Following the High Court ruling to allow a gay Singaporean man to adopt his 5-year old biological son, Minister Desmond Lee said in Parliament on Monday (14 Jan) that the Ministry for Social and Family Development will be reviewing and strengthening existing adoption laws and policies. He also reiterated Singapore’s public policy which is against the formation of same-sex family units, despite the recent landmark decision. In essence, MSFD is attempting to make it tougher for same-sex couples to start their own families in Singapore.
In response, Singapore’s LGBTQ advocacy group Pink Dot SG said it is distressing that Mr Lee says all Singaporeans including LGBTQ persons are not subject to prejudice and discrimination but then goes on to rationalise the opposite.
On a post on their Facebook page, Pink Dot SG says, “it is clear that there is a lack of understanding about the lived experiences of LGBTQ people to imagine that they have the same opportunities and social support that straight couples do”.
They point out that the irony of the situation is that the intent by MSFD to review of adoption laws and policies which will likely make it tougher for gay couples to start their own families “stems precisely from the prejudice and discrimination that LGBTQ Singaporeans are constantly being subjected to”.
They go on to say that choosing to have children is a deeply personal matter to many people, including those in the LGBTQ community. Pink Dot called on MSFD to ‘consider the many lives that it will actually impact’ and to ‘engage with gay couples who have become parents to better understand their wants and needs’.
