Singapore’s government confirmed that it will continue to restrict LGBTQ+ film and media content for older audiences, despite repealing its ban on gay sex.
The move to repeal the colonial-era law was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 21 August.
He said it would bring the country’s legal systems in line with “current social mores, and I hope, provide some relief to gay Singaporeans”.
The 377A law was first introduced by the British colonial government in the 1930s before Singapore opted to keep it in place after independence in 1965.
Despite this progressive change, Loong also stated that laws recognising marriage as being between a man and a woman would be strengthened – something which would make the fight for marriage equality even more difficult.
On 22 August, the country’s Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) also shared that Singapore’s LGBTQ+ content restrictions would be remaining in place.
“MCI and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) regulate media content to protect younger audiences from age-inappropriate content, and at the same time enable mature audiences to make informed choices over a diverse range of content,” it said in a statement.
“Our content regulatory approach has to be sensitive to societal norms and values. We will continue to take reference from prevailing norms. LGBT media content will continue to warrant higher age ratings.”
Under current guidelines, content that shows any sexual activity between people of the same gender or have a focus on “alternative sexualities” is given the highest rating of R21 – meaning only those aged 21 or over can see it.
The M18 rating – for those aged 18 and above – is given to content where homosexuality is part of a subplot.
Lightyear, a recent Disney/Pixar film, was restricted to those aged 16 and above in Singapore as the movie includes a scene that shows two female characters kiss.
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