Pornography: Right or perversion?

Psychology experts fear that if people do not talk about sex in Sri Lanka, they will turn to porn to learn about sex instead of thinking more broadly about sexuality

Pornography, often abbreviated ‘porn’ or ‘porno’ in informal usage has become mainstream, with easy access to the Internet. Pornography is no more restricted to magazines and CDs which are secretly sold or exchanged. This can be the reason why pornographic material raids are more frequently in the news. Last week it was reported that two persons allegedly involved in a racket distributing CDs containing pornographic material to video centers were arrested during a raid in North Central and Central provinces by Dambulla Police. Dambulla Police also seized 786 CDs and several computers containing pornographic videos.

There were three others who were arrested for having in possession mobile phones containing pornographic material. Yet it remains uncertain why having pornographic content in personal electronic equipments like mobile phones and personal computers is considered a crime. When queried about the legal grounds of arresting people who have in their possession personal electronic equipment containing sexually explicit material, Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said they have arrested these people based on the country’s law.

“Showing or possessing databases of pornographic material is ‘strictly’ prohibited by the Sri Lankan law and that law was made by the parliament,” he said. “Few countries have strict laws regarding pornography, including Sri Lanka. I believe that such laws were imposed because of the culture and morality of our society. If we need to uphold the moral values of our society, law should be strictly maintained,” he reiterated. It makes one wonder if the police is attempting to police the general public’s moral values.

Colonial hangover

Perhaps it is the Victorian mindset, a colonial hangover, which makes the discussion of pornography or any other sex related topic in public, uncomfortable, yet Google it to satisfy their curiosity in private. They are only very few who are bold enough to speak about such issues in public. Among those is a camp which brands porn as obscenity - capable of turning good men into sexual perverts. Another camp sees porn as just a healthy way of experiencing sex as long as the person doing the accessing is legally an adult and no one gets hurt while another camp is not sure whether to take its side or speak against it.

According to Wikipedia pornography may use a variety of media, including books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video and even video games. Some call it sex education; some use it as a means to achieve sexual satisfaction and as sexual stimulation during masturbation.

University of Peradeniya, Professor of Sociology, SA Athukorala explained the Sociological perspective of pornography abuse. As he explained, a social problem is a problem which is generated by the society. It has negative impacts on the society and could be prevented by collective collaboration of the society. Law enforcement could come in handy in preventing a social problem. Prof Athukorala was not certain whether pornography abuse can be categorized as a social problem since it effects are individual rather than societal. “I believe we should look into this more liberally. However humans naturally have a drive for sex. We should look at these people in a sympathetic manner,” he said. Athukorala also said that this issue could affect a person’s social relationships including his family life.

He warned that the society should be more vigilant about these materials coming into the possession of children. “Cellular phones are very popular among children in plantation areas, especially teenagers. There are shops in these areas where a child could get pornographic material copied into their phones for 500 to 1,000 rupees,” he said, out of many years of experience working in such areas. “A person’s privacy should be protected while being vigilant about the possible hazards,” he added.      

Frustration

The psychological perspective of this issue is contradictory to the Police’s point of view. Dr. Jennie Robertson, a Clinical Psychologist who is working with Samutthana - the Sri Lankan Resource Centre of King's College London explained that it’s a matter of one’s choice to acquire satisfaction by watching pornography to relieve sexual frustration. “Many people use pornography to relieve sexual frustration, but others may choose not to,” Dr. Robertson said speaking to The Nation. Dr. Robertson is a Clinical Psychologist who has completed her training at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Some argue that porn can be as addictive as drugs. Commenting on this Dr. Robertson said she believes that sexual activity can be broadly addictive than pornography. According to an article published on WebMD online archive, one of the key features of addiction is the development of a tolerance to the addictive substance in the way that drug addicts need increasingly larger doses to get high, it reads that porn addicts need to see more and more explicit material to feel the same level of excitement they first experienced (Is Pornography Addictive? By Martin Downs, MPH). The Internet: The Book of Revelations written by Felix von Keudell suggests that porn can be a full-blown compulsion. It explains that pornography is more like food to a compulsive over-eater and once you make those pleasure connections in your brain they can be very hard to break.

Dr. Robertson said that there are numerous therapeutic techniques that can be used to manage problematic behavior. “As a therapist, I do not feel it is my duty to cure someone, but rather to help them manage difficult behaviors in order to reduce any psychological distress, improve well-being and live a life that they value.” She also mentioned that guilt, stigma, shame and other socio-culturally induced emotions cause people to feel further distressed by desires and behaviors they are made to believe, deviant. She pointed out that there is emerging evidence that watching porn is correlated with some neurological changes in the brain including impulsivity, compulsivity, emotional lability (subject to change or breakdown) and impaired judgment.

 

Negative effects

She also explained how people rely on porn as a form of sexual education. “I am aware that in United Kingdom, with increasing internet access now, people are learning about sex from porn more than ever.” According to her, one of the negative effects of pornography in the heterosexual context is the sexual objectification of the women. “I feel that they have to assume the role of a female porn star in order to be desirable and socially accepted,” she explained the UK situation. “I have observed that these actors do not necessarily want to do or enjoy it by performing sexual acts by the teenage girls I have worked with. Similarly, men are learning that it is acceptable to objectify women, to prioritize their own sexual needs at the expense of their partners' and to engage in sexual practices that may or may not be what either they or their sexual partners want,” she elaborated.

Poor body image

For both men and women, the pressure to look like porn stars may also lead to poor body image. “Some girls compare their genitals and breasts to their cosmetically-altered porn star counterparts, and feel that any deviation from these 'porn norms' is abnormal, rather than embracing variation amongst women,” she stressed. It would seem likely that this is also true for men.

According to The Internet: The Book of Revelations sociologists have noted that men who have used porn view their partner through a ‘pornographic filter.’ They will resort to impersonal fantasy of some porn scene when they’re having sex because the love for their partner isn’t enough to satisfy them. The porn-brained man also forces his woman to do things she’s not very comfortable with, seeking to act out the exotic scenes he has seen on film. And he’ll think women are all about it.

Human right

When Dr. Robertson was asked whether access to pornography is a human right she argued that all should have a right to express and explore sexuality. “I don't know if I would classify access to pornography as a human right. Access to all information perhaps?” she questioned. She also pointed out the danger of not providing sexual education to people so that porn becomes the only alternative sex education.

“We need to educate people about safe sex; that is, consensual sex that minimizes the risk of STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) or pregnancy. We need to talk positively about sexual health and sexual identity so that people feel free to explore their sexuality and that sex becomes a pleasurable experience,” she explained. “I am aware that this may or may not fit with various cultural and religious norms. But if we avoid talking about sex, we may be encouraging people to seek sex education through porn, which carries many dangerous and negative messages for both men and women,” she added.

According to her, it can be difficult to think critically about the messages porn convey if people don’t have access to information on sex beyond porn. “My fear is that if we do not talk about sex in Sri Lanka, people will turn to porn to learn about sex instead of thinking more broadly about sexuality,” she pointed out. “In my time in Sri Lanka, I have been struck by the absence of sex education provided to people and was reflecting on how access to porn might be particularly damaging when people have no other form of sexual understanding,” Dr. Robertson noted.

Passive literature

People sell their art or their talent to earn a living, it is no secret. Selling literature has a long history. In fact, Guththila in the Guththila Musila story competes with morality to get the right value for his talent. Fortunately, God Shakra was there to save art. It seems that god has also started to care less about art that it requires artistes to pray god to protect good literature. Similarly, the concept that contemporary society lacks good taste for art, music, drama or any other form of art is not new.

According to Professor Chandrasena Palliyaguru, even an acclaimed writer is discouraged if the reader’s taste doesn’t tally with his level. What WA Silva said about his novel Hingana Kolla exemplifies this. Palliyaguru explained how WA Silva’s Lakshmi, which Silva considered his best work, did not receive much attention or appreciation from the public. Dissatisfied, he wrote his next novel Hingana Kolla. But to his surprise it became one of the best selling novels, which also brought him fame. “Readers don’t want good food; they want pol kudu (coconut refuse). I will give them pol kudu this time (Upanda Sita, 1962),” WA Silva has said to Martin Wikramasinghe. “In fact, Hingana Kolla sold off as soon as it came out from the printers,” Palliyaguru said addressing the gathering at the State Literary festival lectures held at the Foundation Institute, last Wednesday.

“If we consider Meena by A Saiman De Silva as the first Sinhala novel ever written, the Sinhala novel is over 108 years old. Though no one can say the exact number of novels written since then, it should exceed 3,000,” he added.
According to him, there are two theories about how novels were introduced to Sinhala literature. According to Martin Wickramasinghe, it was influenced by western literature. Prof Wimal Dissanayaka held the concept that the novel was introduced to Sinhala literature by the Western countries. “There are flaws in both the theories, but yet we can’t completely dispose of them. We can’t agree 100 percent with them either,” Prof Palliyaguru said.

“However, the Sinhala novel is not compatible with the definitions of Eastern classics. Scholars attempt to give Western definitions to Sinhala novels. Indian scholars believe that the novel originated in India itself,” he iterated.
French critic Hippolyte Taine (1828-93) argued that literature was largely the product of the author’s environment, and that an analysis of that environment could yield a perfect understanding of the work of literature. “According to him, we can assume that the Sinhala novel as well as the Sinhala literature is a product of our environment and the authors’ creative thinking,” said Palliyaguru. He further explained that, in a historical perspective, the country’s politics, economics and social life have also had a vital impact on the final product. “See, for example, the difference in the literature of Anuradhapura, Polonnaru eras and Dambadeni and Kurunagala eras,” Palliyaguruge explained.

At the dawn of the 20th Centaury, the main intention of writers was to educate the society with ethics and moral values. “When the heat of the religious evocation faded, mundane stories and translations started to get published in newspapers and then in the form of books. Jayatissa saha Rosalin hewath wasanawantha wiwahaya by Piyadasa Sirisena can be considered as an example. Through his fiction Piyadasa Sirisena aimed to implant good values like patriotism,” he pointed out.

Realistic novels were also welcomed by the readers in the 1940s and this shows that there is a clear influence of literature to the growth of the society. The Gamperelia, Kaliyugaya and Yuganthaya trilogy by Martin Wickramasinghe established this trend of realistic novels. Wickramasingha’s Viragaya created another trend for autobiographies. “Aravinda of Viragaya was a passive and pessimistic character. This also triggered a trend of passive characters. Top novels like Parajithayo by K Jayathillake, Akkara Paha by Madawala S Ratnayake, Siri Gunasingha’s Hewanallea and Gunadasa Amarasekara’s Delowata Nathi Aya all followed this pattern and made a negative impact on the juvenile readership. In other words, the readers adopt this passiveness and spread among the young crowd like a disease,” he clarified. He also said that it is too early to comment on the impact of the first two decades of literature in the 21st centaury.

There are arguments among the literati that some of the novels which were recently nominated for literature awards shamelessly included private behavior of people. It is not clear whether the writers are eager to include sexual behavior, which is still a taboo in open discussion, as means of making money and be on the best selling lists or because they are all corrupted with the influence of Western literature which is incompatible with our culture.

According to Palliyaguru, the novel cannot be rated under the tag ‘strictly for adults’. “The standards of the television and theaters are maintained because they undergo a censoring process. Therefore, there are limits of what they can show. But the novels are not censored like that. Writers don’t like their work to be censored because the quality of their creative work can be affected by screening,” Palliyaguru emphasized.

“When you go to a theater, you have to buy a ticket for what you are going to see. But once a novel is bought, anyone, who can read, will read what is in it. I hope you can remember that some novels and fictions were banned due to direct information given about the private lives of the people,” he added.

Some say that this downfall of Sinhala literature is because there is no censoring process. Some say it is because of the publishers who are more concerned about the monetary aspect of it. “We have doubts about the future of literature in our country. Whatever is said and done, there is no doubt that the current novel has become just a business deal,” he reiterated.

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A society’s struggle against abandoning homosexuality

 

Was it a new beginning for Sri Lanka? Does this hint at a degradation of social values? What will happen to the Sri Lankan culture? So many questions were raised when media revealed a homosexual marriage ceremony at Ratmalana last week. Sexuality and gender issues are still not a comfortable topic in public discussions in Sri Lanka. In fact homosexuality is still considered a taboo. Not speaking about homosexuality is not going to solve the issues. Thinking that the ‘issue’ of homosexuality will simply disappear if it is not talked about is wishful thinking. People are in doubt about the ‘right attitude’ they should have towards the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi sexual and Transgender) community. Some are confused, not knowing which side to take. Some try to rationalize it where some become homophobic.

Psychologists say homosexuality is not a mental illness and that it can be cured is a myth. According to them homosexuals are born as homosexuals. Since it is caused by genetic factors and hormonal influences, it cannot be changed. The biggest turning point of this argument was when the American Medical Association (AMA) removed homosexuality from the list of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973. In 1952, the original Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) listed homosexuality among the sociopathic personality disturbances.

The Nation’s attempt to speak to a couple of psychologists and counselors at a well known counseling institution in Sri Lanka didn’t bear fruit with various excuses being given.  Since counselors and psychologists are the only professionally recognized group who can help and educate LGBT people, their silence regarding the matter is cause for concern.

A gay rights activist who wanted to remain anonymous said that a person cannot choose to become a homosexual. “If a person chooses to become gay, I don’t think that person will be comfortable about it. Homosexuals have their own sexual desires as any heterosexual person,” the activist said. “Sri Lankan media is continuously condemning homosexuals. Most of them don’t even bother to do proper reference. In fact we are considered criminals in this country,” the activist lamented.

In fact homosexuals are considered criminals by law of the country. Legal officer for Institute of Human Rights (IHR), V S Niranchan assured The Nation that homosexuality is considered a criminal offense according to law. “Article 365A prohibits anyone, irrespective of gender, engaging in ‘gross indecency’, which is not explicitly defined, although stiffer sanctions apply if one person is under the age of 16 or if any sort of injury was caused as a result,” he said.
According to him any person who commits, or is a party to the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any person of, any act of gross indecency with another person, shall be guilty of an offense, and shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both and where the offense is committed by a person over 18 years of age in respect of any person under 16 years of age shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term not less than ten years and not exceeding twenty years and with a fine and shall also be ordered to pay compensation of an amount determined by court to the person in respect of whom the offense was committed for the injuries caused to such person.
Penal code amended

“Earlier the penal code said ‘any male person’ instead of ‘anyone’. The penal code was amended in 1995 to include the females as well,” Niranchan added. He further explained that the laws should be amended to include more stringent rules in order to control homosexual acts. “Strengthening the law is the only way to control this unaccepted behavior,” he reiterated.

Lawyer, Human Rights Activist Shiral Lakthilaka said that Sri Lanka should also consider the human rights aspect of the issue. “When you speak about homosexuality in Sri Lanka you have to take three aspects into consideration; the human rights aspect, religious aspect and the Victorian mentality among the Sri Lankans,” Lakthilaka stressed. “When homosexuality is spoken about in the human rights perspective it falls under the category of minority rights and group rights. This is a subject which should come into broader discussions. There should be a platform where sexual minorities could speak of their issues,” he added.

The religious position in Sri Lanka does not give any leniency toward LGBT community. All religions in Sri Lanka have generally perceived that homosexual behavior is a sinful act. Christianity, Hindunism as well as Islamic community consider homosexuality as a sinful act. There are no explicit rules for lay persons prohibiting homosexual behavior in Buddhism. Yet, since homosexuality is against social standards in the country, it could be considered as sexual misconduct. However, Thailand being a country with 95 percent Buddhists is soon to amend their laws allowing homosexual marriages.

There are few organizations and movements offering help for the LGBT community and most of them are online support groups. Since the country doesn’t have a proper screening process for these support groups and organization, it is hard to trust which group is genuinely offering help and which groups have hidden motives which could cause more harm than good. Legalizing homosexuality or not it would be better if the country could have a proper method to monitor these mushrooming support groups.

Another group of people harbor the opinion that homosexuality is becoming a trend in society. Some say homosexuality is only an issue in Colombo. On one hand if homosexuals are claming that they are not special, it is quite confusing why homosexuals themselves are trying to show off their ‘pride’. On the other hand if homosexuality is normal and cannot be changed or ‘cured’, is it ethical to condemn their sexual preference?

Although the majority of the Sri Lankan community consider ‘homosexuality’ as a special issue where solutions should be obtained, the real question is the danger innocent young people face, due to the lack of awareness on sexual and gender issues including homosexuality. If they are not properly educated they will seek information through unreliable sources.

http://www.nation.lk/edition/fine/item/20500-a-society%E2%80%99s-struggle-against-abandoning-homosexuality.html

Gays ready to remove their ‘masks’

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.

 

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