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EDITORIAL TRANSGENDERAGENDA
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INTERNATIONAI NEWS
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WOMEN ONTOP
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Editorial Dear Friends, has been awhile getting this second edirion of Rainbow News out to all of you and our apologies for the delal'' Our year has been busy and exciting and this issue covers many of the
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was robbed, severely beaten, pistol whipped, tied to a fence in a remote, rural area and left to die. His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to oPerate. Shepard never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 1'2:53 a.m. on October 12 at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fott Collins.
programs and projects rl'e have undertaken since the last publication.
I highlight this story because homophobic violence and harassment is prevalent everlwhere, even in Sri Lanka. EQUAL GROUND launched a "say NO to homophobia. Sav NO to
In June 2007, EQUAL GROUND celebrates its third anniversary Each year we grow stroflger and better and we are happl' to report this has resulted in the opening of the first Colombo LGBT Center at KassaPa Road, Colombo 5. One of the consistent programs estab[shed here is "Movie NighC' which has become quite popular. Each month, LGBT movies are screened at the Center to encourage communifi'building and awareness raising. We will continue to screen movies ever\I month and encourage everyone to patticipate. very soon, we hope to begin Yoga and Meditarion classes on a rveek-ly basis as well as self defense classes for women, ballroom dancing for LGBT and classes in drag (make up and dress).
hate and discrimination" poster and leaflet campaign to coincide with IDAHO. Read more about this campaign inside.
The International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) this year was commemotated on the 17th May with a movie (for Movie
NighQ highlighting the terrifying consequences of
Colombo PRIDE kicks off with a 3 day LGBT South Asian Film Festival. EQUAL GORUND is proud to showcase two exciting internationally-acclaimed productions: The Journel' (Sancharram), an award winning film by LigyJ. Pullappally and Two Men In Shoulder Stand, a short h1m on HIV/AIDS and human complexities b1' writer/director Paul I3ox. More on Pride in this issue.
This
1'ear,
Our message this 1,621 for PRIDE is simple - "United for Equaliq/'. H".. in Sri Lanka, flow more than ever, let us join together and be united for equaliq'and celebrate in solidariq', the diversitv of our people and our country.
hate
motivated crimes specifically homophobia. The movie entided "The Laramie Proiect" is the storv of 22 year old Mattheu' \X/ayne Shepard, an American srudent at the Universiq' of \Xf.oming who was fatall)' attacked near Laramie, Wyoming, on the night of October 6 - October 7, 1998 in what was widel1' reported as a savage beating due to his homosexualiry Shepard
\X/ith Best wishes,
a4.l^3. Rosanna Flamer-Caldera
Executive Director
-Eeu {.-6ROt}1tE-