HPB’s redefinition of ‘family’ at odds with what most S’poreans think

By saying, in its FAQ, that same-sex relationships are “not too different” from heterosexual ones, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has redefined what “family” means, in a manner at odds with the views of most Singaporeans as well as Singapore’s laws and policies.

In 2007, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said “family” in Singapore means “one man, one woman, marrying, having children and bringing up children within that framework of a stable family unit”. This applies not only to heterosexual married couples, but all of society, and is reinforced by law and policy. Recent surveys also show that most Singaporeans are conservative, hold to traditional family values and disapprove of homosexual relations.

The HPB misunderstands the meaning of family when it merely equates “the family remains the basic building block of our society” to “encouraging heterosexual married couples to have healthy relationships and to build stable nuclear and extended family units”. The meaning of family goes beyond that.