A Single Man – Film review.

Movie - A Single Man

A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford is a film of haunting beauty. Sadly Colin Firth was robbed of a Best Actor award for his performance in the piece.  Although I am very much a Jeff Bridges fan, I simply don’t buy into this whole idea where an actor or actress is given an award simply based on the acting history and the fact that they haven’t yet been recognised. It is sad when a performance of this kind is shunned for those reasons.

The movie which earns an 86% fresh score (that’s a huge score BTW) on www.rottentomatoes.com revolves around the story of a man who loses his lover in an accident. With no chance to say goodbye and no way of even paying his last respects, Colin Firth’s character must learn to live without that one person who made his life worth living. What do you do when that most important person in your life leaves you? How do you wake up every morning and make it through a day without hearing his voice, without his smile, without his scent? How do you retire to your bedroom and look at the bed which you once shared with him and think of sleeping in that same bed when you know he will never ever be there to hold you through the night. How does it all make sense? Then does it make life worth living? Do you just go through the motions? Do you cling on to hope? And when you just can’t seem to go on what can you really do?

To gay men and women battling society, religion and social stigma, the loss of a lover is a million times harder to deal with and all that pain, absurdity and hopelessness is captured delightfully in this moving tear jerker. Add to this the never disappointing performance of Julianne Moore, the meticulous attention detail of the 1960’s period style and Tom Ford’s flair and you have a movie that is easily one of the best made. At least from a gay man’s point of view.

Dinesh Perera

Bent reasoning?

In response the editorial by Ms. Champika Liyanaarachchi published in the Daily Mirror of Thursday, 29 July 2010

The Daily Mirror has been regarded by many as an unbiased and free publication. It has, in the past published adverts against homophobia and more lately, unbiased interviews with LGBT activist and lent publicity to events and celebrations of Gay Pride. Some of the more recent articles on Gay issues to be published include:

• Lanka for dialogue with gays – Friday, 25 June 2010
• Lankan Gays wants Rights Sunday, 20 June 2010
• Caldera speaks out on equal rights Wednesday, 07 July 2010

However, the editorial, which we have republished on this site , is probably the best example of homophobia to be expressed in any mainstream media in recent years.  The Sakhi Collaboration is both disappointed and shocked that the Daily Mirror should publish such an editorial and more so of the sudden change in stance.

Sakhi believes the Editorial reflects a poor display of responsible journalism or judgment, and will not take on the task responding individually to the points raised in the article as we feel the piece of writing does not merit a rational discussion for the following reasons.

‘Set[ting] the record straight’ – as the editor presumes to do, reflects the writer’s heteronormative perspective on queer issues and Sexual Rights Advocacy groups.  The reference to the sexuality of some members of the diplomatic corps is unwarranted. The statements apparently made by Gay/Queer persons uncorroborated and the accusations levelled at Sexual Rights Advocacy groups and women’s organisations baseless.

It is unfortunate that the Editor has seen it fit to reflect her own personal fears and biases in an Editorial of a reputed publication.

Sakhi, welcomes any responses to the editorial and will be pleased to publish it as comments here.

(Please note that articles will be subject to editing prior to publication.)

A tide against the natural…

THURSDAY, 29 JULY 2010 03:14

One saw this coming slowly for some years. However sudden increased activism by the groups during the last few weeks made one think that it’s high time that one set the record straight.

The story is this.

Some controversial moves are being made by groups within the Colombo social circles along with a few diplomats and leading civil society figures to create an impression that heterosexuality is an outdated, obsolete disposition. Most of these individuals one-time heterosexuals turn gays.

This certainly is not an alarmist view of a prude. Among the members of one of these groups is a high ranking officer of a diplomatic mission in Colombo. Apart from him there are quite a few not so high ranking men from the diplomatic community who are included in the group.

Try striking up a conversation with these groups and they will say that all politicians in the country should turn gay so that they can avoid the burden of a family – wife and children and better concentrate on work. A peek into the evening parties of some of these groups apparently make one wonder whether one is really living in Sri Lanka or Las Vegas. Their promotion of vices including extensive use of drugs and aggressive promotion of their ideology have slowly started hitting the foundations of Sri Lankan society especially the family unit.

Then there’s another group which is facilitated by a leading women’s NGO in Colombo which comprises of male-bashers who would go to any extend to explain that males are a dangerous species and they should be done away with. Most of the members of this group are women who were once into unhappy relationships and want to believe that the entire women population in the country has been victimized by the male population. Their wrath against men sees no bounds. The members of this group go out of the way to launch venomous attacks against the Sri Lankan male population by way of publications, exhibitions and many other means. Marriage for them is an opportunity for men to exploit women physically and psychologically as the male is always looked at with an enemy perception. Women who rally around this group are bent on spreading their pessimistic message on men among the entire women population in the country.

Over the years, slowly and steadily both these type groups have managed to rope in a few dozens of unsuspecting leading personalities in society to their clubs. The last few weeks saw some strong movements by these entities which attempt to piggy back on the political dialogue on human rights. There is no doubt that much is needed to be done on the human rights front. However, the country can do well without these undesirable elements.

Sri Lanka has successfully weathered many a cultural tides thanks to the strength of its strong social foundations. One hopes that this too will pass.

A Sakhi day out!

Read more about our male sexual health initiative in our official website.

A considerable number of ‘Men who have Sex with Men’ (MSM) engage in unprotected sex with both male and female partners and are often not aware of their vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infection(STI).

The members of the Sakhi Collaboration as a part of their Male Sexual Health initiative for MSM evaluated the HIV and STI Testing facilities of the Colombo Clinic of the National STI/AIDS Control Programme. The exercise assisted us in understanding better the possible issues that a MSM would face should he require the services at this facility.

Read the full report and evaluation of the HIV and STI Testing facilities of the Colombo Clinic of the National STI/AIDS Control Programme on our website. http://www.sakhicollaboration.com/

In response to Mr. Ranga Jayasuriya

The article published on the website of Lakbimama news online has been republished on this Blog to draw attention to the discussion of Gay Rights in a public forum. The article does not in any way reflect our own views, but that of an individual journalist. While we welcome the discussion of Gay Rights, I believe the writers opening lines are problamatic, and there factual inaccuracy is misleading. Therefore we have chosen to discuss them briefly. ‘Sri Lankan politics, though notoriously prone to character assassination has never had a history of vilifying its stakeholders based on their sexual orientation’. The discussion of a select few ministers’ sexual identities, perceived or otherwise has often been cause for insult, and smear campaigns. Perhaps, one of the more recent and documented slurs being at the previous Presidential Elections where, at a public rally, an infamous minister sighting the fact that a key opposition minister had not fathered a child, referred to him in a term used to insult people of sexually diverse communities.

It is significant to stress that no ‘out’ Gay or Lesbian minster has ever campaigned for public office or won. They have almost always been ‘closeted’ till they achieved political recognition. And in our recent political history there has been only one minister who has been open about his sexuality. This too however was only after he was established as a minister of formidable power as a result of his associations with former Presidents etc. Ranga Jayasuriya goes on to say that ‘It has, largely, been the consensus that sexual orientation is a matter of the private domain and it hardly pertinent in the electability of a candidate’. We would like to remind the writer that while sexual orientation may be of a private nature, in Sri Lanka, public policy has and continues to determine the ‘sexual act’ as a criminal offence – that violates the private domain of the consensual same sex couple. Successive governments have manipulated and misused what they believed to be Buddhist-Sinhalese cultural values to protect 365 365A that continues to impose Victorian codes of morality. Last but not least the writer states that ‘ In this context, one would say, with enough empirical evidence, that we are fairly more ‘liberal’ than the United States where, gays in the military is an issue which could swing an election’. Firstly we would like to question the accuracy of the empirical research methodology and the use of the word liberal by the writer.

In Sri Lanka Gay people still remain a non-issue and their rights still less of an issue. We do not see this as a positive thing given the stigma and discrimination that the Gay people face. The reason the topic of ‘gays in the military could swing an election’ is because the gay person has a status as an American citizen in his/her society, and the individual’s right to non-discrimination has been recognised by the state, to the extent that it could determine the outcome of an election. Whereas in Sri Lanka, the harassment of gay Service Personnel, is one of many issues faced by the LGBT community that still continues to go unchecked. The Gay rights movement is still building momentum in Sri Lanka. And while the LGBT activists and community fight to address the discrimination of LGBT persons and demand for equal rights; many of the issues are still not been addressed in a systematic way or even in an appropriate manner due to the refusal by governments and society to accept the LGBT community and recognise their Human Rights. Silence does not mean there is no problem.

We ask to be treated like follow citizens – We asked to be accepted for who we are.

“We are all human” says gay rights actvist

By Ranga Jayasuriya – Lakbima News

Sri Lankan politics, though notoriously prone to character assassination has never had a history of villifying its stakeholders based on their sexual orientation. That is a positive side of the political culture, which, the country could be proud of, though the political culture in this country in general is largely illiberal, feudal and is based on a system of patronage, which is, of course the sad side of it. However, sexual orientation – be it gay, lesbian, heterosexual or bisexual, (even pansexual) – has never been a handicap to aspire for political office. We have had an openly gay foreign minister, a prime minister and some others who are gender ‘vague’, but none denounced them for their sexual orientation.

It has, largely, been the consensus that sexual orientation is a matter of the private domain and it hardly pertinent in the electability of a candidate. In this context, one would say, with enough empirical evidence, that we are fairly more ‘liberal’ than the United States where, gays in the military is an issue which could swing an election. However, that magnanimity to sexual minorities in the Sri Lankan political culture stops within the top echelons of social life. It is quite a different story for hundreds of thousands of gays and lesbians who face daily discrimination due to their gender identity and sexual orientation.

Criminalizing homosexuality

According to conservative estimates, eight to ten per cent of the total population are gays and lesbians. That means, approximately 2 million of Sri Lanka’s 20 million population are gays and lesbians. Yet, an archaic 19th century colonial law, the Sri Lankan penal code criminalizes homosexuality— which means, it makes ten per cent of country’s population criminals for who they are. Homosexuality is criminalized under article 365A of the penal code which prohibits anyone, irrespective of gender, engaging in ‘gross indecency’, something not defined in the law. Though the law has not explicitly been used against adult, private and consensual sexual conduct, gay and lesbian rights activists complain that it has been used to harass gays and lesbians.

Rossana Flamer-Caldera, Executive Director of Equal Ground, a non government organization, which campaigns for the rights of the Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community says that the archaic law is being used by police and law enforcement agencies to harass, threaten and blackmail Sri Lankan LGBT people. How often are they being harassed? “Daily”… at their workplaces, at job interviews, on the road,” says, Flamer-Caldera.

Many abuses happen below the radar of media, for the abused party rarely goes public to speak out against the abuser due to the stigma attached to being a gay or a lesbian.

The Women’s Support Group, another non governmental organization dedicated to rights of women of lesbian, bisexual and transgender orientation has posted on their website, the agonizing personal tales of gays and lesbians who suffered, and were often forced to flee the country due to their sexual orientation.

Two weeks back, during an annual gay pride celebration held in Colombo, Rossana Flamer-Caldera made a passionate plea for equal rights for the Sri Lankan gay and lesbian community.

“…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 continue to strongly advocate on behalf of all of us and mainly the mostly invisible Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community of Sri Lanka.”

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

Closets are for clothes. Step out. Be Proud.”

Not all the members of the Sri Lankan gay and lesbian community have come out of their closets. But, those who dared to come out have organized themselves in self-help groups, which campaign for human and sexual rights of the LGBT community. They help their members in distress, provide counseling and legal aid, conduct ballroom dancing sessions, screen movies and celebrate annual events of the calendar of the world wide LGBT community. Going a step further, they also promote HIV AIDS awareness in the wider social spectrum. Flamer-Caldera’s plea for equal rights has, at last, caught the attention of political powers. Prime Minister D.M Jayaratne, last week told a daily English newspaper that the government was prepared for a dialogue with the local gay and lesbian community.

The prime minister said that gay and lesbian activists should explain what they mean by equal rights. Flamer-Caldera says local activists have requested an appointment with the prime minister.

Expunge

Flamer-Caldera says that LGBT activists want the government to expunge the section of the penal code which criminalizes homosexuality.

“It is silly to label homosexuality as being a western concept. It is in existence in the animal kingdom from time immemorial. It is, in fact, an archaic law which is ‘ imported’ from the west.” Second, according to Flamer-Caldera, local LGBT activists urged that the constitutional guarantees of nondiscrimination be extended to include gender identity and sexual orientation. “We want to be treated like other citizens. We are all human. We are all equal,” she says.

What about same sex marriages and civil unions?

She says it is too far off. “We take a step at a time. Same sex marriages are not in our agenda now.” That would stoke the fears of the prime minister, who deemed same sex unions as incompatible with local culture. Last year, the Indian Supreme Court in a landmark ruling decriminalized homosexuality. That decision is now touted as India’s Stonewall, named after Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, New York, which was the defining event which galvanized the gay rights movement in the United State and world wide. However, Sri Lankan institutions were far less supportive in the past. In 2001, Sri Lanka’s notorious Press Council ordered Sherman de Rose, an activist of the founding LGBT rights group, Companion on a Journey to pay legal fees to the Island newspaper, turning down a petition against the publication of a letter which advocated lesbian women to be raped by convicted rapists to ‘cure’ them.

Rejecting the petition, the Press Council held that lesbianism was, “an act of sadism” and that homosexuality was an immoral and abnormal crime. That however had unexpected positive fallout. It drew public attention to the rights of the gay community. Flamer-Caldera says gays and lesbians don’t ask for special rights.

“We ask to be treated like follow citizens. We asked to be accepted for who we are.”  That is, of course, isn’t too much to ask for.

The Colour of Love?