Socially conservative Singapore still has colonial-era laws banning sex between consenting men. But for the first time a gay doctor has been allowed to adopt his biological son.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/D. Lawson
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A gay Singaporean doctor won the right to adopt his biological son on Monday in a landmark ruling for the city-state.
The man and his long-term partner paid $200,000 (€176,000) for a surrogate to carry their child in the United States, as surrogacy is effectively banned in Singapore.
The 46-year-old, who does not wish to be identified, brought his now-five-year-old son back and attempted to adopt him to help secure him citizenship.
But he faced a long struggle in the socially conservative city-state, where gay marriage is outlawed and male homosexuality is still technically illegal.
The application was originally rejected by a district court judge in December last year, who ruled the boy could not be adopted because he was born through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to an unmarried couple, which is not available to couples in Singapore.
But Singapore's high court overturned that ruling.
The boy's father told DW he was "happy and relieved" by the decision.
Singapore faces criticism from LGBT rights groups for its restrictive laws dating from the colonial eraImage: picture-alliance/Photoshot
'In the interests of the child'
In his ruling Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said that "the evidence has demonstrated to us that it is very much in the interests of the child that the adoption order be made."
"His prospects of acquiring Singapore citizenship could be significantly enhanced by making an adoption order, which would in turn lead to an overall increase in the stability of his life in Singapore."
The child did not automatically qualify for citizenship as the mother is also not from the country.
The judge also remarked the decision had not been easy to come to, as he was concerned not to "violate the public policy against the formation of same-sex family units."
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Chief Justice Menon added the ruling was not an endorsement of what the doctor and his partner, who have been together for around 13 years, had done.
Only the doctor, and not his partner, will have parental rights over the boy.
Family overjoyed
The boy's father said the family could now happily celebrate the holidays knowing his son's future is more secure.
"This has been a long and difficult journey for our family," he told DW.
"We are happy and relieved with the High Court's ruling. We hope that with the adoption order, it will increase the chances of our son residing in Singapore for the long term."
"Singapore is the only place we have known as home, and is where we wish to raise our family. We would like to thank our family, friends and the community for their support and encouragement."
