Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalizes sex between men, has lost popularity among Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) over the past four years, according to a study released on Thursday (16 June).
Ipsos's study reveals that around 44% of respondents approve the law in 2022. This was a decrease from the market research firm's 2018 poll, which found 55%.
The percentage of respondents who reject the measure increased from 12% in 2018 to 20% in the most recent study.
About 32% neither favor nor oppose Section 377A, while 4% choose to remain silent.
On 3 March, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam addressed Section 377A in Parliament, stating that regulations must adapt in tandem with the steady shift in society's attitudes toward homosexuality. The poll results followed this statement.
Shanmugam stated at a forum the following week that all ministers are bound by Cabinet decisions on government policy and should avoid from expressing their own personal opinions on the topic.
In the study, 45% of respondents indicated that they are more tolerant of same-sex couples than they were three years ago.
On this subject, there was a substantial gap in opinion between the various age groups. About 67% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 are more accepting of same-sex partnerships than they were three years ago, compared to only 29% of respondents aged 50 and older.
In the meanwhile, 51% of respondents feel that same-sex couples can effectively raise children, just as other parents can. About 49% of respondents feel that same-sex couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples to adopt children.
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