Singapore’s Section 377A: lawmakers vote to lift gay sex ban, retain marriage status quo

Singapore’s parliament on Tuesday voted to simultaneously decriminalise gay sex and amend the constitution to maintain the status-quo definition of marriage, ending months of public debate over the long-telegraphed legislative moves.

The repeal of Section 377A of the penal code, and the introduction of a new Institution of Marriage clause in Singapore’s constitution, will take effect after the bills receive presidential assent. The amendment, among other things, prevents legal challenges to the current definition of marriage as between one man and woman.