Blood Sport of a Man
at her school, it’s not only the muscular jock that makes rape sound like a shaggy-dog story it’s also the averagely built skinny man who camouflages in feminism flexing his wit,…
Gender
Teardrop on Fire: Exposing Gender Based Violence
For her documentary film Teardrop On Fire, Jessica Palden interviewed many people who have directly experienced domestic abuse and intimate partner violence in Sri Lanka. The footage for the film was generated…
Sister, Sister
We lock pinkies and swear oaths stronger and more fearsome than a man could dream for blood is our birthright so our ties are awash in it drenched in a secret…
Boys Will Be Boys
Boys will be boys, And that girl who was groped in the back of the bus, Will go back home, See phantom handprints on her clothes, And wince every time someone comes…
The Sri Lankan Kella
I am the woman of my country The product of ‘culture’, of history of a nation The result of procreation The manufactured playground of patriarchy The battlefield of nationalism I am…
Not Upstanding Citizens
Some countries have a Ministry For Women’s Affairs. Some call it The Department of Women’s and Children’s Affairs. Some countries do not even have a token ministry to uphold the welfare and…
Gnanamuttu Kusumawathi: Leader of the Panama Pattuwa Land Struggle
Gnanamuttu Kusumawathi, known as Kusuma akka, passed away five years ago. We remember her rebellious spirit and strength with admiration and gratitude. Kusuma akka was a leader in the Panama Pattuwa (Pattuwa…
I Am More Than I Was Told I Was
I think it’s time we changed the conversation in our society from what a woman’s role in society should be – from dutiful mother and wife – to whoever it is she…
The Never Ending Saree
Recently an attempt to prompt Sri Lanka forward into the 21st century was stymied. On November 21 some female school teachers posted photographs of themselves on social media dressed in their interpretation…
Love for Saree or Fear of Change?
A statement made by a teachers trade union has opened up another social debate. This is about the female teachers’ school attire. The union points out that just like in any other…
Ending the Violence And Silence
There has been a positive change in Sri Lanka in the past 5 to 10 years in the recognition of the rights of women and children. This is the result of the…
2023 Budget: False Promises at the Expense of Women and Working People
The government’s budget presented on November 14 is incredibly callous. It fails to acknowledge the suffering Sri Lankans are enduring due to the economic crisis. The budget speech refers to rapid economic…
She Said/He Said
Much has been written and said in the last few days since the news was released that a Sri Lankan cricketer has been charged with sexual assault by an Australian woman. Between…
No Means No: A Cricketer’s Lesson on Consent
Innocent until proven guilty is a popular legal maxim seems to be flowing out of the mouth of many men and perhaps even an equal number of women who have suddenly developed…
Online Feminism for an Inclusive Democracy
Although Sri Lanka has achieved much progress in education, health and most social indicators, the representation of women at every level of governance remains abysmally low. Since the country’s transition to democracy…
