Homosexuality refers to sexual behaviour or attraction between people of the same sex, or to a sexual orientation. The latter refers to a person's enduring identity as disposed to romantic and sexual attractions and relationships with those of the same sex, and not narrowly to their sexual behavior.
There is a new phenomenon happening in Singapore. It was reported on radio and Today newspaper that half of Singapore youths considered homosexuality acceptable. This came out of a survey of 800 individuals aged 15 - 29, conducted by the Singapore Polytechnic. A more detailed breakdown was reported by morning radio, which said that 44% of male respondents and 57% of female respondents were of this view.
Large number of people (in Singapore) tend to tolerate homosexual acts and so on. This can be proven through the rising disent of the current gay laws in Singapore. A group of people, led by our very own Mr Siew Kum Hong consist of locals and even celebrities is trying to urge the government to amend gay laws in Singapore . An overwhelming number of 10 thousand signatures were collected in a petiton and was submitted to the government. So much for an conservative country.
On April 24 2007, MM Lee has spoken out about the current issue regarding the gay laws: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u25ssjfmiRg
He claimed that Singapore might have to legalize homosexuality to become more cosmopolitan in order to attract more tourists. He has admitted that homosexual exist in Singapore and added that he sawe no option but to legalize homosexual sex. This contridicts the decision the government made in the previous year as recent as 26 Nov 06 to reiterate its intention to retain Section 377A in the Penal Code.
How does homosexuality impact the society?
Let us suppose that homosexuals practice behaviour that we would consider immoral or disgusting. But many Singaporeans would also consider many other things immoral or disgusting, such as adultery, having abortions, and so on. By making homosexual activity a crime, we are effectively denying the right of homosexuals to fully participate in the political and social life of the community. For example, people who engage in other sorts of immorality still have the right to stand as members of parliament, but homosexuals do not, given that citizens are disqualified from office if they have been sentenced to more than a year’s jail, and the maximum sentence for male gay sex is more than that.
In a country where homosexual sex is still a criminal offence, where the state policy, particularly over the media, is that homosexuality should be cast in the most negative light, and where stereotype, social prejudice and job discrimination are seldom checked. People thus tend to look Singapore in a very different view.
In my opinion, the situatuon is rampent in Singapore regarding gay laws. In this case i think that homosexuality is a curse instead. Yes one may argue i am discriming them. However it is diffcult to imagine people of the same sex behaving in an intimate manner along the streets or in public. Just take it that i am being heavily influenced by the generally conservative society, cant be helped..
By Qiwei
