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DITORIAL
Dear Friends,
It
is my pleasure to introduce to you the first edition of Rainbow News, a publication of EQUAL GROUND. In this issue we strive to give the reader a cross-section of news, events, articles and poetry by the Gay community for the
lnside fhis issue.'
center and a mat weaving center in Batticaloa for 2 of
the
ILGA World Conference
communities
affected by the Tsu-
Adam and Steve
Cay community.
nami. (For those interested in our Tsunami
Contact details
For those of you who are not familliar with EQUAL GROUND and its work, let me begin by giving you, the
efforts, please get in touch with the office for details).
reader, a brief history of the organisation.
In the summer of 2004, a group of friends decided to form an organisation that would represent LGBTIQ persons in Sri Lanka in a manner that would evoke Pride and acceptance both within the LGBTIQ community, as well as society at
large. EQUAL GROUND is the only
organization in Sri Lanka that includes Lesbians, Gay men, Bisexuals, Tiansgender, Intersex, Questioning and Other (straight, supportive) folks who are interested in an equitable status for all citizens of this country, regardless
of
ethnicity, religion, caste, class, sexual orientation and gender identity. In particular it focuses on issues of inequaliry discrimination and marginalization of LGBTIQ persons across the entire populace ofSri Lanka.
In the almost 2 GROUND
years since
its inception, EQUAL
groundbreaking experiences which were highlighted by the publishing of a booklet entitled Human, has had
Right? and the first-ever Gay Pride event in Sri Lanka (2005). This event included over 300 people of mixed sexual orientations and gender identities coming together in an amazingaffirmation of solidarity to celebrate PRIDE. This was followed by a week long celebration of PRIDE in May 2006, which is the first time an event of this nature was attempted in Sri Lanka. \7e are hrppy to report that it was an enormous succâ‚ŹsS; and we thank our supporters and donors for making this possible.
Much of 2005 was also spent in assisting Tsunami affected persons in the South and the East. In an outpouring of love and solidariry LGBT persons and other supporters donated money to the EQUAL GROUND Tsunami Relief and Reconstruction fund. These funds were used to aid the survivors of the devastating Tsunami of December 2005. As part of this program, we established a sewing
Through our monthly
members meetings, PRIDE, events and our work as a Human fughts organisation, EQUAL GROUND is committed to elevating the status of the LGBTIQ community while simultaneously giving the many disempowered men, women and transgender individuals a sense ofbelonging, a sense ofPride and a sense of ac-
complishment.
Ve hope you will join
us as we stride toward our future
with renewed vigour and commitment to make Sri Lanka a place that we all can live in, devoid of fear, stigmatiza-
tion and discrimination. \With Best \7ishes,
*k,*.
,0.."
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR