They deserve equality
Why do Sri Lankans still frown upon LGBT rights?
Part two | Continued….
LGBT Community is active in the underlying
The writer while compiling this article, inquired from acquaintances where Sri Lankan gay people could be got hold of. His ready answer was that if you go to the public washroom of Majestic City or the bus halt opposite the public library adjacent to ViharaMahaDevi Park (formerly Victoria Park) in Colombo at office signing off time, you will be in for a luck. These places were supposed to be the meeting places of gay people. But, due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and prevalent economic crisis in the country, physical movements on public roads and transport are restricted so like-minded gay people mostly browse internet sites to find partners now. These sites are freely available on social media as described in the part-01 of this article. According to the information gathered from reliable sources, LGBT community is very much active in the underlying society discreetly. With advancements in the information technological field, finding a partner for LGBT people has become quite easy now. About a decade back, Thunmulla Junction in the close proximity of University of Colombo was an infamous joint for gays and transsexual. Now, it is no more a meeting place for them. Just by carrying an advertisement on social media would suffice to find an ideal partner.
Security Forces: Hidden Gays and Lesbians
Sri Lankan Security Forces are held in high esteem by the people of Sri Lanka especially after the famous victory against LTTE. But, with all due respect to the members of the security forces, it needs to be told though with reluctance that the environs of security forces are a haven for gays and lesbians in particular. One could find a multitude of examples in this stride in the security forces. There was a well-known drill instructor in Sri Lanka Air Force some years back who was a gay. His interest was in blow jobs and sodomization so that he kept some of his own recruits for indulgence of his sex desires. For parental pressure, he got married but couldn’t satisfy his wife sexually. It was a known fact that he used to send his ‘boys’ to satisfy his wife while they were on leave. He was so addicted to gay sex so that when he was to leave the service, he couldn’t bear it. He chose to commit suicide instead. There was another senior officer who was an Air Traffic Controller. He was also well known for his explicit sexual desire for blow jobs. Although he was a marvel at job, he was looked down upon by superiors and peers. In a similar case, there was a woman soldier who was happily married with children. Her marriage life was ruined as she kept a lesbian partner secretly beside.
Common phenomenon in the society
In Sri Lanka Army too, there were famous gay officers. There were two noted characters who held the rank of Brigadier. In short, they preferred boys to girls. One Brigadier was implicated in a mass murder in 88/89 era and incarcerated. But, he was acquitted after a brief imprisonment. Another one was of a Burgher descent and he died after leaving the Army. Similarly, there was a Navy Officer who was cashiered from the service for indulgence in gay sex. In fact, he was later found to be a bi-sexual guy. Now, he is happily married with a child but he still goes for ‘boy encounters’ on and off but in absolute secrecy. This is common to civil society as well. Some years back, a top CEO of a company was murdered in his car on Marine Drive, Colombo when he was on a hunt for boys. Apart from that, a top notched Civil Servant who served for a number of Prime Ministers in Sri Lanka was a known bi-sexual. It was highlighted in my last article how the previous government openly championed LGBT activities and fell short of legalising them. Sri Lanka has a small population of transsexuals as well. Most of them are in the profession of prostitution mostly in Colombo and suburbs. Thailand is a famous hotspot for transsexuals. Since Thailand being a popular place for prostitution, young boys go to extent of removing their genitals to pose as transsexuals to make money. In Sri Lanka, it is something that doesn’t happen.
Whither LGBT rights in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a way from the thinking pattern of the west. Therefore, Sri Lankans are not yet ready to accept this notion of homosexuality in the society. In spite of this, it is commonplace everywhere but Sri Lankans still frown upon LGBT community. People consider it a taboo in society. Usually, the LGBT people are considered to be extraordinarily intelligent. Judging by the people who indulge in LGBT sex, it could be a proven fact. Sri Lanka being a highly conservative society, is unlikely to recognize LGBT rights in the near future. This gives vent to the fact that Sri Lankan LGBT community has to go underground in satisfying their sexual desires for eternity. It is because Sri Lanka has been deep rooted in religious beliefs and perceptions which cannot be reversed in a mediocre effort. So, the Sri Lankan LGBT community has no alternative but to carry on discreetly until a conducive environment is created for them to live in dignity as of western countries. But, it is a pipe dream for LGBTers as far as the local mindset on them is concerned. Before, I conclude, I need to mention about Dr Sonali Deraniyagala who lost her entire family for 2004 Tsunami, has openly live in a same sex marriage in United States. She had reportedly undergone a trauma and found solace in her new relationship. Sri Lanka is too far behind to understand this human nature.
