Mental health professionals file intervening petition in support of bill to protect LGBTQ+ community 

• Say no risks but only profound benefits from the bill proposed by MP Dolawatta
• Highlight that criminalisation of LGBTQI sexuality is unjust and undermines equal opportunities for enjoyment of personhood, intimate relationships, participation in family and community life, access to services and employment
• Claim decriminalisation of homosexuality is an important step towards addressing homophobic discrimination and harm in Sri Lanka
• Other intervening petitions filed in support also dismissed claims made by Brigadier (Rtd) Athula De Silva, freelance writer Shenali Waduge and businesswoman Jehan Hameed that the Penal Code amendment bill will expose children to child abuse

A group of senior mental health professionals in Sri Lanka including psychiatrists and psychologists yesterday filed an intervening petition in support of the private members’ bill presented by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Premanath C. Dolawatta in a bid to amend the penal code to offer better protection to the LGBTQ+ community in Sri Lanka.  

The intervening petition was filed by the President of the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists Dr. Kapila Ranasinghe, President of the Sri Lanka Psychologists Association Dr. Kanthi Hettigoda, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology at the University of Colombo Prof. Gameela Samarasinghe, Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Peradeniya Prof. Pabasari Ginige and Medical Anthropologist Ananda Galappatti. The petitioners held that they see no risks but only profound benefits from the proposed bill.

The petitioners said the criminalisation of homosexuality both directly and indirectly results in significant psychological distress, diverse psychosocial difficulties and adverse mental health outcomes for many persons who identify as LGBTQ+ in Sri Lanka. 

“Criminalisation of LGBTQ+ sexuality is unjust and undermines equal opportunities for enjoyment of personhood, intimate relationships, participation in family and community life, access to services and employment - as well as creates vulnerability to discrimination and harm,” they noted. The petitioners also highlighted that decriminalisation of homosexuality is an important step towards addressing homophobic discrimination and harm in Sri Lanka, and as such will benefit the mental health and psychosocial well-being of LGBTQ+ persons. 

Several other intervening petitions were also filed earlier in the week in support of the private members’ bill. The intervening petitioners in their petitions said that if the proposed bill is enacted by Parliament that it will remedy a long-standing injustice against the LGBTQ+ community in Sri Lanka. They also dismissed the claims in an intervening petition challenging the bill made by Brigadier (Rtd) Athula De Silva, freelance writer Shenali Waduge and businesswoman Jehan Hameed that the Penal Code amendment bill will expose children to child abuse. 

The intervening petitions were filed by former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Prof. Savithri Gunasekara, former Human Rights Commissioner Ramani Muttetuwegama, former Chairperson of the National Child Protection Authority Natasha Balendra, former Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and former UN Undersecretary General for Children Radhika Coomaraswamy, Child Rights Activist Dr. Tushara Wickremanayaka, Executive Director of the Family Planning Association Thushara Ranasinghe, Director of Advocacy of the FPA and former Child Protection Advisor at Save the Children and Coordinator for the National Partnership to End Violence Against Children Sonali Peiris, Programme Officer for HIV Services in South East Asia Jake Oorloff, Equality Director of iProbono Aritha Wickramasinghe, Executive Director of the National Transgender Network Bhoomi Harendran and LGBT Human Rights organisation Equal Ground.