Pro-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer/questioning (LGBTIQ) social changes that Sri Lanka has achieved through the years were shown through the responses of the general public to the marriage between Sri Lankan lawyer Aritha Wickramasinghe and another man, which took place last week. Those who had commented on this marriage, especially on social media platforms, showed how much the Sri Lankan society has changed to accept those identifying as LGBTIQ and to take their rights seriously.
However, while the world marks Pride Month, it is also crucial to acknowledge that even though societal changes are important and necessary, for the LGBTIQ movement to win the rights that they demand, more reforms in a number of spheres, and the support of those demanding various other forms of social change, are necessary.
During the past two months, it was notable that the LGBTIQ community was actively involved in the ongoing spate of anti-President and anti-Government protests. They organised, mostly via social media platforms, and appeared for the common cause for which the other protestors were fighting, which is indicative of the sense of inclusion that they share with the rest of the country, regardless of sexual orientations and/or gender identities/expressions. Their activism, which went beyond the usual LGBTIQ rights-related demands and struggles, received commendation from various parties.
In this context, one of the important lessons we can learn from the heteronormative community’s acceptance of the LGBTIQ community’s participation in the ongoing protests is that the latter playing a supportive role in national struggles can in fact encourage more people to be supportive of their own struggle to be accepted as a community. Perhaps, in this harmony may lie some of the solutions they have been seeking, as far as their rights are concerned.
It has often been emphasised that winning their battle – i.e. being treated equally as LGBTIQ persons with no discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression – is a mission that requires the support and involvement of the non-LGBTIQ community as well. While Sri Lankan LGBTIQ activists have done a great deal of work with activists representing other causes, continuing to play an active role in struggles dedicated to other causes could help further their own cause.
There are a plethora of factors indirectly affecting the LGBTIQ community, even though these are not typically identified as part of the LGBTIQ community’s conventional or mainstream slogans. When it comes to legal reforms, it is crucial and will certainly be beneficial if the LGBTIQ community’s focus is also directed to legal reforms that affect them directly, such as laws pertaining to privacy, consent, sex work and discrimination, in addition to Sections 365, 365A, and 399 (which refer to laws that can be used to take legal action against homosexual persons and transgender/transsexual persons).
However, when it comes to reforms in the medical and health matters that affect the LGBTIQ community, it is crucial to go beyond the usual issues such as conversion therapy and to pay more attention to sexual and reproductive health and rights that have a lot to do with the LGBTIQ community’s needs and wellbeing. In addition, when it comes to raising awareness – which is an integral part of the LGBTIQ movement, aimed mainly at addressing stigma and gaining more societal acceptance – paying attention to educational reforms to teach children and even adults about diverse sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions, could be beneficial.
One advantage of being more active in related causes is having more leverage when breaking through the insularity that some segments of the LGBTIQ community have displayed. In fact, in the LGBTIQ community’s quest for equal rights and zero discrimination, it is equally important to deal with those who have unfavourable or opposing opinions, and that is one of the effective ways of lessening stigma and discrimination against LGBTIQ persons. Therefore, LGBTIQ activists should perhaps pay more attention to taking a more proactive stance when it comes to addressing anti-LGBTIQ sentiments than they do now.
Some of the above mentioned steps are already taking place at various levels and in various contexts. However, these efforts being part of more mainstream, organised, and active efforts that are implemented along with the overall objectives of the LGBTIQ movement could result in more progress, especially when it comes to social acceptance. It is therefore important to step out of the conventional approaches to win the LGBTIQ community’s rights to look into new ways of breaking existing boundaries, and both established and new LGBTIQ rights organisations have a big role to play in this endeavour.The future of rainbow rights
24 Jun 2022
The future of rainbow rights
24 Jun 2022
Pro-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer/questioning (LGBTIQ) social changes that Sri Lanka has achieved through the years were shown through the responses of the general public to the marriage between Sri Lankan lawyer Aritha Wickramasinghe and another man, which took place last week. Those who had commented on this marriage, especially on social media platforms, showed how much the Sri Lankan society has changed to accept those identifying as LGBTIQ and to take their rights seriously.
However, while the world marks Pride Month, it is also crucial to acknowledge that even though societal changes are important and necessary, for the LGBTIQ movement to win the rights that they demand, more reforms in a number of spheres, and the support of those demanding various other forms of social change, are necessary.
During the past two months, it was notable that the LGBTIQ community was actively involved in the ongoing spate of anti-President and anti-Government protests. They organised, mostly via social media platforms, and appeared for the common cause for which the other protestors were fighting, which is indicative of the sense of inclusion that they share with the rest of the country, regardless of sexual orientations and/or gender identities/expressions. Their activism, which went beyond the usual LGBTIQ rights-related demands and struggles, received commendation from various parties.
In this context, one of the important lessons we can learn from the heteronormative community’s acceptance of the LGBTIQ community’s participation in the ongoing protests is that the latter playing a supportive role in national struggles can in fact encourage more people to be supportive of their own struggle to be accepted as a community. Perhaps, in this harmony may lie some of the solutions they have been seeking, as far as their rights are concerned.
It has often been emphasised that winning their battle – i.e. being treated equally as LGBTIQ persons with no discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression – is a mission that requires the support and involvement of the non-LGBTIQ community as well. While Sri Lankan LGBTIQ activists have done a great deal of work with activists representing other causes, continuing to play an active role in struggles dedicated to other causes could help further their own cause.
There are a plethora of factors indirectly affecting the LGBTIQ community, even though these are not typically identified as part of the LGBTIQ community’s conventional or mainstream slogans. When it comes to legal reforms, it is crucial and will certainly be beneficial if the LGBTIQ community’s focus is also directed to legal reforms that affect them directly, such as laws pertaining to privacy, consent, sex work and discrimination, in addition to Sections 365, 365A, and 399 (which refer to laws that can be used to take legal action against homosexual persons and transgender/transsexual persons).
However, when it comes to reforms in the medical and health matters that affect the LGBTIQ community, it is crucial to go beyond the usual issues such as conversion therapy and to pay more attention to sexual and reproductive health and rights that have a lot to do with the LGBTIQ community’s needs and wellbeing. In addition, when it comes to raising awareness – which is an integral part of the LGBTIQ movement, aimed mainly at addressing stigma and gaining more societal acceptance – paying attention to educational reforms to teach children and even adults about diverse sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions, could be beneficial.
One advantage of being more active in related causes is having more leverage when breaking through the insularity that some segments of the LGBTIQ community have displayed. In fact, in the LGBTIQ community’s quest for equal rights and zero discrimination, it is equally important to deal with those who have unfavourable or opposing opinions, and that is one of the effective ways of lessening stigma and discrimination against LGBTIQ persons. Therefore, LGBTIQ activists should perhaps pay more attention to taking a more proactive stance when it comes to addressing anti-LGBTIQ sentiments than they do now.
Some of the above mentioned steps are already taking place at various levels and in various contexts. However, these efforts being part of more mainstream, organised, and active efforts that are implemented along with the overall objectives of the LGBTIQ movement could result in more progress, especially when it comes to social acceptance. It is therefore important to step out of the conventional approaches to win the LGBTIQ community’s rights to look into new ways of breaking existing boundaries, and both established and new LGBTIQ rights organisations have a big role to play in this endeavour.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!