The Centre for Media and Information Literacy
Among several marginalized groups living in Sri Lanka, the transgender community receive minimal attention particularly in the public sector. This community live hidden from the eyes of public and the authorities alike due to fear of their changed identities revealed, discrimination and mostly the social stigma associated with the LGBT+ community. This alsooften excludes them from many tables of decision making and governance depriving them of their basic human rights. For so long their voice was never heard in mainstream media platforms, until the MediaCorps Watch team, pledging to give voice to the voiceless took the responsibility in their shoulder to investigate the issues faced by the transgender community at this crucial time when the country is getting ready for a General Election amidst the chaos of a global pandemic.
On July 17, as a part MediaCorps Watch- news magazine program jointly produced by Centre for Media Information and Literacy (CMIL) and Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum (SDJF) and disseminated through social media Mr. WaradasThyagarajah, a Senior Lecturer of University of Colombo and a Social Activist on the rights of the LGBT+ community joined in conversation with MediaCorps Journalist Nirasha Piyawadani.
During the discussion Mr. Waradas highlighted issues faced by transgender community in casting their vote. At a time, the General Election, his thoughts caught attention of many. Until he pointed it out that “Many from the transgender community avoid going to the polling stations because of their changed identities. In the mandatory identification check done before casting vote, the polling officers find that the voter’s appearance does not match the identity mentioned in their National Identity Card and start questioning them. The transgender person is then obliged to explain their gender status and their transformation to the officer in front of many other strangers which is a harrowing story they would like to forget and avoid”. Many did not know this dilemma.
He also added that transgender community is often subject to embarrassing experiences and discrimination as a result of this at polling stations and they mostly opt to not cast their vote despite it being one of the most significant of their rights as any other citizen.
Subsequently, Nirasha had gone to Election Commission on July 19 for a Facebook Live discussion with Mr. SreenYapaBoralessa, an Assistant Election Commissioner. Surprisingly, the Assistant Commissioner has told Nirasha that he was not aware of the issues faced by the Transgender community until its being highlighted by the MediaCorps Watch program. On the same moment, Nirasha connected him with Waradas over the WhatsApp, then he was out of Sri Lanka.
During the discussion, Mr. Waradas further elaborated kind of discrimination, embarrassment and unpleasant treatment faced by the transgenders when attempting to cast their votes.
Having listened to Mr. Waradas, the Assistant Commissioner invited a representation from the transgender community to visit the Election Commission in person with a written proposal that captures their challenges and their suggestions and recommendations to enable them a safe and secure voting environment.
On July 26 morning, accepting the invitation of the Assistant Election Commissioner, a representation from the transgender community visited the Election Commission with their proposals. The Commission had given them a brief time slot of 15 minutes amidst their busy schedule, to hand over the document. Coincidentally, the Chairperson of the Election Commission met the group and was curious to know more about their issues since he himself was not familiar with the LGBTIQ community.
Eventually, 15 minutes hand-over meeting with the Assistant Commissioner became a one-hour discussion with Mr. Mahinda Deshapriya, the Chairperson of the Election Commission, Prof. RathnajeevanHoole, Member of the Election Commission and Mr. SreenYapaBoralessa, the Assistant Election Commissioner. Representing the transgender community, Mr. Visakesa Chandrasekaran, Senior Lecturer Faculty of Law, University of Colombo and Social Activist on the rights of the LGBTIQ, Mr. ThenuRanketh, VenasaTrangender Network spoke about the issues concerning the gender identity and place of residence and several other issues when casting vote. The Commission attentively listened and were keen to provide immediate solutions.
As a result of a very production discussion, the Election Commission came up with the following progressive solution.
This was the first time in the history of the Election Commission that such progressive measures were taken on behalf of the transgender community, a community that is subject to discrimination and exclusion regularly. “People who identify themselves as transgender should be able to vote without any obstacle. The Election Commission will not allow anyone to discriminate any individual based on their gender identity.”, assured the Chairperson of the Election Commission. “We were introduced to the Election Commission through the MediaCorps Watch Program. I think this is an excellent example of how media can be used for community development”, said Mr. Visakesa Chandrasekaran following the successful discussion with the Election Commission.
NirashaPiyawadani, the investigative reporter and MediaCorps Fellow who was the journalist behind this story also shared her thoughts. “Not only as a female reporter but also living in a conventional society, doing a story of this kind is challenging. But I like to take up challenges and that is why I often do investigative reporting. I believe that offers an opportunity to assess the capacity and resilience of a journalist”. She also added that more often journalists tend to just report an issue without advocating for or following it up. “There is no point in just reporting about an issue without looking for a solution. That is why I continued my investigation until we could get a lasting solution to this issue concerning the transgender community. Today my hard work has paid of with the Election Commission’s progressive decision to ensure the voting rights of the transgender community which is a massive success. This is the most gratifying moment in my life as a journalist. There is no greater satisfaction for a journalist than to create a positive change on the society through impactful reporting”, says Nirasha.
Upon the success of this discussion the Election Commissioner also invited the MediaCorps Watch Team to do another investigative report on the issues faced by the differently abled community as another marginalized community facing numerous challenges when casting their vote. MediaCorps Watch Team pledges to hunt for more such stories of the voiceless and to bring them to the attention of the relevant authorities to ensure that citizens of all identities, ethnic gender or otherwise are included in development, governance and policy making.
More on the story
MediaCorps Watch enables the transgender community to secure right to vote without inconvenience (Facebook Video Story): LINK
YouTube link for the same story: LINK
Live Discussion with Assistant commissioner of election, SreenYapaBorelessa: LINK
Live Discussion with WaradasThyagaraja, Senior Lecturer, University of Colombo/Social activist on LGBTIQ rights: LINK
Among several marginalized groups living in Sri Lanka, the transgender community receive minimal attention particularly in the public sector. This community live hidden from the eyes of public and the authorities alike due to fear of their changed identities revealed, discrimination and mostly the social stigma associated with the LGBT+ community. This alsooften excludes them from many tables of decision making and governance depriving them of their basic human rights. For so long their voice was never heard in mainstream media platforms, until the MediaCorps Watch team, pledging to give voice to the voiceless took the responsibility in their shoulder to investigate the issues faced by the transgender community at this crucial time when the country is getting ready for a General Election amidst the chaos of a global pandemic.
On July 17, as a part MediaCorps Watch- news magazine program jointly produced by Centre for Media Information and Literacy (CMIL) and Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum (SDJF) and disseminated through social media Mr. WaradasThyagarajah, a Senior Lecturer of University of Colombo and a Social Activist on the rights of the LGBT+ community joined in conversation with MediaCorps Journalist Nirasha Piyawadani.
During the discussion Mr. Waradas highlighted issues faced by transgender community in casting their vote. At a time, the General Election, his thoughts caught attention of many. Until he pointed it out that “Many from the transgender community avoid going to the polling stations because of their changed identities. In the mandatory identification check done before casting vote, the polling officers find that the voter’s appearance does not match the identity mentioned in their National Identity Card and start questioning them. The transgender person is then obliged to explain their gender status and their transformation to the officer in front of many other strangers which is a harrowing story they would like to forget and avoid”. Many did not know this dilemma.
He also added that transgender community is often subject to embarrassing experiences and discrimination as a result of this at polling stations and they mostly opt to not cast their vote despite it being one of the most significant of their rights as any other citizen.
Subsequently, Nirasha had gone to Election Commission on July 19 for a Facebook Live discussion with Mr. SreenYapaBoralessa, an Assistant Election Commissioner. Surprisingly, the Assistant Commissioner has told Nirasha that he was not aware of the issues faced by the Transgender community until its being highlighted by the MediaCorps Watch program. On the same moment, Nirasha connected him with Waradas over the WhatsApp, then he was out of Sri Lanka.
During the discussion, Mr. Waradas further elaborated kind of discrimination, embarrassment and unpleasant treatment faced by the transgenders when attempting to cast their votes.
Having listened to Mr. Waradas, the Assistant Commissioner invited a representation from the transgender community to visit the Election Commission in person with a written proposal that captures their challenges and their suggestions and recommendations to enable them a safe and secure voting environment.
On July 26 morning, accepting the invitation of the Assistant Election Commissioner, a representation from the transgender community visited the Election Commission with their proposals. The Commission had given them a brief time slot of 15 minutes amidst their busy schedule, to hand over the document. Coincidentally, the Chairperson of the Election Commission met the group and was curious to know more about their issues since he himself was not familiar with the LGBTIQ community.
Eventually, 15 minutes hand-over meeting with the Assistant Commissioner became a one-hour discussion with Mr. Mahinda Deshapriya, the Chairperson of the Election Commission, Prof. RathnajeevanHoole, Member of the Election Commission and Mr. SreenYapaBoralessa, the Assistant Election Commissioner. Representing the transgender community, Mr. Visakesa Chandrasekaran, Senior Lecturer Faculty of Law, University of Colombo and Social Activist on the rights of the LGBTIQ, Mr. ThenuRanketh, VenasaTrangender Network spoke about the issues concerning the gender identity and place of residence and several other issues when casting vote. The Commission attentively listened and were keen to provide immediate solutions.
As a result of a very production discussion, the Election Commission came up with the following progressive solution.
This was the first time in the history of the Election Commission that such progressive measures were taken on behalf of the transgender community, a community that is subject to discrimination and exclusion regularly. “People who identify themselves as transgender should be able to vote without any obstacle. The Election Commission will not allow anyone to discriminate any individual based on their gender identity.”, assured the Chairperson of the Election Commission. “We were introduced to the Election Commission through the MediaCorps Watch Program. I think this is an excellent example of how media can be used for community development”, said Mr. Visakesa Chandrasekaran following the successful discussion with the Election Commission.
NirashaPiyawadani, the investigative reporter and MediaCorps Fellow who was the journalist behind this story also shared her thoughts. “Not only as a female reporter but also living in a conventional society, doing a story of this kind is challenging. But I like to take up challenges and that is why I often do investigative reporting. I believe that offers an opportunity to assess the capacity and resilience of a journalist”. She also added that more often journalists tend to just report an issue without advocating for or following it up. “There is no point in just reporting about an issue without looking for a solution. That is why I continued my investigation until we could get a lasting solution to this issue concerning the transgender community. Today my hard work has paid of with the Election Commission’s progressive decision to ensure the voting rights of the transgender community which is a massive success. This is the most gratifying moment in my life as a journalist. There is no greater satisfaction for a journalist than to create a positive change on the society through impactful reporting”, says Nirasha.
Upon the success of this discussion the Election Commissioner also invited the MediaCorps Watch Team to do another investigative report on the issues faced by the differently abled community as another marginalized community facing numerous challenges when casting their vote. MediaCorps Watch Team pledges to hunt for more such stories of the voiceless and to bring them to the attention of the relevant authorities to ensure that citizens of all identities, ethnic gender or otherwise are included in development, governance and policy making.
More on the story
MediaCorps Watch enables the transgender community to secure right to vote without inconvenience (Facebook Video Story): LINK
YouTube link for the same story: LINK
Live Discussion with Assistant commissioner of election, SreenYapaBorelessa: LINK
Live Discussion with WaradasThyagaraja, Senior Lecturer, University of Colombo/Social activist on LGBTIQ rights: LINK
