Celebrate World Aids Day by removing legal discrimination against MSM

During the 4th Singapore AIDS Conference organized by Action for AIDS (AfA), Paul Louey, from AIDS Concern Hong Kong, delivered a presentation entitled, “HIV/
STI Prevention, Strategies for Men who have sex with Men (MSM): Experiences from Hong Kong” at the 3rd Symposium: “Ignorance, Complacency or Denial: Addressing MSM Sexual Health Issues in Singapore.”

While HIV education is a large part on HIV prevention, Mr Louey stresses the importance of legislature changes for more effective measures. As an example, age of consent for gay men in Hong Kong is higher at 21 years old, as compared to 16 for heterosexuals, acting as disincentives for younger sexually active MSMs to come forward for testing. He also mentioned building community bonds and involving MSM to spread safer sex messages as they are the ones who best understand the MSM themselves.

Paul Tan, a columnist for fridae.com, wrote an article before the conference, along similar lines, when he commented that decriminalising gay sex acts in Singapore will help in AIDS education.

As homosexual acts between men are criminal in Singapore, it prevents the government from openly promoting “HIV education and safer sex practices within the MSM community”. He added that the law also prevents AfA, which is the only advocacy HIV and AIDS prevention NGO in Singapore with an up and running MSM program, MSM Resources, from executing their outreach programs effectively. During this year’s Nation Party, MSM Resources was told by the authorities to shut down its outside booth, preventing them from handing out condoms, and reminding and urging party goers to engage in safer sex practices.

While encouraging monogamy or sexual fidelity seems to be the ideal in HIV prevention, it cannot be the singular “message” disseminated to any target audience. This is especially true to the MSM community as the act is considered criminal in Singapore.

The government has openly acknowledged that not legalizing male homosexual acts is a decision of not imposing minority views on the majority; or that it was catering to the sensitivities of the conservatives and the various religious groups.

Yet, on the other hand, I am sure the caring, compassionate and all- inclusive government and Singaporeans who do not show approval of male homosexual acts will not want to stunt the anti-AIDS education targetted at the MSM community in Singapore.

There are also other incentives in decriminalizing gay sex, besides aiding the progress of HIV education among the MSM community in Singapore. One of them is a
heed to the call of our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, who aims to build a more progressive and open society that tolerates diversity. MSM will feel a closer affinity to being Singaporean as they are no longer considered “criminals” once the penal code is removed.

Unenlightened people will choose to perceive AIDS as a homosexual sickness or a self-inflicted disease. Advocates will vehemently disagree that AIDS and HIV knows no boundaries and can happen to anyone because it stigmatizes.

Instead of blaming saunas or Action for Aids for not doing enough, World AIDS Day will be better celebrated this year if Singapore chooses to see it as an opportunity to remove legal discrimination against MSM.  ¶ 9:08 am