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
To find out more about the work of National Transgender Network Sri Lanka:
HotLine : +94 76 045 5850
General Line : +94 77 717 3074
Official Email: [email protected]
www.ntnsrilanka.org
