Articles ● Navigating Life as a Young Queer Individual in Post-COVID Sri Lanka

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Navigating Life as a Young Queer Individual in Post-COVID Sri Lanka

By Heshan Niluminda

Being a young LGBTQ+ person in Sri Lanka was already fraught with challenges before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic, coupled with the subsequent economic crisis, exacerbated these difficulties. In this article, I will delve into the hurdles and prospects that young LGBTQ+ individuals encounter in the post-COVID “new normal” in Sri Lanka. 

Many of the struggles we faced before the pandemic persist. Bullying, harassment, and various violations are still rampant. Access to education and healthcare remains arduous, and finding job opportunities is a constant challenge. Moreover, we are at heightened risk for health crises like HIV. Most alarmingly, we are increasingly vulnerable to gender and sexual orientation-based violence.

Yet, the repercussions of COVID-19 and the ensuing economic downturn have ushered in a fresh set of obstacles. The loss of jobs has forced many young LGBTQ+ people to turn to transactional sex to survive. A lack of information on sexual and reproductive health, coupled with limited access to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, further complicates the situation. Without autonomy, young LGBTQ+ individuals may engage in unsafe sexual practices due to power imbalances. Their reluctance to seek regular SRHR services exacerbates their vulnerability to HIV.

Additionally, the post-COVID era has seen a surge in issues arising from prolonged family interactions during lockdowns. While gender-based violence and harassment within families have been reported, positive trends have also emerged, as some LGBTQ+ individuals have found greater acceptance within their families. However, disruptions in education due to family conflicts have placed immense pressure on the young LGBTIQ community, hindering their pursuit of higher education and professional development. The negative attitudes prevailing within families have affected not only the young LGBTIQ community’s education but also their mental health and personal growth during the pandemic and post-COVID period.

During the COVID-19 economic crisis, the government in Sri Lanka prioritized the import of essential medicines, resulting in a shortage of hormones crucial for transgender individuals. This shortage has created difficulties for transgender individuals seeking Gender Recognition Certificates (GRC) under the established system. Furthermore, the post-COVID era has witnessed hormonal imbalances and physical health issues among the transgender community due to the scarcity of hormones.

Consequently, many young LGBTQ+ individuals were caught between quarantine regulations and their family’s economic needs at the beginning of the post-COVID period. This compelled them to temporarily set aside their identities and contribute to their households, often leading to isolation from their community and separation from loved ones.

In conclusion, the challenges brought about by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic underscore the urgent need for proactive measures to support the young LGBTIQ community. Collaborating with other LGBTQ, youth, and human rights organizations is critical for these efforts.

Providing access to counselling services to support young LGBTIQ individuals who have faced family-related challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and continued identity-related issues in the post-COVID period is crucial. We need to devise a program aimed at reducing barriers to accessing essential hormone treatments and improving the access of transgender people to these services. It is imperative to expedite the process of obtaining gender recognition certificates for those who experienced delays during the pandemic and its aftermath. Creating educational opportunities for young LGBTIQ individuals, whose access to education was disrupted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, is essential. Providing guidance and establishing pathways for developing professional skills for those who lost their jobs is equally vital. Similarly, it is important to also improve young people’s access to youth-friendly and sensitive sexual and reproductive health services using innovative methods to address the challenges brought by COVID-19.

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     John Michael is one of the current board members of Youth Voices Count and holds officership positions as President in ALIVE Support Group, member of Network Plus Pilipinas, and YPLHIV United Nation Youth Advisory Board Ph Sector Representative.

     As part of the organizations mentioned, JM advocates in providing safe spaces for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and continuous education on HIV/AIDS awareness to eradicate the stigma and discrimination surrounding it.  

     Atty. Rea proudly introduces herself as a human rights lawyer. She completed her Juris Doctor (JD) degree (Law Degree) from Central Philippine University and recently passed the Philippine Bar Exam.

     At present, she is a part of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) – Panay Chapter where she serves as the Vice Chairperson. They are a group of lawyers who are committed to defend, protect, and promote human rights, especially of the poor and the oppressed. NUPL is an organization established to respond to any form of harassment, intimidation, and human rights violations in the Philippines.

      Dr. Emmanuel D. Dayalo holds a doctorate degree in Education major in Educational Management and is currently an Associate Professor of Capiz State University-Roxas City Main Campus, Roxas City, Capiz. He is the co-adviser of United Colors of CapSU Roxas City Main Campus (UCC) which its organization’s advocacy is for the empowerment and capacitating the LGBTQIA+ students’ right, health programs and other organized activities to have a voice in the University. Presently, he holds the position as the Coordinator of the Student Organization and Activities of the campus.

      He was recognized as the Outstanding Coach/Adviser of the Student Organization and received an award in Research and Extension of the University of Capiz State University, Roxas City Main Campus.

     Heart is currently taking up her undergraduate at West Visayas State University with a Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Social Studies. At her third year in the university, she co-founded the first and only student-led organization towards gender-sensitive, responsive, and progressive aims known as DUAG-WVSU. 

    She is the interim Secretary of Iloilo Pride Team and Chairperson of DUAG-WVSU which are both organizations in the city of Iloilo that have already established their significance in advocating for gender equality. Her contributions to her advocacies have led her to receive awards such as the 2017 Rotary Club of Iloilo City Boys’ and Girls’ Week Celebration (City Administrator) and the Gerry Roxas Leadership Awardee 2018.

      Karon was one of the founding members of the national YKP network in Nepal. In 2016, one child care home (CLHIV and CABA) was supported solely by Karon through fundraising, collaborations with corporations and celebrities. In India, she actively advocated to CCM India, concerned stakeholders, to incorporate YKP and YPLHIV’s agenda during the C19RM country proposal submission process and High Level Meeting. She is a Youth Steering Member of #GenEndIt and the Focal Point for Youth LEAD. SRHR and HIV have been her primary focus areas since 2010, especially for young people on different platforms of Sub-national, National, Regional and Global.

     Aside from being YVC’s Advocacy and Network Engagement Officer, Karon is also currently working on her thesis to complete her Master in Arts of Sociology.

    As the longest serving member of YVC, Brian takes pride in championing for the rights and welfare of LGBTQIA+ youth in the Asia-Pacific region time and time again. Our resident scholar and academician has a master’s degree in Sociology and is a licensed professional teacher in the Philippines. He believes that education helps people to be enlightened about basic human rights that everyone must enjoy and thus explains his interests in working for the academe. He is also an active member of various organizations helping community members of LGBTQIA+ and people living with HIV in the Philippines including being the former OIC-Executive Director of Pinoy Plus Advocacy Pilipinas, Inc.

     Jan is passionate about seeing through the potential contributions of psychological sciences and human rights advocacy in LGBT people’s lives. He is currently Program Associate of ASEAN SOGIE Caucus and is a member of the LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group of the Psychological Association of the Philippines. He has written for various platforms and publications on a diverse range of topics from gender and sexuality to human rights experiences in different contexts. Jan’s desire is to engage in productive and meaningful work that bridges scholarship with practice rooted in people’s real experiences.

Rukshana is a transgender activist and blogger from Nepal who started sharing their personal experiences as a transgender person at the young age of 15. Currently taking up her bachelor of arts in Legislative Law at the Chakrabarti Habi Education Academy–College of Law, Rukshana shares an interest in intersections of language, SOGIESC and law wherein she works around policy changing through legal activism. As of present, she is the Executive Director of Queer Youth Group since October 2020 which is a youth-led network working for the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) rights in Nepal. A devoted advocate for SOGIESC, Rukshana holds officerships in multiple organizations such as Vice President at the Gender and Sexual Minorities Youth Network of National Youth Council, Organizing Committee at the Nepal Pride Parade, Chief Secretary at the LOOM Nepal, Individual Member at Amnesty International Nepal, Focal Person from Nepal at Youth LEAD,, and Board Member of the South Asia Hub, Innovation For Change. She is recognized as a speaker at the opening panel in Women’s Pre-Conference and contributor in the Women’s Manifesto during the ILGA Asia Conference in 2022.

Due to her outstanding contributions to her advocacies, she received the National Volunteering Award by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Government of Nepal in 2020, and Youth Change Maker Award by the United Nations Youth Student Association Nepal in 2018.

     Je-ann is the current Project Finance Officer under the Finance Department. She graduated from the University of San Agustin with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major
in Marketing Management.

       Her involvement in her University’s Little Theater organization led her to find an interest in theater, films and the arts. Aside from theater arts, she also partakes in the company’s production work including stage management and most notably, heading the organization’s marketing team.

     Bloom finished their Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies from the University of Auckland with Second Class/First Division Honors, and their Masters in Education in Adult Learning and Community Development at the University of Toronto. They successfully launched Asia’s first application for queer gig workers, successfully advocated for the inclusion of queer migrant workers for Vertie Southeast Asia’s study about the situation of migrant workers in Thailand during pandemics, and successfully helped Non-binary Thailand partner with queer CSOs overseas especially in the South East Asia region. Currently, they are the consultant of ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, and the Head of the IR Unit for Non-binary Thailand.
 
    They take pride in being a neurodiverse non-binary/trans activist based in Thailand who has been involved in activism and international development for almost five years.

   Adams Phan graduated from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language in 2017. During  his 4 years in the university as the Chairman of the Department’s Student Union, and the Vice President of the University’s Student Association, he took part in planning and implementing many social and cultural activities and events as well as having a former background in coordinating non-profit projects and organizing events. 

    He was granted the “Bridging the Gaps Learning Institute” Scholarship by Aids Fonds in 2017, received a Certificate of Completion of the “MSMIT Regional Training of Trainers” Workshop, and was also awarded a Certificate for Outstanding Achievements in Social Activities by the Vietnamese National Students’ Association. Although graduating from HCMC University of Education, he shares that he has had an abiding passion for social activities and advocacy since his early twenties. 

   He always longs to contribute his youth to help enhance and improve the rights and healthcare services for LGBTIQ+ communities nationally, regionally, and worldwide.

   Fila Magnus graduated as cum laude at Upper Iowa University majoring Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Communications. She served as the Director of Communications for the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP) for over 6 years and is currently working at Mental Fitness Hub. 

   Fila is a member of the For Youth Initiative Kuala Lumpur (FYIKL) and shares that she is committed to ensuring that youth from all walks of life are granted access to knowledge and resources that they require in order to be able to make informed decisions and choices in regards to their autonomy and sexuality. If she’s not advocating for SRHR, refugees, or politics in general, you’ll find her in some part of the globe in search of the faith in humanity that she’s lost along her way.

   Rizky “Ekky” Ashar Murdiono is a graduate student of Computer Science and Information Technology with extensive knowledge in social issues, media, and content development. Back in 2016, he studied a non-degree in Advancing Human Rights at Kennesaw State University.

   He is a Co-Founder of the 2030 Youth Force Network and has practical experience in the United Nations in digital communication. He was also a U-Report Learning Consultant for UNICEF Indonesia from 2021 to 2022, and has been featured on TIME Magazine in their article entitled “Eight Young Leaders on How They Want to Shape the Decade Ahead”. He was also awarded the N-Peace Award in 2016.

Marion graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting Technology which has made her suitable for being the Accounting Associate of Youth Voices Count. She lists watching movies as one of her hobbies that helps her wind down during her leisure time.

      Tashi is the South Asian representative in the Core Working Group. He is affiliated with the Queer Voices of Bhutan.

     She is a graduate of AB Political Science from West Visayas State University (WVSU), in Iloilo City. In her days in college, she was the founding Prime Minister of WVSU Debate Circle, the ROTC Corps Commander and later a Volunteer Instructor in the Air Force Reserve Command. When she ran for the first time in their University Student Council, she was elected number one councilor. Her interest in leadership grew when she joined the 10th National Youth Parliament, organized by the National Youth Commission in 2014, where she later on became the Regional Convener for Western Visayas.

       She then pursued her studies to take up law in San Beda University in Mendiola, Manila. As a law student, she was still active in student organizations: She joined moot court competitions, she served as layout artist in 2 of San Beda Law’s Official Publications: The Barrister and San Beda Law Journal. In her last year in law school, she was the President of San Beda Law Human Rights Advocate (HRA), where she was later conferred Leadership Award by the Association of Law Students of the Philippines (ALSP) and her organization, HRA was awarded top advocacy organization.

      She passed the 2019 Bar Examinations and became a full-fledged lawyer by 2020.

        She worked as Associate of Javier Santiago Torres & Panghulan Law Offices. She now runs her own RLB Law Office as a solo practitioner and serves as Notary Public for and in Quezon City. She serves as legal consultant to MSMEs and Non-profit organizations. At present, she is the Vice President for Communications of the National Society of Parliamentarians, Inc., the Chief Legislative Staff of Councilor Quin Cruz of Pasig City Council and part-time law instructor in Malayan Colleges Laguna – a Mapua School. Interestingly, she is the creator and blogger of The Young Lawyer PH. Recently, she served as Resident Parliamentarian during the Bangsamoro Youth Parliament held last Nov. 7-11, 2022 at Cotabato City.

A lawyer by profession and an artist by heart.

     An advocate at heart, Louela is a part of several youth-led organizations in the Philippines with various advocacies ranging from climate justice, environmental protection, gender equality, human rights, SRHR, mental health prioritization, youth empowerment and HIV/AIDS awareness. She is currently the Interim Chairperson of Iloilo Pride Team after serving the organization for 4 years as the Admin Officer, Executive Secretary at Proyekto Philippines, Member of Team Dugong Bughaw, and more.

     She graduated as Summa Cum Laude at West Visayas State University majoring in English Language Studies and is currently taking up her Masters in English Language Studies at the same institution. During her stay at the university, she served as the Vice Chairperson at the University Student Council and Federated Student Council where she organized programs and initiatives that advocated for student involvement in societal causes and being the voice of the students that lobbies their concerns to the administration.

       In July 2022, she was awarded by JCI Regatta as one of the Top Outstanding Students in Iloilo and a Top Circle Awardee which is the most prestigious recognition given by the award-giving body.

     Ronan passed the Philippines nursing licensure exam in 2022 immediately after graduating his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of San Agustin. While juggling his academics, he was elected governor of his college’s student council (Nursing Student Council) in 2021 and board member in 2019 where he was awarded the leadership award and Agustino para sa Tao award due to his excellence in service. He is also a certified Safety Officer (SO1) after completing his training.

         He is currently a dialysis nurse in training. He handles the Intersex projects of YVC.

      Having done some activism for the Marshall Islands both locally and regionally with climate change, youth empowerment, LGBTQI rights, and nuclear injustice, Nenol takes pride in being an advocate for the causes he is passionate in, being a part of Youth Voices Count and taking a step in amplifying young LGBTQI+ voices. This also inspired him to co-found the first Marshallese LGBTQI Youth Support called Brighten the Rainbow. He is featured in “We Have a Dream” which is a collection of stories from young leaders around the world.

     Tharindi is currently a feminist activist and researcher based in Sri Lanka, and has worked with the Youth Advocacy Network Sri Lanka (YANSL). They are a trainer on advocating for comprehensive sexuality education and providing knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) where they actively advocate for safe abortion and bodily autonomy for women.

     One of Tharindi’s brainchild initiatives is an Instagram page which mainly focuses on the process of reaching out to queer women in Sri Lanka, a platform that helps in providing them visibility and strategy direction on programming through social media and other means.

    They have completed their Bachelors (BA Honors) in English and Linguistics at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.

      Johnmel M. Estimar is the founder and senior adviser of La Villa Pride, a grassroots-level organization for LGBTQI in Villa, Iloilo. They are also a member of the Iloilo Pride team, a Community Based Screening motivator for HIV and an LGBTQI Rights Activist. Miles, as they like to be called, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University-Molo, Inc. They also hold an Associate Degree in Cruise Ship Management in the same University.

     They have ample experience in clerk and accounting work for nine years from their previous employer, they are currently employed with Youth Voices Count as Finance Manager since 2019.

      Mx. Toni graduated with a bachelor’s degree of secondary education majoring in English at the Capiz State University back in 2021. Aside from this, they sought out other educational opportunities such as Advocacy and Project Management at the Women Deliver Digital University (2015), International Women’s Health and Human Rights at Stanford University (2014), and Global Health and Humanitarianism at the University of Manchester (2013).

   An advocate of many causes, they are members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, and Y-PEER Pilipinas, founder of the Y-Cap for SRHR, founder of United Colours of CapSU, and Alumnus of Women Deliver Young Leaders Program. Back in 2018, they were awarded as the SDG 5 Youth Champion due to the amiable service they have rendered for gender equality.

     A learner for life and a seeker of knowledge, Justin graduated his Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science at West Visayas State University, Philippines and took on a Master’s of Arts in Human Rights and Democratisation (International Program) at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Mahidol University, Thailand under the APMA / European Union Scholarship. At present, Justin is pursuing a Juris Doctor (JD) degree (Law Degree) from the College of Law, University of San Agustin, Philippines.

    Justin entered Youth Voices Count, Inc. in 2018 while studying in Thailand. He later took on the role of Executive Director beginning 2019 and successfully set up the legal registration of the organization in the Philippines under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Since then, he has been leading the organization in various programs and projects centered around LGBTIQ children, adolescents, and youth. Outside Youth Voices Count, Inc., Justin is active in other initiatives in the field of research and law. He was a law student fellow of the Legal Education Advancement Program (LEAP) of the Legal Education Board and the UP Law Center in 2022.

    As an aspiring lawyer, he hopes to one day be instrumental in providing legal support for marginalized populations. Justin has also published reports, journal articles, commentaries, and book articles in the fields of law, HIV/AIDS, LGBTIQ, and Human Rights.

        In 2018, he was awarded the Young Achiever HERO Award by APCOM Foundation during the HERO Awards reception at the Royal British Embassy in Thailand for his outstanding work on equality and human rights. He is one of the Youth Council members of the Global Fund, an international financing and partnership organization that aims to “attract, leverage and invest additional resources to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria”, and a Board Member of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia Committee.