Singapore's Lee Toning Down Anti-Gay Stance?

[Guest fountainhall]

Having taken a firm anti-gay stance for most of his life, Singapore

[TotallyOz]

Might this be a signal of an impending shift in Singapore's colonial-era sodomy laws? Section 377A of the Singaporean Penal Code still punishes homosexuality with sentences of up to two years.

 

For such an amazing place to visit, I have always spent less time and money in Singapore for this reason. While finding guys to hook up is NEVER a problem, the thought of getting in trouble for this is enough to keep me away.

 

Singapore is an amazing modern city with a great flare. I hope that the mentality of the people will catch up to the architecture and atmosphere.

[Guest fountainhall]

the thought of getting in trouble for this is enough to keep me away

You have missed out on a lot! I must have been there at least 100 times over the years and once spent the better part of several months staying at a hotel in Raffles City. It used to be so cruisy there! And provided you were discreet, there was never any problem whatever. Even when gay saunas started up, I think the police generally left them alone, perhaps because they were essentially membership clubs. But you only paid something like S$20 for lifetime membership plus the usual entry fee. One near Chinatown, Rairua, was the first to introduce nude nights - and they were hot! I think the only AYOR risk activity was making contact at the beach or a public swimming pool. That gorgeous hunk you invited to your hotel might well have been a policeman waiting to entrap you.

 

On my last visit, I did not have much time for cruising. I noticed that Raffles City was pretty dead. But I had no trouble having a nice time with a couple of guys from gayromeo.

[Guest]

If I remember correctly, isn't Singapore government policy already not to enforce these laws?

I thought the top brass decided the law was inappropriate, but figured they might not get the bill though parliament. Therefore they decided not to enforce the rules.

The rules did not stop me .

[Guest fountainhall]

Entrapment used to be the major method of harassing gays. I think you are correct that the law has not been enforced for at least a couple of years.

 

The interesting thing about Singapore is that the government knows full well its continued prosperity depends to a massive degree on overseas companies to drive its economy. Wooing companies in key industries has been official government policy for several decades, and the tax and other incentives it has offered are huge compared to those offered elsewhere in the region. It must therefore become increasingly aware that it has to be sensitive to those corporations