Homosexuals are comfortable with their sexuality, but still seek immunity against social stigma
Gone are the days when sexuality was taboo. In fact even homosexuality is no longer unaccepted and seen as offensive. It has now transformed from taboo to established organizations where homosexuals speak of their rights claiming equality for their community.
“We are just as human as everybody else, therefore our rights should not be any different from others”, Gay Rights Activist, Rossana Flamer-Caldera claimed. Rossana is also the Executive Director of the Equal Ground, nonprofit organization seeking human and political rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) community of Sri Lanka.
Since the nature of social attitude rejects homosexual orientation and considers it as an abnormal situation most of the homosexuals refrain from revealing their real sexual orientation. “They have been made to feel ashamed of themselves, which is not good for their mental health,” Flamer-Caldera said. “I’d rather die than hide in a closet,” she added.She further claimed that it is not fair to marginalize homosexuals from heterosexuals. “Homosexuals aren’t any different from other. We crave for same things others crave for. All mundane things,” she said.
She said that homosexuals should also be treated equally as others when speaking about marriages too. “Homosexuals also should have a right to get married as all human beings should be treated in an equal way. If a Tamil person gets married a Sinhalese should also have a right to get married. Likewise there shouldn’t be any difference to the homosexual community” she said.
Koluu, a name which comes along when speaking of homosexuals in Sri Lanka, who is also a renown chef who admits he is gay openly in public. He claims all should live harmoniously despite each others sexual preferences. “We live a very short life. Why live your life how others prefer?” he said. “One’s sexual preferences should not affect his other activities,” he added.
Koluu further said that there is a social pressure against homosexuals in Sri Lanka and that he is aware that some of the gays have to face discrimination, blackmail and abuse.
Speaking on the same issue Flamer-Caldera pointed out that discrimination, blackmail and abuse on homosexuals happens mostly because there are aren’t any laws protecting the homosexual community. “Existing panel code is lack of protective measures. There should be more powerful laws protecting LGBT, and also women and children,” she added.
Flamer-Caldera also pointed out that the homosexual community in Sri Lanka faces all forms of discrimination, marginalization and experience violence; inevitably since there are no laws protecting the community against these acts. “Lots of people get away just because the victim has no where to complain. Most of them are afraid to seek help of a law enforcement officers fearing further abuse,” she lamented.
According to Flamer-Caldera Gay and Lesbian community in Sri Lanka are criminalized under penal code 365a. “Laws should be amended where homosexuality will be decriminalized, where women and children are protected,” she said.
Researchers now focus on biological explanations regarding homosexual orientation. According to them it is caused by genetic factors and hormonal influences. “Big turning point was when the American Psychiatric Association (AMA) removed homosexuality from the mental disorders list. It has been proven now that homosexuality depends on genetics and hormones”, Psychologist Dr. Marcus de Roos said speaking to The Nation. Dr. de Roos who migrated to Sri Lanka from Netherlands has practiced psychology in Sri Lanka for more than 3 years now. AMA removed homosexuality from the list of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973.
Dr. de Roos said that he has been asked many times by clients whether there are any cures for the homosexuality. “It is not an illness or a disease which could be treated with a pill” he explained. “They are born with it, it cannot be changed”, he added.
He also said that his clients speaking to him regarding homosexuality wanted to stay anonymous and the information to be confidential as they think that it is shameful or immoral to be a gay or a lesbian. “In Sri Lanka there is a serious issue on the homosexuality since there is a big taboo against it. This might lead them to depression,” de Roos stressed. “People have to accept them as they are. It is normal”, he stressed.
All religions in Sri Lanka have generally perceived that homosexual behavior is a sinful act. Ven. Mawarale Baddhiya said that there are no explicit rules for lay persons prohibiting homosexual behavior in Buddhism, but since homosexuality is against the social standards it is considered as a sexual misconduct. “Buddhism is generally determined by considerations of social standards. Homosexuality cannot be categorized in that. As Buddhists vow not to engage in sexual misconduct, this is not accepted in the Buddhist culture,” Ven. Baddiya said. “Buddhist monks should live lives of celibacy, meaning abstinence from any type of sex, no difference from homosexual orientation. Ven. Baddiya added.
Ven. Baddiya stressed that Buddhism doesn’t encourage homosexual orientation. “Buddhism looks at them with sympathy that they are born with it. Buddhism helps them to leave ‘Kama raaga’ ”.
Meanwhile Father Benedict Joseph said that homosexuality is not accepted in Christianity. “Sexual relationship between husband and wife is considered holy. When god created man, a help mate was also created that therefore all his necessities and emotions would be met. It was the foundation of family life. Man and woman come together; it is also the normal animal life. When they union with each other, it is the supreme bliss. Today what we see is aversions in the society,” Fr. Joseph said.
Father Joseph further said that this is also a break down of ethics and religion. “We do what we can do to influence people in the right way”.
International Hindu Federation, Secretary, Brahma Sri Ramachandran Kurukkal Babu Sharma said that homosexuality is not accepted by the Hindus that it is completely against the Hindu Traditions. “Man gets energy to carry to perform his tasks from his woman. We worship Siva and Parvathi who are husband and wife. A man should get married to a woman and lead a family life or else he should remain a bachelor. Otherwise it is not allowed,” he said.
According to the Islamic views, they see homosexuals or acts committed of this nature as challenging God’s creation and hence considered a revolt against God. “The Quran affirms: do you approach the males of humanity, leaving the wives Allah has created for you? But you are a people who transgress”, a member of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama said.
“The Quran makes it clear about homosexuality insisting that there is no tolerance towards it or to debate the context. It considers the same-sex acts to be sinful, and unnatural. The wrong doers will be punished. Whoever you find committing the sin of the people of Lut, kill them, both the one who does it and the one to whom it is done, a Hadith says,” he added.
Gone are the days when sexuality was taboo. In fact even homosexuality is no longer unaccepted and seen as offensive. It has now transformed from taboo to established organizations where homosexuals speak of their rights claiming equality for their community.
“We are just as human as everybody else, therefore our rights should not be any different from others”, Gay Rights Activist, Rossana Flamer-Caldera claimed. Rossana is also the Executive Director of the Equal Ground, nonprofit organization seeking human and political rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) community of Sri Lanka.
Since the nature of social attitude rejects homosexual orientation and considers it as an abnormal situation most of the homosexuals refrain from revealing their real sexual orientation. “They have been made to feel ashamed of themselves, which is not good for their mental health,” Flamer-Caldera said. “I’d rather die than hide in a closet,” she added.She further claimed that it is not fair to marginalize homosexuals from heterosexuals. “Homosexuals aren’t any different from other. We crave for same things others crave for. All mundane things,” she said.
She said that homosexuals should also be treated equally as others when speaking about marriages too. “Homosexuals also should have a right to get married as all human beings should be treated in an equal way. If a Tamil person gets married a Sinhalese should also have a right to get married. Likewise there shouldn’t be any difference to the homosexual community” she said.
Koluu, a name which comes along when speaking of homosexuals in Sri Lanka, who is also a renown chef who admits he is gay openly in public. He claims all should live harmoniously despite each others sexual preferences. “We live a very short life. Why live your life how others prefer?” he said. “One’s sexual preferences should not affect his other activities,” he added.
Koluu further said that there is a social pressure against homosexuals in Sri Lanka and that he is aware that some of the gays have to face discrimination, blackmail and abuse.
Speaking on the same issue Flamer-Caldera pointed out that discrimination, blackmail and abuse on homosexuals happens mostly because there are aren’t any laws protecting the homosexual community. “Existing panel code is lack of protective measures. There should be more powerful laws protecting LGBT, and also women and children,” she added.
Flamer-Caldera also pointed out that the homosexual community in Sri Lanka faces all forms of discrimination, marginalization and experience violence; inevitably since there are no laws protecting the community against these acts. “Lots of people get away just because the victim has no where to complain. Most of them are afraid to seek help of a law enforcement officers fearing further abuse,” she lamented.
According to Flamer-Caldera Gay and Lesbian community in Sri Lanka are criminalized under penal code 365a. “Laws should be amended where homosexuality will be decriminalized, where women and children are protected,” she said.
Researchers now focus on biological explanations regarding homosexual orientation. According to them it is caused by genetic factors and hormonal influences. “Big turning point was when the American Psychiatric Association (AMA) removed homosexuality from the mental disorders list. It has been proven now that homosexuality depends on genetics and hormones”, Psychologist Dr. Marcus de Roos said speaking to The Nation. Dr. de Roos who migrated to Sri Lanka from Netherlands has practiced psychology in Sri Lanka for more than 3 years now. AMA removed homosexuality from the list of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973.
Dr. de Roos said that he has been asked many times by clients whether there are any cures for the homosexuality. “It is not an illness or a disease which could be treated with a pill” he explained. “They are born with it, it cannot be changed”, he added.
He also said that his clients speaking to him regarding homosexuality wanted to stay anonymous and the information to be confidential as they think that it is shameful or immoral to be a gay or a lesbian. “In Sri Lanka there is a serious issue on the homosexuality since there is a big taboo against it. This might lead them to depression,” de Roos stressed. “People have to accept them as they are. It is normal”, he stressed.
All religions in Sri Lanka have generally perceived that homosexual behavior is a sinful act. Ven. Mawarale Baddhiya said that there are no explicit rules for lay persons prohibiting homosexual behavior in Buddhism, but since homosexuality is against the social standards it is considered as a sexual misconduct. “Buddhism is generally determined by considerations of social standards. Homosexuality cannot be categorized in that. As Buddhists vow not to engage in sexual misconduct, this is not accepted in the Buddhist culture,” Ven. Baddiya said. “Buddhist monks should live lives of celibacy, meaning abstinence from any type of sex, no difference from homosexual orientation. Ven. Baddiya added.
Ven. Baddiya stressed that Buddhism doesn’t encourage homosexual orientation. “Buddhism looks at them with sympathy that they are born with it. Buddhism helps them to leave ‘Kama raaga’ ”.
Meanwhile Father Benedict Joseph said that homosexuality is not accepted in Christianity. “Sexual relationship between husband and wife is considered holy. When god created man, a help mate was also created that therefore all his necessities and emotions would be met. It was the foundation of family life. Man and woman come together; it is also the normal animal life. When they union with each other, it is the supreme bliss. Today what we see is aversions in the society,” Fr. Joseph said.
Father Joseph further said that this is also a break down of ethics and religion. “We do what we can do to influence people in the right way”.
International Hindu Federation, Secretary, Brahma Sri Ramachandran Kurukkal Babu Sharma said that homosexuality is not accepted by the Hindus that it is completely against the Hindu Traditions. “Man gets energy to carry to perform his tasks from his woman. We worship Siva and Parvathi who are husband and wife. A man should get married to a woman and lead a family life or else he should remain a bachelor. Otherwise it is not allowed,” he said.
According to the Islamic views, they see homosexuals or acts committed of this nature as challenging God’s creation and hence considered a revolt against God. “The Quran affirms: do you approach the males of humanity, leaving the wives Allah has created for you? But you are a people who transgress”, a member of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama said.
“The Quran makes it clear about homosexuality insisting that there is no tolerance towards it or to debate the context. It considers the same-sex acts to be sinful, and unnatural. The wrong doers will be punished. Whoever you find committing the sin of the people of Lut, kill them, both the one who does it and the one to whom it is done, a Hadith says,” he added.
Published in The Nation on Sunday, 23 September 2012
http://www.nation.lk/edition/fine/item/10654-gays-ready-to-remove-their-%E2%80%98masks%E2%80%99.html
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