Singapore has voided the marriage of a couple after the husband underwent a sex change, making their partnership a same - sex union that contravened the city - state ’ s laws , a report said Tuesday .
The couple married as man and woman in 2015 but the husband underwent a sex change couple tried to buy a government - built apartment, they had to inform the authorities. Married couples receive state grants for first -time purchases of government apartments .
The marriage was voided several months later , making them ineligible to buy the apartment they wanted , the paper said .
Singapore ’ s Registry of Marriages said it would not give details on individual cases but cited the country ’ s laws which state marriage is a union between a man and a woman.
“ At the point of marriage , a couple must be man and woman, and must want to be and want to remain as man and woman in the marriage , ” it said in a statement.
Despite calls for change, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said the country is not yet ready for same - sex marriage since society is still conservative.
Singapore maintains legislation dating back to British colonial rule making sex between men a criminal act although it does not actively enforce the law .
Jean Chong, who co - founded Sayoni , a Singapore - based lesbian advocacy group , told AFP that “ policies need to catch up with the realities of society ” .
“ Families come in all shapes and sizes and of course while people get married as man and woman, there are those who transition along the way , so does this mean their marriage is no longer valid ?”
Taiwan ’ s top court ruled in favour of gay marriage in May, paving the way for the island to become the first place in Asia to legalise same - sex unions .