Transcript: Secretary Clinton – “Free And Equal In Dignity And Rights”

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

 

December 06, 2011

See also: Video of the speech, fact sheets, and additional resources

Good evening, and let me express my deep honor and pleasure at being here. I want to thank Director General Tokayev and Ms. Wyden along with other ministers, ambassadors, excellencies, and UN partners. This weekend, we will celebrate Human Rights Day, the anniversary of one of the great accomplishments of the last century.

Beginning in 1947, delegates from six continents devoted themselves to drafting a declaration that would enshrine the fundamental rights and freedoms of people everywhere. In the aftermath of World War II, many nations pressed for a statement of this kind to help ensure that we would prevent future atrocities and protect the inherent humanity and dignity of all people. And so the delegates went to work. They discussed, they wrote, they revisited, revised, rewrote, for thousands of hours. And they incorporated suggestions and revisions from governments, organizations, and individuals around the world.

At three o’clock in the morning on December 10th, 1948, after nearly two years of drafting and one last long night of debate, the president of the UN General Assembly called for a vote on the final text. Forty-eight nations voted in favor; eight abstained; none dissented. And the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. It proclaims a simple, powerful idea: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. And with the declaration, it was made clear that rights are not conferred by government; they are the birthright of all people. It does not matter what country we live in, who our leaders are, or even who we are. Because we are human, we therefore have rights. And because we have rights, governments are bound to protect them.

In the 63 years since the declaration was adopted, many nations have made great progress in making human rights a human reality. Step by step, barriers that once prevented people from enjoying the full measure of liberty, the full experience of dignity, and the full benefits of humanity have fallen away. In many places, racist laws have been repealed, legal and social practices that relegated women to second-class status have been abolished, the ability of religious minorities to practice their faith freely has been secured.

In most cases, this progress was not easily won. People fought and organized and campaigned in public squares and private spaces to change not only laws, but hearts and minds. And thanks to that work of generations, for millions of individuals whose lives were once narrowed by injustice, they are now able to live more freely and to participate more fully in the political, economic, and social lives of their communities.

Now, there is still, as you all know, much more to be done to secure that commitment, that reality, and progress for all people. Today, I want to talk about the work we have left to do to protect one group of people whose human rights are still denied in too many parts of the world today. In many ways, they are an invisible minority. They are arrested, beaten, terrorized, even executed. Many are treated with contempt and violence by their fellow citizens while authorities empowered to protect them look the other way or, too often, even join in the abuse. They are denied opportunities to work and learn, driven from their homes and countries, and forced to suppress or deny who they are to protect themselves from harm.

I am talking about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, human beings born free and given bestowed equality and dignity, who have a right to claim that, which is now one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time. I speak about this subject knowing that my own country’s record on human rights for gay people is far from perfect. Until 2003, it was still a crime in parts of our country. Many LGBT Americans have endured violence and harassment in their own lives, and for some, including many young people, bullying and exclusion are daily experiences. So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human rights at home.

Now, raising this issue, I know, is sensitive for many people and that the obstacles standing in the way of protecting the human rights of LGBT people rest on deeply held personal, political, cultural, and religious beliefs. So I come here before you with respect, understanding, and humility. Even though progress on this front is not easy, we cannot delay acting. So in that spirit, I want to talk about the difficult and important issues we must address together to reach a global consensus that recognizes the human rights of LGBT citizens everywhere.

The first issue goes to the heart of the matter. Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct; but, in fact, they are one and the same. Now, of course, 60 years ago, the governments that drafted and passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were not thinking about how it applied to the LGBT community. They also weren’t thinking about how it applied to indigenous people or children or people with disabilities or other marginalized groups. Yet in the past 60 years, we have come to recognize that members of these groups are entitled to the full measure of dignity and rights, because, like all people, they share a common humanity.

This recognition did not occur all at once. It evolved over time. And as it did, we understood that we were honoring rights that people always had, rather than creating new or special rights for them. Like being a woman, like being a racial, religious, tribal, or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.

It is violation of human rights when people are beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation, or because they do not conform to cultural norms about how men and women should look or behave. It is a violation of human rights when governments declare it illegal to be gay, or allow those who harm gay people to go unpunished. It is a violation of human rights when lesbian or transgendered women are subjected to so-called corrective rape, or forcibly subjected to hormone treatments, or when people are murdered after public calls for violence toward gays, or when they are forced to flee their nations and seek asylum in other lands to save their lives. And it is a violation of human rights when life-saving care is withheld from people because they are gay, or equal access to justice is denied to people because they are gay, or public spaces are out of bounds to people because they are gay. No matter what we look like, where we come from, or who we are, we are all equally entitled to our human rights and dignity.

The second issue is a question of whether homosexuality arises from a particular part of the world. Some seem to believe it is a Western phenomenon, and therefore people outside the West have grounds to reject it. Well, in reality, gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world. They are all ages, all races, all faiths; they are doctors and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes; and whether we know it, or whether we acknowledge it, they are our family, our friends, and our neighbors.

Being gay is not a Western invention; it is a human reality. And protecting the human rights of all people, gay or straight, is not something that only Western governments do. South Africa’s constitution, written in the aftermath of Apartheid, protects the equality of all citizens, including gay people. In Colombia and Argentina, the rights of gays are also legally protected. In Nepal, the supreme court has ruled that equal rights apply to LGBT citizens. The Government of Mongolia has committed to pursue new legislation that will tackle anti-gay discrimination.

Now, some worry that protecting the human rights of the LGBT community is a luxury that only wealthy nations can afford. But in fact, in all countries, there are costs to not protecting these rights, in both gay and straight lives lost to disease and violence, and the silencing of voices and views that would strengthen communities, in ideas never pursued by entrepreneurs who happen to be gay. Costs are incurred whenever any group is treated as lesser or the other, whether they are women, racial, or religious minorities, or the LGBT. Former President Mogae of Botswana pointed out recently that for as long as LGBT people are kept in the shadows, there cannot be an effective public health program to tackle HIV and AIDS. Well, that holds true for other challenges as well.

The third, and perhaps most challenging, issue arises when people cite religious or cultural values as a reason to violate or not to protect the human rights of LGBT citizens. This is not unlike the justification offered for violent practices towards women like honor killings, widow burning, or female genital mutilation. Some people still defend those practices as part of a cultural tradition. But violence toward women isn’t cultural; it’s criminal. Likewise with slavery, what was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human rights.

In each of these cases, we came to learn that no practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us. And this holds true for inflicting violence on LGBT people, criminalizing their status or behavior, expelling them from their families and communities, or tacitly or explicitly accepting their killing.

Of course, it bears noting that rarely are cultural and religious traditions and teachings actually in conflict with the protection of human rights. Indeed, our religion and our culture are sources of compassion and inspiration toward our fellow human beings. It was not only those who’ve justified slavery who leaned on religion, it was also those who sought to abolish it. And let us keep in mind that our commitments to protect the freedom of religion and to defend the dignity of LGBT people emanate from a common source. For many of us, religious belief and practice is a vital source of meaning and identity, and fundamental to who we are as people. And likewise, for most of us, the bonds of love and family that we forge are also vital sources of meaning and identity. And caring for others is an expression of what it means to be fully human. It is because the human experience is universal that human rights are universal and cut across all religions and cultures.

The fourth issue is what history teaches us about how we make progress towards rights for all. Progress starts with honest discussion. Now, there are some who say and believe that all gay people are pedophiles, that homosexuality is a disease that can be caught or cured, or that gays recruit others to become gay. Well, these notions are simply not true. They are also unlikely to disappear if those who promote or accept them are dismissed out of hand rather than invited to share their fears and concerns. No one has ever abandoned a belief because he was forced to do so.

Universal human rights include freedom of expression and freedom of belief, even if our words or beliefs denigrate the humanity of others. Yet, while we are each free to believe whatever we choose, we cannot do whatever we choose, not in a world where we protect the human rights of all.

Reaching understanding of these issues takes more than speech. It does take a conversation. In fact, it takes a constellation of conversations in places big and small. And it takes a willingness to see stark differences in belief as a reason to begin the conversation, not to avoid it.

But progress comes from changes in laws. In many places, including my own country, legal protections have preceded, not followed, broader recognition of rights. Laws have a teaching effect. Laws that discriminate validate other kinds of discrimination. Laws that require equal protections reinforce the moral imperative of equality. And practically speaking, it is often the case that laws must change before fears about change dissipate.

Many in my country thought that President Truman was making a grave error when he ordered the racial desegregation of our military. They argued that it would undermine unit cohesion. And it wasn’t until he went ahead and did it that we saw how it strengthened our social fabric in ways even the supporters of the policy could not foresee. Likewise, some worried in my country that the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would have a negative effect on our armed forces. Now, the Marine Corps Commandant, who was one of the strongest voices against the repeal, says that his concerns were unfounded and that the Marines have embraced the change.

Finally, progress comes from being willing to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. We need to ask ourselves, “How would it feel if it were a crime to love the person I love? How would it feel to be discriminated against for something about myself that I cannot change?” This challenge applies to all of us as we reflect upon deeply held beliefs, as we work to embrace tolerance and respect for the dignity of all persons, and as we engage humbly with those with whom we disagree in the hope of creating greater understanding.

A fifth and final question is how we do our part to bring the world to embrace human rights for all people including LGBT people. Yes, LGBT people must help lead this effort, as so many of you are. Their knowledge and experiences are invaluable and their courage inspirational. We know the names of brave LGBT activists who have literally given their lives for this cause, and there are many more whose names we will never know. But often those who are denied rights are least empowered to bring about the changes they seek. Acting alone, minorities can never achieve the majorities necessary for political change.

So when any part of humanity is sidelined, the rest of us cannot sit on the sidelines. Every time a barrier to progress has fallen, it has taken a cooperative effort from those on both sides of the barrier. In the fight for women’s rights, the support of men remains crucial. The fight for racial equality has relied on contributions from people of all races. Combating Islamaphobia or anti-Semitism is a task for people of all faiths. And the same is true with this struggle for equality.

Conversely, when we see denials and abuses of human rights and fail to act, that sends the message to those deniers and abusers that they won’t suffer any consequences for their actions, and so they carry on. But when we do act, we send a powerful moral message. Right here in Geneva, the international community acted this year to strengthen a global consensus around the human rights of LGBT people. At the Human Rights Council in March, 85 countries from all regions supported a statement calling for an end to criminalization and violence against people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

At the following session of the Council in June, South Africa took the lead on a resolution about violence against LGBT people. The delegation from South Africa spoke eloquently about their own experience and struggle for human equality and its indivisibility. When the measure passed, it became the first-ever UN resolution recognizing the human rights of gay people worldwide. In the Organization of American States this year, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights created a unit on the rights of LGBT people, a step toward what we hope will be the creation of a special rapporteur.

Now, we must go further and work here and in every region of the world to galvanize more support for the human rights of the LGBT community. To the leaders of those countries where people are jailed, beaten, or executed for being gay, I ask you to consider this: Leadership, by definition, means being out in front of your people when it is called for. It means standing up for the dignity of all your citizens and persuading your people to do the same. It also means ensuring that all citizens are treated as equals under your laws, because let me be clear – I am not saying that gay people can’t or don’t commit crimes. They can and they do, just like straight people. And when they do, they should be held accountable, but it should never be a crime to be gay.

And to people of all nations, I say supporting human rights is your responsibility too. The lives of gay people are shaped not only by laws, but by the treatment they receive every day from their families, from their neighbors. Eleanor Roosevelt, who did so much to advance human rights worldwide, said that these rights begin in the small places close to home – the streets where people live, the schools they attend, the factories, farms, and offices where they work. These places are your domain. The actions you take, the ideals that you advocate, can determine whether human rights flourish where you are.

And finally, to LGBT men and women worldwide, let me say this: Wherever you live and whatever the circumstances of your life, whether you are connected to a network of support or feel isolated and vulnerable, please know that you are not alone. People around the globe are working hard to support you and to bring an end to the injustices and dangers you face. That is certainly true for my country. And you have an ally in the United States of America and you have millions of friends among the American people.

The Obama Administration defends the human rights of LGBT people as part of our comprehensive human rights policy and as a priority of our foreign policy. In our embassies, our diplomats are raising concerns about specific cases and laws, and working with a range of partners to strengthen human rights protections for all. In Washington, we have created a task force at the State Department to support and coordinate this work. And in the coming months, we will provide every embassy with a toolkit to help improve their efforts. And we have created a program that offers emergency support to defenders of human rights for LGBT people.

This morning, back in Washington, President Obama put into place the first U.S. Government strategy dedicated to combating human rights abuses against LGBT persons abroad. Building on efforts already underway at the State Department and across the government, the President has directed all U.S. Government agencies engaged overseas to combat the criminalization of LGBT status and conduct, to enhance efforts to protect vulnerable LGBT refugees and asylum seekers, to ensure that our foreign assistance promotes the protection of LGBT rights, to enlist international organizations in the fight against discrimination, and to respond swiftly to abuses against LGBT persons.

I am also pleased to announce that we are launching a new Global Equality Fund that will support the work of civil society organizations working on these issues around the world. This fund will help them record facts so they can target their advocacy, learn how to use the law as a tool, manage their budgets, train their staffs, and forge partnerships with women’s organizations and other human rights groups. We have committed more than $3 million to start this fund, and we have hope that others will join us in supporting it.

The women and men who advocate for human rights for the LGBT community in hostile places, some of whom are here today with us, are brave and dedicated, and deserve all the help we can give them. We know the road ahead will not be easy. A great deal of work lies before us. But many of us have seen firsthand how quickly change can come. In our lifetimes, attitudes toward gay people in many places have been transformed. Many people, including myself, have experienced a deepening of our own convictions on this topic over the years, as we have devoted more thought to it, engaged in dialogues and debates, and established personal and professional relationships with people who are gay.

This evolution is evident in many places. To highlight one example, the Delhi High Court decriminalized homosexuality in India two years ago, writing, and I quote, “If there is one tenet that can be said to be an underlying theme of the Indian constitution, it is inclusiveness.” There is little doubt in my mind that support for LGBT human rights will continue to climb. Because for many young people, this is simple: All people deserve to be treated with dignity and have their human rights respected, no matter who they are or whom they love.

There is a phrase that people in the United States invoke when urging others to support human rights: “Be on the right side of history.” The story of the United States is the story of a nation that has repeatedly grappled with intolerance and inequality. We fought a brutal civil war over slavery. People from coast to coast joined in campaigns to recognize the rights of women, indigenous peoples, racial minorities, children, people with disabilities, immigrants, workers, and on and on. And the march toward equality and justice has continued. Those who advocate for expanding the circle of human rights were and are on the right side of history, and history honors them. Those who tried to constrict human rights were wrong, and history reflects that as well.

I know that the thoughts I’ve shared today involve questions on which opinions are still evolving. As it has happened so many times before, opinion will converge once again with the truth, the immutable truth, that all persons are created free and equal in dignity and rights. We are called once more to make real the words of the Universal Declaration. Let us answer that call. Let us be on the right side of history, for our people, our nations, and future generations, whose lives will be shaped by the work we do today. I come before you with great hope and confidence that no matter how long the road ahead, we will travel it successfully together. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

තාණ්ඩව : ඉසුරුත් එක්ක කියවීම

ඉසුරු චාමර සෝමවීර ‘තාණ්ඩව’ නමින් අලූත් කවි පොතක් ප‍්‍රකාශයට පත් කර ඇත. තාණ්ඩව කියන්නේ මොකක් ද? තාණ්ඩව පොත අතට ගන්නා විට මගේ සිතට නැගුණු පළමු ප‍්‍රශ්නය එයයි.

තාණ්ඩව යනු ශිව දෙවියන් විසින් පවතින ලොව විනාශ කර නවලෝකයක් නිර්මාණය කිරීම සදහා නටන නර්තනයයි. ඉසුරුගේ කවි පොත මම මුල සිට අගට කියැවූයෙමි. පවතින ලොව විනාශ කරන්නට නොව, තිබෙන ලොව තුළම, තිබෙන දෙය තුළම,  අලූතෙන් යමක් දකින්නට කළ උත්සාහයක් ලෙස තාණ්ඩව හැදින්වූවාට වරදක් නැත.

ඉසුරුගේ පොත තුළ සමසෙනෙහස ගැන කතා කෙරෙන කවි කිහිපයක් ද ඇතුළත් ව තිබිණි. මේ කවි ගැන නිදහසේ කතා කරන්නට ඉසුරු හමුවන්නට ඇත්නම් කියා හිතුනේ කවි පොත අතට ගත් දවසේමය. ඉතින් මම ඉසුරුට දුරකථන ඇමතුමක් ගෙන ඔහු හමුවන්නට වෙලාවක් ගැන ඇසුවෙමි.

ඉසුරු ඒ වෙලාවේ හිටියේ උතුරුකරේය. එහේ හරියට පායන බවත්, රස්නය ඉවසන්නට අපහසු බවත් ඉසුරු මා එක්ක කීවේය. ඉසුරු කවි ලියන්නට කතා ලියන්නට මේ තරම් හපනෙක් වූයේ කෙසේ ද? මම ඉසුරුත් එක්ක බර කයියකට වැටුණෙමි. ඉසුරුගේ කවි ඇතුළේ තවත් කවි ඇත. ඒ කවි ඇතුළේ ඉසුරුගේ ජීවන කවිය ඇත.

ඉසුරුව හම්බවෙන්නට මා යන්නට ටික දවසකට පෙර ෆේස් බුක් චැට් එකේදී මගෙන් ඉසුරු මෙසේ මගෙන් ඇසුවේය.

මං….

හම්බ වෙන්නට ඇවිත්

ප‍්‍රයෝජනයක් තියේවි ද?

මං පුංචි කොලූ ගැටයෙක්

පොඩි පොතක් ලියාපු…

මාව හම්බ වෙන්න ඇවිත්

බලාපොරොත්තු කඩ වුනොත්…

එහෙම හිතෙනවා නම්

නෑවිත් ඉන්න…

 

මම මෙහෙම උත්තර දුන්නෙමි.

කතා කරන්නට

දෙයක් නැතිකම තමයි

ඔබව හම්බවෙන්නට තියෙන…

ලොකුම සුදුසුකම

මේ රටේ ලොකු ලොකු උදවිය

හැමෝටම ඇති

ලොකුම සුදුසුකම

කතාකරන්නට දෙයක් නැති කම

කී දෙනෙක් යනවා ද?

ඔවුන් හම්බ වෙන්නට

එනිසා මමත් එන්නම්

ඔබ දකින්නට

 

”උඹත් එක්ක කතා කරලා

දිනන්නට බැහැ”

ඉසුරු උත්තර දුන්නේ එහෙමය.

———————————————————

ඉසුරු කවි ලියන්න පටන් ගත්ත හැටි කිව්වොත්…?

මම කවි ලියන්න ගත්තේ පොඩි කාලේ. ලේඛකයෙක්, කවියෙක් වෙන්න හිතාගෙන නෙමෙයි. මගේ හිතේ තියෙන මානසික පීඩනයෙන් නිදහස් වෙන්නයි මං කවි ලිව්වෙ.

අපේ තාත්තා 88 -89 භීෂණය දවස්වල දේශපාලනේ කළා. ඊට පස්සේ තාත්තාට වෙච්ච දෙයක් හොයා ගන්න නැතිවුණා. අම්මා මාවත් එක්ක ගෙන කඳවුරක්, කඳවුරක් ගානේ ගියා තාත්තා හොයාගෙන. ඒත් හොයා ගන්න බැරිවුණා. අවුරුදු හයකට විතර පස්සේ තමයි තාත්තා ගෙදර ආවේ. ඒ ආවත් මුලදි ඔහු මට ආගන්තුකයෙක් වගේ.

මේ සියල්ලම නිසා මගේ ළමා කාලය මහා ලොකු පීඩනයකින් ගෙවුනේ. ඒ පීඩනයෙන් නිදහස් වෙන්න මම කවි ලිව්වා. මම හරි බයෙන් හිටියේ මං ලියපු කවි කවුරු හරි කියවයි කියලා. ඒක නිසා මං ලඝු ලේඛනය ඉගෙන ගෙන එයින් තමයි කවි ලිව්වේ.

ඔබේ කවි ගොඩාක් ග‍්‍රාමීය පරිසරය සහ චරිත ගැන සඳහන් වෙනවා. මෙයට ඔබේ ළමා කාලය ගත කළ හැටි බලපෑවා ද?

අපි ජීවත්වුනේ කැළණි ගඟ කිට්ටුව ගමක. කොහෙත්ම ඒක ගමක් කියන්න තරම් ගමක් නම් නෙමෙයි. ඒත් වෙල්යායක් තිබුනා. නැන්දා, මාමා, ආච්චි, සීයා… ගොඩාක් නෑදෑයෝ හිටියා. තාත්තා නැති වුනා කියලා මං හුදකලා වුනේ නැහැ. නෑදෑයෝ වැඩි නිසා මගේ නිදහස ගොඩක් සීමා වෙලා තිබුනේ…

පසුකාලීනව මං රැකියාව සඳහා අනුරාධපුරයට ගියා නවතින්න. එතකොට තමයි මට නිදහස නියම විදිහට අත් විඳින්නට ලැබුනේ. ඒ කාලේ මම තනියම උයා, පිහාගෙන යාළුවො හඳුනගෙන අලූත්ම ජීවිතයක් පටන් ගත්තා. ඒ ජීවිතයේ මට දැනුන අලූත් ගතිය මගේ බොහෝ කවිවලට පසුබිම් වුණා.

” ඔව්,

මා ඔබට ආදරය කරනු ඇත

දවසට දෙවරක් දත් මදින ලෙසට…

කෑමට පෙර අත සෝදන ලෙසට…”

(තාණ්ඩව : යෝජිත මනාලිය -පිටුව :27)

ඉසුරු මෙහෙම ලිවුවෙ ඇයි?

ඒ දවස්වල මං හිටියේ අනුරාධපුරේ. අපෙ අම්මා, මගෙ නෑදෑයෝ මට බඳින්නය කියලා කරදර කරන්න ගත්තා. මට එක මොහොතක හිතුනා අම්මව සන්තෝස කරන්න බඳින්නත්. ඒත් එහෙම බැන්දොත් මොකක් වේවි ද? නිදිකුම්බා කටුවක් වගේ මගේ හිත පෑරි, පෑරි ජීවිත කාලයක් තියේවි. මේ කවියෙ තියෙන්නේ ඒ දෙගිඩියාව. නමුත් දැන් මගේ තීරණය නිශ්චිතයි.

 

”අවැසිමද මට ඔබව ?

ඔබේ පෙම

තනිව යා හැකි නොවෙද මේ ගමන ?

(තාණ්ඩව : ගමන් සගය – පිටුව : 30)

ඉසුරු මෙහෙම ලිවුවෙ ඇයි?

මගේ පෞද්ගලික මතය සමලිංගික පුද්ගලයන්, විෂම ලිංගික විවාහ අනුගමනය කරන්න අවශ්‍ය නැහැ. මිනිස්සුන්ගේ ලිංගික නැඹුරුතාවය පවා විෂම ලිංගික, සමලිංගික පිරිමි, සමලිංගික ගැහැණු, ද්විලිංගික කියා වෙන් කරනවාටත් මා කැමති නැහැ. මිනිස්සුගෙ ලිංගිකත්වය වර්ග කරන්න හරි අමාරුයි.

මට හිතුනා ”තනිවම යන්න නොහැකි ද මේ ජීවන? ගමන” කියලා. තමන් විවාහ වෙන්නෙම  ඕනා, ආදරය කරන කෙනා එක්ක එකට ජීවත් වෙන්නම  ඕනා කියන දේවල් වෙනස් වෙන්න පුළුවන් නේද? ආදරය අවශ්‍යයි. ඒත් කුටුම්භගත වීමක් නැතිව තනියම ජීවත් වෙන එක හොඳයි කියලා මං පෞද්ගලිකව හිතනවා.

 

”වීනස්…

ඔබ සතුව නැත…

මහ ද පිරිමදින අත්…

 

නැවත පිටතට යනවිට

පැළ`ද ගන්නා තෙක්

එළියෙන් තබා ආවෙමි

සුපුරුදු වෙස් මුහුණ..”

(තාණ්ඩව :නුහුරු ඇති ඔබට – පිටුව :43)

 

මෙහි ඔබ වීනස් කියන සංකේතයෙන් අදහස් කළේ කුමක් ද?

වීනස් කියන්නේ ආදරයට, අලංකාරයට අධිපති රෝම දෙව්දුව. එහෙත් ඇය ඉතා ලස්සනයි. සමාජය බොහෝ දුරට ලස්සන ගැහැණියක් සමග ජීවිතය ගත කිරීම බලාපොරොත්තු වෙනවා. වීනස් කියන්නේ ඒ ගැහැණිය කියන සංකල්පය.

වීනස් ප‍්‍රතිමාවට අත් නැහැ. මහද පිරිමදින අත් නැහැ. ඒ නිසා මම වීනස් අතහැර, මහද පිරිමදින අත් ඇති වෙනත් කෙනෙක් ළඟට යනවා. ඒත් හැමතිස්සෙම සමාජයට යන කොට මං වෙස්මූණක් දා ගන්නවා, ඒ බව හංගන්න.

අනතුරුව හිස තබා

මගේ උරහිස මත

ලොකු කඳුළු බිඳු වගුරයි

 

නතරවන ලෙස ඉල්ලන

මගේ ඇවටිලි නොතකා

මොහොතකින් අඳුරෙහි

වැනි වැනී අතුරුදන් වෙයි…

 

(තාණ්ඩව :එක්තරා මිතුරෙක් -පිටු :70-71)

 

ඉසුරු, මේ ‘එක්තරා මිතුරා’ කියන්නේ දන්නා අඳුනන කෙනෙක්ද?

ඔව්, ඒකත් අනුරාධපුරේ හිටපු දවස්වල වෙච්ච දෙයක්. එක්තරා මිතුරා දවල්ට මගෙත් එක්ක කතා කරන්නෙත් නැති තරම්. පාරෙදි දැක්කත් නොදැක්ක වගේ යනවා.? රෑට හොඳටම බොනවා. බීලා මං ඉන්න තැනට එනවා. ඇවිත් මට නොයෙක් දේ කියනවා, සමහර වෙලාවට අඬනවා. කවදාවත් ආදරයක් ගැනවත්, ලිංගික හැගීමක් ගැනවත් විවෘතව කතා කරන්නේ නැහැ. ඒත් මට හිතුනා, මේ එන්නේ ඒ දේවල් කියා ගන්න බැරි කමට ද කියලා. ඒත් අපි කවදාවත් එවැනි දෙයක් කතා කළේ නැහැ. රැයෙහි මිතුරෙක් වුනත්, ඔහු දවල්ට නන්නාඳුනන පුද්ගලයෙක් වගේ. මේ කවිය ලියැවුණේ ඒ මිතුරා ගැන.

සඳුන් කියන කවිය ඇත්ත සිද්ධියක් ද?

ඔව්, ඒක ඇත්ත සිද්ධියක්. ඒ දවස්වල මං ඉලෙක්ෂන් ඩියුටි හිටියේ. බොරැල්ලෙ හන්දියේ දි ත‍්‍රීවීල් කාරයෝ වගයක් වට වෙලා ස්ත‍්‍රී ඇඳුමින් සැරසී සිටි සංක‍්‍රාන්ති ලිංගික තරුණයෙක්ට ගැහුවා. මට ඒ අවස්ථාවෙ ඒක නවත්තන්න  ඕන වුණා. ඒත් මට කිසිම දෙයක් කරන්න බැරිවුණා. පස්සේ මට මං ගැන මහ වරදකාරී හැගීමක් දැනුනා. ඒ හැගීමයි මේ කවියෙන් ඉදිරිපත් කළේ.

ඉසුරු පෞද්ගලිකව මේ කවිපොතින් වඩාත්ම කැමති කවිය මොකක්ද?

”මුහුදේ අරුම ගැන

කියවයි පොඩි ලිහිණියෙක්

දිරා ගිය ඔරු කඳකට

ඔරු කඳට හරි හිනා”

(තාණ්ඩව :ඔරුවක් සහ ලිහිණියෙක්- පිටුව :85)

 

සම්පූර්ණ කවියම මෙපමණය. මෙහි තේරුම කුමක්දැ’යි මට තේරුනේ නැත. මම හිස් දෑසින් ඉසුරු දෙස බැලූවේ මේ විකාරය මට තේරුනේ නැති බව කියන්නට මෙනි.

ඉසුරු මට තේරුම කියා දුන්නේය. පොඩි ලිහිණියා මුහුදට අලූත්ය. දිරා ගිය ඔරුක`දක් යනු මුහුදේ කරක් ගසා ජීවිත කාලයම ගෙවා මුහුද ගැන හො`දින්ම දන්නා කෙනෙකි. ඔරුක`දට ලිහිණියකු විසින් මුහුදේ අරුම ගැන කීම හිනා යන වැඩකි.”මං ඉසුරු එක්ක ඉසුරුගේ කවිවල අරුම කීමත් ඒ වගේද?” මට නිකමට මෙන් හිතුණි.

සාකච්ඡා කළේ : දමිත් චන්දිමාල් (දේදුනු පුවත්, ඊක්වල් ග්‍රවුන්ඩ් පුවත්ලිපිය, 5 වන

සමලිංගිකත්වය නිසා මිනිසුන් කොන් නොකරමු

සමලිංගිකත්වය නිසා මිනිසුන් කොන් නොකරමු

ආදරය යනු පොදු මිනිස් හැගීමකි. ගැහැණියක් ආදරය කරන්නේ කාට ද යන්නට එහා ගිය යමක් ආදරය තුළ ඇත. ගැහැණියක්, ආදරය කරන්නේ තවත් ගැහැණිකට නිසා හෝ පිරිමියෙක් ආදරය කරන්නේ තවත් පිරිමියෙකුට නිසා හෝ ආදරයේ සුන්දරත්වය කිසි ලෙසකින් අඩු නොවේ.

ආදරය යනු පොදු මිනිස් හැගීමකි. අපිට ආදරය දැනෙන්නේ මිනිසුන් ලෙස ‍ඉපදුනු බැවිනි. මිනිසුන් අතර ඇති ආදරයට අප ගරු කළ යුතු වන්නේ ද එබැවිනි. මනුෂ්‍ය ආදරය තුළ ඇති විවිධත්වය එයයි. ඒ විවිධත්වයට ගරු  කළ නොහැකි වීම විවිධත්වයට බය වීම, විවිධත්වය ප්‍රතික්ෂේප කිරීම මනුෂ්‍ය වර්ගයා ට ඇති විය හැකි බරපතලම අර්බුදයයි.

හැම මනුෂ්‍යයෙක්ම එකිනෙකාගෙන් වෙනස්ය. එක හා සමාන මිනිසුන් දෙදෙනෙකු නොමැති තරම්ය. ආගම, කුලය, ජාතිය, භාෂාව, ස්ත්‍රී පුරුෂ ලිංග භේදය, ලිංගික කැමැත්ත, වැනි නොයෙකුත් කාරණා මත මිනිස්සු තවත් මිනිසුන් වෙනස් කිරීමට ලක් කරති. මේ කාරණය කොයි තරම් දුරට නිවැරැදි ද? මිනිසුන් හැම කෙනෙක්ම එකිනෙකාගෙන් වෙනස් බව තේරුම් ගෙන ඒ විවිධත්වයට ගරුකරන්නට පුරුදු වන්නේ නම් ලෝකය කොයිතරම් සුන්දර වනු ඇත් ද?

සමලිංගික පුද්ගලයන්, ද්විලිංගික පුද්ගලයන් සංක්‍රාන්ති ලිංගික පුද්ගලයන් යනු මේ මනුෂ්‍ය පවුලේ සාමාජිකයන්ය. විෂම ලිංගික පුද්ගලයන්ට හා සමානවම ඔවුන්ට මානව අයිතිවාසිකම් හිමිවිය යුතුය. සියල්ලමටත් වඩා ආදරය කරන්නට කිසිවකුට ඇති අයිතිය උදුරා ගත නොයුතුය.

එහෙමත් තවමත් රටවල් 70 කට අධික ප්‍රමාණයක සමලිංගිකත්වය සැලකෙ‍න්නේ අපරාධයක් වශයෙනි. එනිසා සමලිංගික පුද්ගලයෝ නොයෙකුත් අසාධාරණකම්වලට ලක්වෙති. එය නතර කිරීම වහාම කළ යුත්තකි.

සමලිංගිකත්වය සංස්කෘතියට, ආගමට, සදාචාරයට විරුද්ධ යැයි බොහෝ අය ප්‍රකාශ කරති. එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ සංවිධානයේ මහලේකම් මෙසේ ප්‍රකාශ කරයි. “සමහරවිටක මානව අයිතිවාසිකම් හා තමන්ගේ පෞද්ගලික අකමැත්ත, සංස්කෘතිය, ආගම, සදාචාරය වැනි දෑ පිළිබද ගැටුම්, මුලු මහත් සමාජයයක අකැමත්ත, රජයයක අකමැත්ත, දක්වා දුර දිග ගිය ගියත් අවසානයේ මානව අයිතිවාසිකම් විසින්ම සටන දිනිය යුතුය. සමලිංගික පුද්ගලයන්ට මානව අයිතිවාසිකම් ලබා දිය යුත්තේ ද ඒ නිසාය”

සමලිංගික පුද්ගලයන් කොන් කිරීමට එරෙහිව අපි සටන් වදිමු. ඔවුන්ට ද අනෙකුත් අයට සමානවම මානව අයිතිවාසිකම් ඇත. ඒ සටන සමලිංගික පුද්ගලයන්ගේ අයිතිවාසිකම් කරන සටනක් මෙන්ම, මනුෂ්‍යයත්වය වෙනුවෙන් කරන සටනකි.

සටහන – දමිත් චන්දිමාල් 

Imams help gay Muslims embrace new social identities

By Shahzeb Jillani BBC News

Some British Asian gay Muslims are embracing a new identity, based as much on race and religion as on sexual orientation with a number trying to do it with the help of their local imams.

Not all British gay muslims feel they can be open about their sexuality



When Khalid Habib decided it was time to come out about his sexuality, the first person he chose to confide in was not anyone in the family but his local imam.

“It was really important to me because I am a practising Muslim. It was about my personal relationship with Allah,” said the 35-year-old media professional from the north of England.

“I sat in his sitting room struggling to get the words,” he said.

“I told him I have issues, but couldn’t bring myself to utter the words ‘with my sexuality’. We spent many hours sitting in silence,” he recalled

When Khalid finally told him, he was struck by the imam’s reaction.

“He was really honest. He told me that in his 25 years of experience as a leader in a British Muslim community, he had never thought about homosexuality in a practical sense.

“So, he had approached it in the textbook sense, preaching that it was immoral, wrong and ‘haram’ in Islam. But he had never looked at it in a human sense.”

They said it was all in my head and that I was fooling myself” – Zeinab

Khalid says that as a British Muslim, he feels gay men have yet to find answers to some very difficult questions: “If it is wrong to be gay, should we force ourselves into heterosexual marriages?

“And in doing so, should we lie to the women we get married to? Or should we go for marriages of convenience with lesbians? Or, should we just remain celibate?” he asked.

Unlike Britain’s wider gay community, the Asian gay scene is still largely underground.

They may go to gay clubs or support groups, but most remain in the closet.

But the fear of rejection, humiliation and in some cases physical harm from their own communities keeps many Muslim gays isolated.

Iranian-born Zeinab, 18, is a case in point.

Death penalty

I met her on a Friday evening at a gay pride event in London’s East End borough of Tower Hamlets.

Even though the neighbourhood is home to one of the highest concentrations of British Asians, there were only a few Asians in the crowd.

Zeinab was there with two of her girlfriends – a lesbian wearing a hijab and a British Asian woman who described herself as bisexual.

She said: “When I came out to my family last year, they were shocked and angry. They said it was all in my head and that I was fooling myself.

“We had so many fights. I wanted to leave home. I was really depressed. I wanted to commit suicide.”

Zeinab says she is fortunate to be in Britain where she has the freedom to go out with friends to gay events and be herself, unlike Iran or Saudi Arabia where homosexuality carries a death penalty.

Some of their families and friends may even attend these nikkahs (marriage contracts), but they would never publicly admit it for fear of being ostracised by mainstream Muslims” Ibrahim Ismail – Activist

But at home, Zeinab’s sexual orientation remains a tense, taboo subject. She says the family refuses to recognise for who she is. So, they just don’t talk about it anymore.

“I would say I am quite religious. But I also know I am attracted to girls,” said one of her friends.

“The way I understand Islam, I don’t believe homosexuality is a sin because Allah is kind and generous.”

An overwhelming majority of Muslims worldwide reject this argument and believes gay Muslims are trying to re-interpret Islam to justify a lifestyle that is simply not permitted.

Asif Qureshi, a key worker at The Naz Project, a London-based support group working with British Asian gay men said: “In my experience, the number of Asian gays coming out has almost tripled over the last three years.”

‘Invisible’

In fact, there is some evidence to suggest that those who dare to come out and seek long term same-sex relationships are sometimes not content with the idea of civil partnerships.

They desire religious recognition of their union, with some reportedly taking the daring step of entering into nikkahs (Muslim marriage contracts).

Different organisations are trying to tackle the taboo

Mr Qureshi said he was aware of couples who had opted for such nikkahs but stressed that these were performed by imams in absolute secrecy.

Muslim gay activist Ibrahim Ismail has been working on sexual health issues for many years.

He said: “Some of their families and friends may even attend these nikkahs, but they would never publicly admit it for fear of being ostracised by mainstream Muslims.

“They are very much invisible.”

Even though it is something entirely covert, the idea of Muslim gay marriages sheds light on the role some imams could be playing in helping people reconcile their sexuality and their faith.

As Khalid Habib said, when he came out to his imam three years ago, little did he know that this would be the beginning of a long process to come to terms with sometimes uncomfortable aspects of his faith.

He said, since then, he’s been engaged in an ongoing dialogue with three separate imams to discuss what Allah would have to say about various aspects of his lifestyle.

“It has been a difficult but a mutually rewarding process.

“At least I have found an imam who has agreed to perform my nikkah when I get married,” he said with a smile as he discussed his plans of having a traditional South Asian wedding one day.

Some names have been changed to protect the identity of individuals interviewed for this piece.

What David Kato’s death can teach the world

Posted Tuesday, February 1 2011 at 00:00
News of the brutal murder of Ugandan human rights activist David Kato has reverberated around the world. Kato was beaten to death at his home outside of Kampala on January 26. He had dedicated much of his working life to helping those persecuted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In the months leading up to his death, he had himself been a target of a hate-campaign mounted by a local newspaper, The Rolling Stone, which printed his name, photograph and address alongside those of dozens of others the paper claimed were gay or lesbian, and called for them to be hanged.

Just last month, he and two other litigants took the newspaper to court, successfully securing an injunction against the newspaper to prevent it publishing similar stories in future. Kato’s visibility as an openly gay man and an activist for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people has understandably fuelled speculation that he was the victim of a fatal homophobic attack. At the time of writing, a police investigation continues into the circumstances of his death.

We must await the outcome of judicial proceedings to know who killed him and why. But whoever is responsible and whatever their motive, we know the fear felt by many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in Uganda and elsewhere who continue to face widespread prejudice and the constant threat of homophobic violence. Kato’s death robs them of a brave and eloquent advocate.

If Kato’s murder stimulates discussion about the violence and discrimination facing people because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity, then his death will not have been completely in vain. That discussion must inevitably address the question of decriminalising homosexuality. Criminal sanctions for homosexuality remain on the statute books in more than 70 countries, including Uganda.

Such laws are an anachronism, in most cases a hangover from the old days of colonial rule. They are inherently discriminatory and constitute a violation of the human rights of those whose conduct they seek to sanction. States often justify the existence of these laws with reference to popular opinion. Yet popular opinion alone can never justify depriving certain people of their rights. People are entitled to disapprove of homosexuality. They are entitled to express their disapproval. But they are not entitled to harm or inflict violence on their fellow human beings, nor to use the criminal law to have them arrested, imprisoned, even in some cases executed, simply because they disapprove of them.

Decriminalising homosexuality is an essential first step towards establishing genuine equality before the law. But real, lasting progress cannot be achieved by changing laws alone. We must change minds as well. Like racism and misogyny, homophobia is prejudice born of ignorance. And like other forms of prejudice, the most effective long-term response is information and education.

Over the past half century, we have seen a marked shift in public attitudes in almost all societies towards race, gender and disability. The challenge, for all those who believe in human rights and non-discrimination, is to encourage a similar shift in public attitudes towards those whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from that of the majority in society. This is a major undertaking that will require the involvement and commitment of us all.

Basic messages on non-discrimination, equality and human rights should be included in school curricula everywhere, reinforced by effective public education campaigns that engage the general public. The role of civil society is vital. Wherever social progress has been achieved over the last hundred years, it has involved the concerted efforts of community-based groups and other non-governmental organisations. Today, with the presence of social media and Internet-based campaigns, the potential impact of civil society-led public education is greater than ever.

We at the United Nations must be prepared to support and encourage this change. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has already committed himself to the task. Speaking on Human Rights Day on December 10, 2010, he pledged to work for the worldwide decriminalisation of homosexuality, using both private diplomacy and public advocacy to mobilise support. “Violence will end only when we confront prejudice”, he said. “Stigma and discrimination will end only when we agree to speak out. That requires all of us to do our part; to speak out at home, at work, in our schools and communities; to stand in solidarity.”

Today, we mark the loss of a remarkable man, a remarkable human rights activist. Let us honour Kato’s memory by recommitting to the values he sought to defend: the equal worth and dignity of every human being, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity.

Ms Pillay is the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

 

EQUAL GROUND into 7th year

EQUAL GROUND, a non profitable trust working for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning community blasts into the new year with a full program of events, projects and an LGBTIQ Center in the heart of Colombo.   Community members are encouraged to drop in and make use of a DVD and book library filled with LGBTIQ films, novels, research and educational materials and a number of other publications.  Definitely NO PORN!  So those of you who are silly enough to think this should wipe their minds clear of it!

WE are pleased to welcome new members and old members to our center for movie nights, fellowship evenings and special events.   The center is also available for community members to hold meetings, rehearsals, and games such as carrom, badminton, cards, board games etc.  We also operate a counseling service for the LGBTIQ community on three hotlines:

The first line (which is a mixed line) can be reached on 5679766 or 2512977 – Monday to Friday 930am-530pm

The second line (women only) can be reached on 5748705.  This line is operated by only Women volunteers and staff trained in LGBT, sexual  and mental health issues.  Also open - Monday to Friday 930am-530pm.  We will soon extend the counseling hours to late nights and weekends as well.

Give us a call or drop in!

 

 

American Bar Association to States: Eliminate all legal barriers to civil marriage

Today, the American Bar Association’s (ABA) House of Delegates passed a Recommendation urging all state, territorial and tribal governments to “eliminate all of their legal barriers to civil marriage between two persons of the same sex who are otherwise eligible to marry.”

The Recommendation was sponsored by the National LGBT Bar Association, several entities within the ABA, including the Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities, Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and the Commission on Women in the Profession, as well as various state and local bar associations.

The National LGBT Bar Association would like to thank John T. Hendricks (the LGBT Bar’s delegate to the ABA’s House of Delegate), Jaime Todd-Gher (our delegate to the ABA’s Commission on Women in the Profession), Skip Harsch (our representative to the ABA’s Council of the Young Lawyers Division), Jason S. Gibson and Lousene Hoppe (our delegates to the ABA’s Young Lawyers Division), Mario Sullivan (a past delegate to the ABA’s Young Lawyers Division), and all those in the ABA who helped make this possible.  On behalf of all our members, thank you for your hard work on this issue.

courtesy ABA

Going half way with gays

SATURDAY, 26 JUNE 2010 02:14 – DAILY MIRROR, Sri Lanka

By Indika Sri Aravinda

The government said yesterday it was prepared to talk to the Sri Lanka’s gay community, which called for equal rights, but would not take any decision which might damage the Sri Lankan culture.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratna said gays and gay marriages were accepted in some western countries but the community here must explain what they meant by equal rights.

The government could then consider its request.

“It is not wrong for them to seek of equal rights. They must tell us what they mean when they speak of such rights. We can then take a decision based on whether the granting of such a request will damage our culture,” the prime minister said.

Last Sunday Sri Lanka’s gay community called for equal rights and urged the authorities to emulate India, which had removed restrictions placed on the gay community in New Delhi last year.

Equal Grounds Executive Director Rozanne Flamer Caldera, speaking at a fashion show organized by Sri Lanka’s gay community said all people must be treated as equals whether they were gay or straight.

Equal Grounds represents Sri Lanka’s gay community and the fashion show held at the Galadari Hotel saw gay and straight people on the stage portraying equality. Several prominent personalities including diplomats were present at the occasion.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S SPEECH AT OPENING OF COLOMBO PRIDE 2010

Here is the speech made by EQUAL GROUND’s Executive Director Rosanna Flamer-Caldera at RAINBOW RUNWAY marking the launch of Colombo PRIDE 2010:

Happy PRIDE everybody!

We are all here today to do one thing: celebrate.

Colombo Pride 2010 is not just a celebration of Gay Pride; it is a festival of equality, diversity and dignity.

Today, we want to celebrate our lives, our loves and most of all – who we are.

We do not want to be in closets anymore.  We shouldn’t have to be in closets to begin with!

So welcome everyone, to Rainbow Runway!

This is no ordinary fashion show Ladies and Gentlemen.  It is a show that you will remember for a long while.  It epitomizes the diversity of the community that celebrates PRIDE this month.

It focuses on the fusion of straight and gay, haute couture and street wear, and the solidarity and camaraderie of the various sexual orientations and gender identities that are represented on this stage this evening.

I am so proud of everyone who has given of their time to do this show today!

The number of participants, volunteers and sponsors has increased significantly over the years.

This is proof that individuals have begun to embrace their sexual orientations as well as others’ and have finally made the move to stamp shame out of their lives.

I would like to mention here that this show is entirely voluntary – the cast and crew have given us an unimaginable amount of support and on behalf of EQUAL GROUND I want to extend my sincerest thanks to all of them.

We celebrate Pride globally today.

It all started as a commemoration and an acknowledgment to the brave men and women who galvanized the gay revolution in 1969 with the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, New York.

Since then the Gay liberation Movement has gained in strength worldwide.

The Pride Movement in South Asia has been gathering momentum, and open support for it   is growing and developing.

Last year, India decriminalized homosexuality, in a move that was labeled “India’s Stonewall”.

It is time that Sri Lanka emulated India. We need to move forward.

We have endured criminalization and discrimination for over a hundred years in this country.   The time is right to end this.  It is time for all of us, gay or straight, to move forward as free and proud citizens of this country and live in peace and harmony.

At EQUAL GROUND, we believe it is essential to recognize all our struggles as an oppressed people.

We believe that being different gives us an inter-connectedness.

Being different is beautiful.  Diversity is good and necessary.  We need to embrace that, and embrace our existence.

EQUAL GROUND is first and foremost a Human Rights organization working towards equality for all sexual orientations and gender identities in Sri Lanka.

We are not only hair dressers and drag queens, we are also doctors, journalists, artists, lawyers, accountants, nurses….we are everywhere and anywhere and we, EQUAL GROUND continue to strongly advocate on behalf of all of us and mainly the mostly invisible Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community of Sri Lanka.

Over the years, we have been marginalized and cornered. This is our adverse reality. But we have still risen from the discrimination that people have tried to engulf us in. We have surfaced from repeated prejudices and unjust intolerance, and for this, I am proud.

Proud of all the many Lesbians, Gay men, Bisexuals and Transgenders all over the world and especially in this country, who have dedicated and at times, given their lives to ensure that all people are treated equally for who they are.

We are too determined to give up our fight for equality and acceptance. I want to inspire you, and encourage you to recognize yourselves.

Embrace your uniqueness.  Embrace your sexuality.  Embrace diversity.   Be proud of who you are, whatever your sexual orientation may be.

You do not have to be granted permission to live your life the way you want to, or make the choices you want to. YOU are in control of your life. This is what you must celebrate.

Once again, I would like to thank all those who have been involved in all the activities for Colombo PRIDE 2010.

The support you have given us means more than you would ever know. I would also like to thank our generous sponsors, our Trustees and our staff and you, our audience, thank you for being here to celebrate with us.

In conclusion I will say only one more thing – Closets are for clothes. Step out. Be Proud.

Happy Pride everyone and please, make some noise, and enjoy the show!

COLOMBO PRIDE PROGRAM 2010

This year’s thrilling Colombo PRIDE celebrations include a variety of must see and must do events – a once a year celebration of diversity with Pride! Join us in a month long festival of fashion shows, film festivals, art & photo exhibitions, plays and kite flying and more -the first of its kind in Asia!

11-12 June: Youth Conference – “Live and Let live:Respecting Gender and Sexuality” (prior applications necessary – please apply through our website, application forms will be provided soon)

20th June: Rainbow Runway – Fashion show (Tickets for sale at EQUALGROUND from 10th June onwards)

24th June: Rainbow Pride party (Tickets for sale at EQUAL GROUND from 10th June onwards)

1 July: Special Film Screening – “Beyond Gay: The politics of Pride” – Hosted by the British High Commission

5-7 July:
• Rainbow Visions – LGBT Art and Photo exhibition
• Celluloid Rainbows – LGBT Film Festival – Hosted by the British Council

10th July: LGBTIQ theatre performance – “Leave a light on for me”

11th July: Rainbow Kite Festival on Mt. Lavinia Beach

Contact us for details on venues, tickets, times and any other information.

Email: info@equal-ground.org/equalground@gmail.com
Tel: 94-11-2512977 or 5679766