Why Section 377A is redundant

Looking at the cases unearthed by Mohan Gopalan showing how Section 377A has been used in the past, two things stand out: some should not have been prosecuted, while others could have been prosecuted under other laws. We never needed 377A. Full essay.

Heftier list of s.377A cases

A law student contributed this huge table listing the prosecutions made under Section 377A of the Penal Code (gross indecency between males) during the last 15 - 16 years. Guest contribution.

UNSW follows Warwick University out

"One of the things we'd learnt... is that geography is really important," said Fred Hilmer, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of New South Wales. What kind of geography? Full essay.

Harmless traits can be criminalised, says minister

Minister of State for Education Lui Tuck Yew told students that even if homosexual orientation is inborn, even if it causes no harm to others, it is still legitimate to criminalise its expression, since "a major segment of society is [not] ready to move." Dislike is enough to overturn equality and civil rights - goes his argument. Full essay.

God, morality and Haidt

Chua Mui Hoong said that while religion can inform one's beliefs, God should not be brought in to the public debate about morals. But it hasn't, has it? Full essay.

Mediacorp's survey on decriminalisation

62 percent of Singaporean "heartlanders" want to keep homosexuality illegal. Of those under 30, "four in ten" feel the same way. Full essay.

From City Hall to the Gaza Strip and back

A committee chairman resists stepping aside even when others have pointed out potential conflict of interest. The slippery slope to corruption begins with such lack of rectitude. Full essay.

Lost in a fog of fear

Amid the noise made by the fundamentalist fringe, has anyone noticed that the heartlander Chinese majority don't seem to care very much whether the anti-gay law stays or goes?

Go to the main Yawning Bread site (www.yawningbread.org) to read the full essay. There seems to be something wrong with Google-blogger - I'm unable to put in a hyperlink from here.

Singing, voting and the unknowables

It's arguably the greatest voting exercise on earth, a huge experiment in popular democracy. But data about people's behaviour is scarce.

Go to the main Yawning Bread site (www.yawningbread.org) for the full essay. Google-blogger is wonky; I can't create a hyperlink from here directly to the article.

Rebutting Yvonne Lee, part 3

Caleb Yong writes in response to Yvonne Lee's May 4th article in the Straits Times: "It is unfortunate that she does not consider the citizenship of homosexuals".

Go to the main Yawning Bread site (www.yawningbread.org) for the full letter. Google-blogger somehow does not allow me to create a hyperlink from here.

The battle of St James - rebutting Istyana

Koh Jie Kai points out the even bigger flaws in Istyana Putri Ibrahim's letter published in the Straits Times on 3 May 2007, headlined 'Gay acts harm no one' argument flawed'.

Go to the main Yawning Bread site (www.yawningbread.org) for the full guest article. Google-blogger is currently, well, flawed - I can't create a hyperlink from here.

Rebutting Yvonne Lee, part 2

Ooi Jian Yong gives a rebuttal from legal perspectives to Yvonne Lee's article 'Decriminalising homosexual acts would be an error' which appeared in the Straits Times on 4 May 2007.

Go the main Yawning Bread site (www.yawningbread.org) to see the full piece. Google-Blogger is currently wonky and I cannot create a hyperlink from here.

Rebutting Yvonne Lee, part 1

Jireh Tan tried to engage Yvonne Lee in correspondence after the latter's article 'Decriminalising homosexual acts would be an error' appeared in the Straits Times, 4 May 2007.

Go to the main Yawning Bread site (www.yawningbread.org) for this guest contribution. Google-blogger seems to be wonky and I can't create a hyperlink from here!

New scare tactic: religious strife

I noticed that the fundamentalist lobby is beginning to use the scare tactic of racial and religious conflict to argue their case for keeping the anti-gay law. Such nonsense must be nipped in the bud. Full essay.

Queen to K6

A law lecturer steps into the fray. mouthing the usual long-discredited arguments against decriminalisation of gay sex, in an article in the Straits Times. Full essay.

Fall of the BP chief, parts 1 and 2

The Straits Times headline said "BP chief quits over gay affair". Ooh scandalous. Upright corporate titans shouldn't be gay, if caught out they must quit, right? But that headline notwithstanding, was that really why he quit? Plus further thoughts on freedom of speech, prostitution, etc. Full essay.