Discussion with women gay rights' group part of ongoing engagement
By Tessa Wong, The Straits Times, 5 Jan 2013
LAW Minister K. Shanmugam has held a meeting with activists from the women gay rights' group Sayoni, in a move which he said is part of an ongoing engagement with the gay community.
Mr Shanmugam confirmed he discussed issues on gay rights, like the anti-homosexual law Section 377A, with the activists in late November.
"As for LGBT citizens, this is not the first time I have heard representation from them. It will certainly not be the last," Mr Shanmugam said in an e-mail response to queries from The Straits Times. LGBT is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual.
I recently met up with some activists from Sayoni, a Singapore-based platform for lesbian, bisexual and transsexual...
Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Saturday, January 5, 2013
He added that whenever anyone approaches him on issues, "I try and meet them to discuss". He has met animal activists, bloggers and young street dancers before.
Sayoni revealed their meeting in an online post last weekend. Mr Shanmugam said he initiated the meeting after Ms Jean Chong, 37, a Sayoni founder, asked him on his Facebook page if LGBT citizens are unwanted in Singapore.
"I responded to her that this is not the case. So I decided to engage them to hear them out," he said, adding that the discussion was "very useful".
The one-hour meeting took place in Mr Shanmugam's office at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and was attended by Ms Chong and two volunteers.
Besides S377A, they discussed issues such as workplace discrimination, family and child-rearing concerns, and the censorship of gay scenes in the media.
Besides S377A, they discussed issues such as workplace discrimination, family and child-rearing concerns, and the censorship of gay scenes in the media.
He had asked the trio if there were many gay Singaporeans living abroad who wished to return with their partners, or foreigners wishing to emigrate to Singapore with their partners. Ms Kelly Chen, one of the volunteers, said they told him they get regular enquiries from such couples.
He also asked them to help organise a larger dialogue between him and the gay community.
Ms Chong said Mr Shanmugam was "open" towards hearing their thoughts. "We felt he repeated the same arguments the Government has made before. But at least there is a conversation with us, which is better than pretending that gay people do not exist."
Mr Shanmugam said he wanted to explain the realities that the Government and Singapore's diverse community have to face and manage regarding LGBT issues.
"This is a complex issue with diverse views. The Government is in the middle, seeking to manage the different viewpoints, interests," he said.
When asked how he would address their concerns, especially S377A, he told The Straits Times that the Government has stated its position, which is that it will keep the law but not pro-actively enforce it.
"As I told Sayoni, no government can succeed without the support of the people. The State cannot rule without the consent of the people. This is an evolving debate," he added.
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