Celebrating a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning Sri Lanka
Repost This ArticleRosanna Flamer-Caldera is the Executive Director of Equal Ground. This interview was held soon after the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka said he was open to dialogue with the gay community, but “would not take any decision which could hurt the culture of the country”.
Almost exactly one year ago, India decriminalised gay sex. As the Times of India noted at the time,
India took a giant, albeit belated, step towards globalisation on Thursday when the Delhi high court delivered a historic judgement to amend a 149-year-old colonial-era law — Section 377 of the IPC — and decriminalise private consensual sex between adults of the same sex. It is the biggest victory yet for gays rights and a major milestone in the country’s social evolution. India becomes the 127th country to take the guilt out of homosexuality.
As the full text of the Delhi High Court judgement avers,
“There is almost unanimous medical and psychiatric opinion that homosexuality is not a disease or a disorder and is just another expression of human sexuality”
In our interview, I asked Rosanna why progressive jurisprudence from India had failed to inspire similar legal reform in Sri Lanka and whether post-war, rights of minorities, including the LGBTIQ community, would be respected and strengthened. Rosanna flags key problems and challenges faced by the gay community in Sri Lanka, the social and political acceptance of the LGBTIQ community and the continuing threats to the personal safety and security of gay rights advocates in the country.
LGBT = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transexual
Strange that no one has commented on this article though it has been uploaded 2 days ago. Does it imply anything?
Anyway, when I was a kid I did not think homosexuality is normal, thanks to the education I received, not just from school but from all other sources such as media, tv, magazines. It was hardly discussed. If anything, it was something to laugh at and/or make fun out of. Thankfully, as I grew up, my stance on it got changed and now I know that it is just as normal and the last thing that should be done is find fault with LGBT people. Afterall, they did not choose to become gay in the same way as I did not choose to become straight. I was born straight and they were born gay. Any decent God-believers out there who think that being gay is wrong, should please ask your God first, why did he/she make that individual in the gay-mould so to speak, , before blaming the individual.
Thanks to Rosanna for coming out and braving this interview. I believe it is already hard being a gay person in Sri lanka but being public about it calls for courage and integrity.
The real acid-test for anyone who was not pro-LGBT but now are (including myself even though I am still single, unmarried and available lol
) , is your reaction when and if your own son or daughter turns out to be an LGBT.
Grasshopper,
your opinion is very honest and it is very true regarding attitudes in Sri Lanka towards homosexuality. Since Sri Lanka is so anti-western, and the laws criminalizing homosexuality were installed by british “imperialists”, wouldn’t it make sense for them to remove this law that was imposed on them by these vicious, murdering, “imperialist” fools? I would love to see the reaction to my question by ” God worshipping” members of the Sri Lankan diaspora and from the anti-western Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka.
Grasshopper, I apologize! The second comment above listed under your name is actually my comment, but when I typed the comment, I was thinking ” Grasshopper” in my head! This is embarrassing but I do apologize.
Hey!!!!! I did not make the 2nd comment lol.
That’s ok Huh
Anyway, was your opinion from a guy’s point of view or that of a lady?
Dear Grasshopper,
It was from a guy’s point of view. And thanks for the understanding! Just a quick question though, why is my sex relevant(although I’m sure you would explain even if i didn’t ask this question lol)?
A guy? Damn! Of course sex isn’t relevant hehe…
I sincerely hope that any stigma around gay people decreases as scientific literacy increases in our society. I did not give this issue much thought (i.e. always felt there were more pressing concerns in Sri Lanka), until I found out the fear and stigma with which a person known to me was living in. An extremely nice person, but terrified of being socially ostracised and not even being able to talk to one’s own parents about it. Such a situation should not befall any human being and they are fully deserving of the same happiness and acceptance as anyone else.
Different strokes for different folks – live and let live…
It feels so good the read very open minded comments from all the ppl.
I know personally how it feels to be a LGBT person, cos I am one of them. it the social stigma which scares everything out of me and for many years I am trying to come out and start my transition.
I wanted to thank Rosanna for her a amazing work …..
I hope that we can together make a difference and help LGBT people come out and enjoy a normal life just like others. That is my only hope
hats off to Rosanna the bravest person i ever know and im proud to say i know her and im proud to say im happy of who i am that is GAY