Darius Lee

Singaporeans are marrying later in life. It may be hard to imagine that Singapore once struggled with people marrying in their teens. But is it a good thing that men and women are now only marrying at around 30 years of age?

Are we beginning to see the beginning of forceful "bake-my-cake" activism even before the repeal of 377a?What does the Parkroyal Pickering incident show us about how the future of LGBT activism in Singapore will impact the freedoms of association, business, and even religious conscience?

Like many other places, social and moral norms are increasingly contested in Singapore. One site of such contestation is Section 377A. While arguments in favor of repeal have asserted identity and self-fulfillment based on SOGI, arguments in response have focused almost exclusively on the moral and social consequences of repeal, revealing conspicuous gaps in conservative discourse.The challenge and opportunity for conservatives of all creeds is to articulate a proper anthropology and address the deep search for meaning without descending into false utopianism or ideological dogmatism.

Singapore's society remains largely conservative on moral values. Yet, there have been significant shifts in recent years, especially in relation to sexuality. These point to a deep and growing desire for identity, intimacy, faithfulness, and a profound search for deeper meaning and purpose. These desires manifest in certain forms of activism over contentious moral issues, which have taken on religious-like zeal and conviction. Here's how these developments present both a challenge and an opportunity for conservatives of any creed.