Press
In Thailand, gays and lesbians will soon be able to marry, and Singapore recently legalized sex between men. In neighboring Malaysia, however, there is a threat of state persecution.
On Saturday, Singapore’s Hong Lim Park was ablaze with pink. Thousands of people came to the “Pink Dot,” the annual festival of the LGBTQ community in the Asian city-state. Even a few politicians from the ruling party mingled with the revelers, many of whom were dressed in pink. This is not a given in a country where the rights of gays, lesbians and other sexual minorities are rarely discussed in public.
But something is happening in Singapore: A good two years ago, the government repealed a law from the British colonial era that criminalized sex between men. Even though there had been no distributions for years, activists celebrated the step as a revolution. At the same time, Singapore’s government made it clear that it would not support marriage for all.
A good 1500 kilometers north of Singapore, things are already further along. In Thailand’s capital Bangkok, parliament cleared the way for same-sex marriage in mid-June. After the lower house, the Senate also voted by a large majority for a corresponding bill, and in a few months the first marriages between two partners of the same sex can be concluded. Only the signature of the king is still missing. Thailand is then – after Taiwan and Nepal – the third country in Asia to introduce marriage for all.
“The recognition of same-sex marriage is a milestone”
Kath Khangpiboon, professor of social work at Thammasat University in Bangkok and activist for trans rights, speaks of a “turning point”. The law could “lead to a reduction in stigma and discrimination,” says Kath, and Thailand’s economy will also benefit: the country’s new openness will attract even more foreign tourists, the professor believes.
In Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, Numan Afifi looks at Thailand and Singapore with a mixture of envy and admiration. Malaysia lies between the two countries, and relations with Singapore are particularly close; tens of thousands commute to the city-state every day to work. “The recognition of same-sex marriage in Thailand is a milestone for LGBTQ rights in Southeast Asia,” says Numan. He is the founder of JEJAKA, an organization that campaigns for the rights of gay and bisexual men. A difficult job.
In Malaysia, homosexuality is illegal, and “sodomy” is punishable by 20 years in prison and flogging. Almost as bad is the discrimination by society, says Numan – and lists: “Rejection in the family and social ostracism, as well as discrimination in the workplace and bullying in educational institutions.” Gays and lesbians in Malaysia are “forced to live in hiding and in fear.” Human Rights Watch also writes of a “hostile climate” in a report from 2022. The human rights organization also denounces the state for promoting “conversion therapies” to “cure” homosexuals.
Homosexuality in Southeast Asia: “The road to full equality is long”
Almost two-thirds of Malaysia’s population are Muslims, and the largest party in parliament is the Islamist PAS. “These people regularly portray homosexuality as morally reprehensible,” says Numan. Thai activist Kath Khangpiboon also blames religion for the fact that Malaysia continues to oppress gays and lesbians, while predominantly Buddhist Thailand takes a different, tolerant path.
In Malaysia, state-imposed homophobia sometimes takes bizarre forms. Last summer, Malaysian authorities temporarily arrested several members of the British band The 1975 because singer Matty Healy had kissed his bassist on stage. A short time later, the Ministry of the Interior issued a ban on Swatch watches with a rainbow design, with the threat of up to three years in prison. There is a “consensus” throughout the country that homosexuality is not acceptable, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared in a 2023 speech. CNNInterview. Anwar himself was imprisoned for years for alleged “sodomy” – he dismissed the accusations at the time as a plot by political opponents.
A claim that is also often heard in Malaysia: homosexuality and transsexuality are an import from the West. Nonsense, says activist Numan Afifi. The fact that Thailand has opened up marriage to all and that sex between men is no longer a criminal offense in Singapore shows “that LGBTQ rights are compatible with Asian values.” He also sees changes in his home country. In large cities like Kuala Lumpur, there are more and more places where gays, lesbians and transgender people can come together. An event like the “Pink Dot” in neighboring Singapore will not be taking place in Malaysia any time soon. “The road to complete equality is long,” says Numan. “But change will come.”
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