National Transgender Network Sri Lanka launches ‘Pon Naha – Don’t call me names!’ on TDOV

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Ponnaya is a common, colloquial, and crude slang used as a scornful characterisation of same-sex, transgender, and gender diverse persons. It is a word that causes misery.

The video implores everyone to be treated with dignity and respect. 

Transgender and gender diverse persons in Sri Lanka suffer from bullying, harassment, drop out of school, family estrangement, physical violence, homelessness, limited employment opportunities, subjects of fetishisation, mental health issues, exploitation, isolation, and struggle for acceptance. It highlights alarming statistics:

• 64% of transgender and gender diverse persons in Sri Lanka suffer from psychological issues
• 54% of them have experienced feelings of suicide

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To find out more about the work of National Transgender Network Sri Lanka:

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