQ activists will push way beyond the repeal. Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have victims,” it says.
The website includes a signup section for supporters to leave their particulars which it says may be submitted in a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Executive Director of Oogachaga Leow Yangfa told Coconuts today that they are aware of the site but declined to comment, saying that they ”do not wish to give it oxygen.”
LGBT organization Pink Dot has not responded to Coconuts’ request for comment.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has recently addressed the law in parliament by promising that the government would consider the “best way forward” for the law and “respect” and “consider” different viewpoints.
As a result, the government last month released a nationwide survey to solicit public input about the LGBT community but pulled it a day later due to the “overwhelming response.” It never returned.
RELATED – Singapore govt launches LGBT survey as ‘best way forward’
