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Lankan gays want rights

20 June 2010 02:40 pm - 45     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka’s gay community today demanded equal rights and urged the authorities to emulate India which had last year lifted restrictions on the gay community in New Delhi.

Executive Director of Equal Grounds, Rozanne Flemar Caldera, speaking at a fashion show in Colombo this evening organized by Sri Lanka’s gay community said that people must be treated equally be they gay or straight.

Equal Grounds represents the gay community in Sri Lanka and the fashion show held at the Galadari hotel saw both gay and straight people taking to the stage to portray equality. Several prominent personalities, diplomats and others attended the event. (ER)


See pics: http://www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/images/4523-gays-in-town.html


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  Comments - 45

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  • Monday, 21 June 2010 05:34 AM

    Forget about Gay rights. Let's fight for the HUMAN RIGHTS first in Sri Lanka. Let's accept the fact that Sinhala,Muslim,Tamil..etc are all humans and have same type of desire to be treated as equal humans!! Let's change our attitude towards other communities and become matured nation where all different communities can core-exist and live a decent life.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:19 AM

    well personally i dont see any problem with this...they should be equal !

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:20 AM

    Ministry Of Homosexuality....is that the next ministry?

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:22 AM

    There are so many Lesbians .
    Do something for them too.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:24 AM

    The laws in Lanka concerning the ban on gay community, was introduced by the British. Ironically, if we look at Britain today, its a very open minded society and has people of the gay community in every level.
    Buddhism does't say NO too homesexuality. I'm not gay but I do belive that this is a legitimate demand and Sri Lanka if it is to achive anything great, it needs to have such freedoms.
    look at Thailand. Buddhism is glowing and its population is 99% Buddhist!

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:25 AM

    Gay, Lesbian & prostitution community should removed form SL!

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:42 AM

    This will hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community. The government should not hurt the sentiments of the Muslims as Muslims are the biggest contributors to the economic development of Sri Lanka.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:47 AM

    What about for Lesbians, this is the result of infiltration of western values. This wave cannot be suppressed. Need a good debate. My belief is, these unions, gay and lesbian, cannot survive in our Sri Lankan culture.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 04:01 AM

    Gayness and lesbianism is nothing but utter ugliness. Please do not 'bring' this to Sri Lanka. We are happily living with family life. Please do not go against nature. Beauty is when if it is natural!

    Monday, 21 June 2010 04:13 AM

    Why can't our people understand these little things with out being hypocrites. I'm a straight guy but i have lots of Gay and lesbian friends in this society.. they AREV really nice & very creative minded people. People please just don't be so pathetic... Be wise and open minded... Its nothing to be ashamed of or hide... be humans.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 04:41 AM

    Better close off the murals at Siigirya. Now we know why the wasps have been so aggressive!

    Monday, 21 June 2010 04:41 AM

    What is abnormal about them Ashraf? Most of the gay people i've seen are quite innocent and not in to killings and robberies like all the so called normal people.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 03:10 AM

    im all in for gay and lesbian rights and its high time we did away with all the outdated victorian laws

    Monday, 21 June 2010 06:15 AM

    The Lessons learned and Reconcilation committee recently formed by the govt can first look into this matter. Hopefully they will have some conclusion on this matter!

    Monday, 21 June 2010 06:22 AM

    The law in Sri Lanka states that it is a crime to be Gay!! and you can go to jail for homosexual activity.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 06:26 AM

    Well said, Magodis Thuma. Though I am not a gay, I also feel that we should not marginalise and discriminate people based on their sexual orientations (unless they're paedophiles and rapists).

    Monday, 21 June 2010 10:27 AM

    what makes it different?

    Monday, 21 June 2010 11:08 AM

    Gays, Lesbians and other gender minorities are not purely a result of western values. actually traditional western values prohibit such behaviors.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 11:09 AM

    study and research well before commenting on social issues.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 04:26 PM

    All these fellows must be banished from Sri Lanka, for trying to create havoc, in our society. Those who supported and attended this event are supporters of evil!

    Dinithi Wednesday, 23 June 2010 11:12 AM

    There is no pride in prejudice!

    Sri Lankans should stop blaming "culture" for not providing equal opportunities to everyone! I'm so proud that the LGBT community is standing up, and will support them however i can!
    To those narrow minded people - Get your head out of the 1950s! As a buddhist nation, we should be accepting of everyone!

    Dinithi Wednesday, 23 June 2010 11:15 AM

    LOVE is natural and by your logic beautiful, no matter between whom it is shared!! Its not against nature... its been happening for centuries, and its people with your ideology that has been shunning them away.

    PROPS UP for daily mirror for publishing this story!!

    gest Tuesday, 06 March 2012 06:23 AM

    we agreed for this.. because gay feellings are very sensitive.. i know it best. because i have friend like this....

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:39 PM

    Please don't ruin our childrens future. This is Sri Lanka not India. Do what ever you want secretly not in public. This is abnormal and not acceptable.

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 03:09 PM

    This does not match our culture...we dont have to follow suit as all the western countries..if this is implemented then it will tarnish the culture heavily...

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 03:25 PM

    Ok then go to India ...But not Sri Lanka ......

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 03:26 PM

    At last we have freedom, to live the way we want.

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 03:31 PM

    Gays are not Normal! they should be made normal first.
    this is a part of the conspiracy

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 03:36 PM

    Might as well demand it! After all nobody else has rights anymore.

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:01 PM

    Meka witharai lankawe aduwakata thibbe...

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:11 PM

    I'm glad at least daily Mirror has courage to publish this article.
    Because of the religious attitude of people, Gays & Lesbians are treated as criminals in Sri Lanka.
    PEOPLE CANT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE BORN LIKE THAT. Although there are powerful well known Gay politicians are in the parliament, nobody has courage to raise the voice for Gays & Lesbians.
    Lot of education programs are needed to change the miss concepts about Lesbians & Gay people. People should understand that they are not pedophiles & they are against them. In every community there is a percentage of homosexuals. Whats happening to these people ?. Because of the religious attitudes of people, homosexuals are forced to marry opposite sex partners & both parties suffer throughout the life.
    Thanks Mr Kaldera......
    STANDUP FOR YOUR RIGHTS..!
    DON'T GIVE UP THE FIGHT........!

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:15 PM

    Dear Gay, once the opposition come to power we will seriously consider your humble request. These fellows in the power has no use and they always go after opposite sex

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:25 PM

    What about lesbians? What about teenage pregnancies ? It is difficult with religious believe. Here it is very difficult to find cohabitation between different cultures. It is too early for Srilanka.

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:26 PM

    Are the gays in Sri Lanka treated unequally in law? Very unlikely. At a personal level, it is possible that gays are looked down upon but can there be legislation against personal attitudes?

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 03:03 PM

    i hope the general community in Sri Lanka will have a real open minded and meaningful debate about this

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:45 PM

    "News Papers of Srilanka" please do not give publicity to this type of stories of developed countries, to be introduced to my country "Srilanka" and spoil this "Great Nation", because, any bad behaviour, or "Headache "of the other countries Srilankans are absorbing very fast.But not the good things.

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 04:57 PM

    Can we give the Tamils equal right first? I am for equal rights to Gay or straight as long as their union is not named as marriage. Keep the word marriage for the traditional marriage, and call the Gay union with some other name such as Gay Union.
    Let there be equality in treatment irrespective of race, religion, language, color, and anything and everything we can think of.

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 05:20 PM

    gosh.. they actually have a community for those in SL???

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 05:49 PM

    Now this is a good challenge to see how the government reacts since Sri Lanka is a Buddhist Country which has its own culture.

    Sunday, 20 June 2010 06:04 PM

    If you try to define what is our culture then you will realize that the main stream culture that we are in right now in Sri Lanka is greatly influenced by the stupid Victorian traditions. Our Sinhala Buddhist culture is something that we must study with great care. Individual culture can be different from the main stream culture but it’s what makes the main thing after all.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 02:31 AM

    gay rights? i think they can wait a bit longer. There are other more important issues in this country. And why in the world should we do the same thing as India does? So if Indians start jumping in wells should Sri lanakans do that as well?

    Monday, 21 June 2010 02:42 AM

    The only agitation that was missing in Sri Lanka!

    Monday, 21 June 2010 02:48 AM

    Many do not realise that homosexuality is a biologicaly created natural syndrome. Their is nothing that can change this status and it is our duty as fellow human beings to recogonise and provide them the correct environment of their preference, keeping to the laws of the country. Hiding issues under the umbrella of culture is humbug. For instance what is the real origin of the sinhalese in Sri Lanka and what were we 2000 years ago? Our culture states we are aryan origin, but then majority of the sinhalese do not have the slightest physic and characteristics of persons of aryan origin such as the europeans. Further more, our physical structure is typical of dravidians. We need to be logical in our thoughts as Lord Buddha has preached.

    Monday, 21 June 2010 02:56 AM

    no need for rights, for long a time Gays were having a free life, what else do they want....i think they are going to loose the freedom they have now....better to stick with what they are doing just go on with that...

    Monday, 21 June 2010 02:57 AM

    Sri Lankan culture??

    Are we referring to the culture that does not allow lingerie hoardings of semi clad women, when state issued currency notes carry an image of a topless (well endowed) concubine???


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