LGBT global news 24-7

Home » Content about Sri Lanka

Content about Sri Lanka

February 18, 2013
Nate Berkus reflects on the death of his partner in tsunami in Sri Lanka

'It made me a better person, it made me a more compassionate person'

Nate Berkus became a familiar face to viewers of The Oprah Winfrey Show more than a decade ago as an interior designer who was a frequent guest on the show.

But it wasn't until December 2004 that his personal life became a lot more public. He and his partner, photographer Fernando Bengoechea were vacationing at a beach resort in Sri Lanka when the Indian Ocean tsunami hit. While Berkus survived, Bengoechea went missing and is presumed dead.

Berkus appeared on Winfrey's daytime show a month later to talk about his ordeal and the loss of his love.

February 18, 2013
Nate Berkus reflects on the death of his partner in tsunami in Sri Lanka

'It made me a better person, it made me a more compassionate person'

Nate Berkus became a familiar face to viewers of The Oprah Winfrey Show more than a decade ago as an interior designer who was a frequent guest on the show.

But it wasn't until December 2004 that his personal life became a lot more public. He and his partner, photographer Fernando Bengoechea were vacationing at a beach resort in Sri Lanka when the Indian Ocean tsunami hit. While Berkus survived, Bengoechea went missing and is presumed dead.

Berkus appeared on Winfrey's daytime show a month later to talk about his ordeal and the loss of his love.

December 14, 2012
British government should take responsibility for colonial sodomy laws, says Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch deputy director, Asia, tells Gay Star News that the UK government should publicly denounce anti-gay laws that were set up by the British empire

The British government should do more to persuade ex-colonies to repeal anti-gay laws, Phil Robertson the deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch told Gay Star News yesterday.

Former British colonies Singapore, Malaysia, Burma, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean still carry Section 377 or similar versions of the British-empire-era law that criminalizes gay sex.

October 19, 2012
Nate Berkus on growing up gay

'I spent my allowance buying decorative boxes on my way home from the bus stop'

Home design guru Nate Berkus says his new book, The Things That Matter, was not supposed to be a memoir. But he couldn't help but share part about himself as he wrote about his and other people's homes.

September 27, 2012
UN votes for 'traditional values' above gay rights

Russia has passed a resolution at the United Nations which highlights traditional values: Experts say the Human Rights Council vote will be used against gay, trans and women's rights

Russia has won a vote in the United Nations today which promotes 'traditional values' above lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and women's rights.

In the resolution references to sexual orientation and transgender protection are actually removed from what is included in human rights.

Activists have said it makes demands for the UN to vote to decriminalize gay sex worldwide even more urgent.

July 4, 2012
Lifting of gay ban must come from people says Sri Lankan activist

Campaigner Rossana Flamer-Caldera says rise in nationalism in Sri Lanka poses major threat to LGBT rights at World Pride conference in London

Sri Lankan activist Rossana Flamer-Caldera says the only way to end the ban on gay sex in the former war-torn country is to appeal to ordinary people who ‘know what it’s like to have their human rights trampled on’.

Activists from around the Commonwealth met in London today (4 July) to discuss how the global community can work towards decriminalizing homosexuality in countries where former British colonial laws which banned being gay are still alive.

July 4, 2012
Lifting of gay ban must come from people says Sri Lankan activist

Campaigner Rossana Flamer-Caldera says rise in nationalism in Sri Lanka poses major threat to LGBT rights at World Pride conference in London

Sri Lankan activist Rossana Flamer-Caldera says the only way to end the ban on gay sex in the former war-torn country is to appeal to ordinary people who ‘know what it’s like to have their human rights trampled on’.

Activists from around the Commonwealth met in London today (4 July) to discuss how the global community can work towards decriminalizing homosexuality in countries where former British colonial laws which banned being gay are still alive.

June 27, 2012
World Pride summit to change anti-gay global laws

International conference on LGBT human rights in the Commonwealth is to be hosted by Pride London next week

London is bringing activists from around the world together next week for a summit on how to decriminalize gay sex across the Commonwealth.

The city's pride bosses, who are hosting the World Pride festival this year, have teamed up with gay international organization, Kaleidoscope Trust and the Human Dignity Trust to tackle homophobia in the Commonwealth.

June 18, 2012
World Pride conference to focus on ending gay sex bans

Six activists from around the world will talk about LGBT rights in the Commonwealth at World Pride event in London

Activists from six different countries around the world will talk about LGBT rights in the Commonwealth at a conference during London's World Pride celebrations next month.

The event in the UK capital on 4 July will focus on the decriminalization of homosexuality in countries where the Queen is still head of state and how best to achieve an end to gay bans around the world.

June 15, 2012
Petition to repeal Sri Lanka’s anti-gay laws

LGBT rights group have started a petition to the Sri Lankan government to repeal colonial anti-gay laws

A petition to repeal Sri Lanka’s colonial laws that are used to criminalize homosexual sex has been started by Equal Ground rights group.

Sections 365 and 365A of Sri Lanka’s penal code criminalize ‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature’ and ‘gross indecency’ respectively. They have been historically used to penalize gay people but no one has been convicted by them for 50 years.

June 15, 2012
Petition to repeal Sri Lanka’s anti-gay laws

LGBT rights group have started a petition to the Sri Lankan government to repeal colonial anti-gay laws

A petition to repeal Sri Lanka’s colonial laws that are used to criminalize homosexual sex has been started by Equal Ground rights group.

Sections 365 and 365A of Sri Lanka’s penal code criminalize ‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature’ and ‘gross indecency’ respectively. They have been historically used to penalize gay people but no one has been convicted by them for 50 years.

May 11, 2012
No IDAHO in Malaysia due to ‘security concerns’

Activists think a LGBT rally in the current political climate in Malaysia would be unwise

LGBT rights activists in Malaysia say they will not be holding a IDAHO - International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia - event next week because of ‘security concerns’.

January 19, 2012
Locker rooms: Nudity rules or cover up?

Why do some guys and girls hide under a towel and others let it all hang out in the changing rooms?

If there wasn’t a law against it, I could spend all day just hanging out in changing rooms watching guys get their clothes off.

What’s fascinating is how everyone pretty much does it differently – and, although I’m no expert, by all accounts it’s the same story in the women’s changing rooms too.