Skip to main content

Country Overview

Singapore

At a glance

Same-sex Relations for Men Legal Throughout the Country?

Yes

Same-sex Relations for Women Legal Throughout the Country?

Yes

Legal Gender Recognition Possible?

Yes

LGBTI Orgs Able to Register?

No

View more for this country:

Singapore has made progress on LGBTIQ issues over the last decade; however, there are still barriers to full LGBTIQ equality. During a speech at the National Day Rally in 2022, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that the section of Singapore’s penal code that criminalizes sex between men would be repealed. Following the Prime Minister’s promise, in November 2022, Singapore’s Parliament decriminalized same-sex relations but also passed a constitutional amendment that gave Parliament the power to protect the definition of marriage from legal challenges. However, the changes do not enshrine the definition of marriage in the Constitution, so Parliament, through ordinary legislation, can create a system of same-sex civil unions with a simple majority. Although surveys suggest that a majority of people in Singapore still do not support same-sex marriage, public opinion has become increasingly accepting in recent years. Public rallies in support of LGBTIQ people, including Pink Dot, have attracted tens of thousands of attendants. Trans people can access gender-affirming healthcare and change their legal gender markers based on a system of self-determination. 

 

Global Impact

Sub-Saharan Africa

Outright supports LGBTIQ organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa and works with mainstream human rights organizations to respect human rights and influence positive changes in laws, policies, attitudes and beliefs that cause discrimination against LGBTIQ people.

View this region

United Nations

Our work at the United Nations centers around advocating for the advancement of the rights of LGBTIQ people.

View this region

Asia

Our work in Asia promotes acceptance of sexual and gender diversity at all levels of society.

View this region

Middle East and North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa, we partner with local groups in various countries as part of our international solidarity work. We also work with our local partners on different topics through capacity building, advocacy, research and holistic security.



View this region

Europe and Central Asia

Outright International partners with activists to fight for an end to human rights violations based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in Europe and Central Asia, where most of our work involves emergency responses to harassment, discrimination, violence, and most recently, Russia’s brutal and expanded invasion of Ukraine.

View this region

Americas

Our work in the Americas continues to build on the fundamental and positive transformation of human rights protections in recent years. We partner with groups in the Caribbean that focus on ending gender-based violence and eradicating discrimination against trans people.

View this region

Pacific

Our work in the Pacific aims to increase the visibility of activists, respond to human rights emergencies, and actively bridge local, regional, and international activism to achieve equality and justice.

View this region

Human Rights Research

Since 1990, we have partnered with activists from all over the world to produce hundreds of groundbreaking reports.

Read Our Reports