Mātara is governed by federal Sri Lanka law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Illegal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- Unknown
- Military
- ✖ Illegal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
Mātara is lacking public opinion data.
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Homosexual activity in Mātara is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1885
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Homosexuality is criminalized in Sri Lanka under Section 365 of the 1883 Penal Code inherited from British colonial rule. "Voluntary carnal intercourse against the order of nature" by both men and women is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Human Rights Watch and Equal Ground have found evidence of these laws continuing to be enforced by police as of 2020.
Sri Lanka is an independent nation, as such, India's 2018 Supreme Court decision to decriminalize same-sex relationships and make a similar law unenforceable does not apply.
Human Rights Watch and Equal Ground have found evidence of these laws continuing to be enforced by police as of 2020.
Sri Lanka is an independent nation, as such, India's 2018 Supreme Court decision to decriminalize same-sex relationships and make a similar law unenforceable does not apply.
Same-sex marriage in Mātara is banned.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1885
Banned
Homosexual activity is not legal in Sri Lanka.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Mātara is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Sri Lanka, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Mātara is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since Jun 16, 2016
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Surgery is not required to legally change your gender in Sri Lanka, however expert testimony/diagnoses is required.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Mātara is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
No recognition of third gender.
LGBT discrimination in Mātara is no protections.
Current status
Since Oct 8, 2014
No protections
The government of Sri Lanka claimed to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on 7–8 October 2014 that they think sexual minorities should be protected under existing generic anti-discrimination laws provided in the Constitution.[22] The government of Sri Lanka stated that such protections were "'implicit'" in the Sri Lankan constitution and that the government has not written a law giving 'explicit' rights yet".
LGBT employment discrimination in Mātara is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No protections available.
LGBT housing discrimination in Mātara is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No protections available.
Same-sex adoption in Mātara is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
In Sri Lanka, single people are not able to adopt children, and same-sex couples are not found eligible to adopt.
Intersex infant surgery in Mātara is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Serving openly in military in Mātara is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
According to Wikipedia.
Blood donations by MSMs in Mātara is banned (indefinite deferral).
Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
On Sri Lanka’s National Blood Transfusion Website, under the donor donation criteria, it says that donaters must be free from “risk behaviors.” On the site, the risk behaviors are listed and homosexuals are included.
Conversion therapy in Mātara is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Some clinics are promoting this. As well homosexuality is currently illegal.
Equal age of consent in Mātara is n/a.
Current status
N/A
Same-sex sexual activity is illegal.
Legal Rights
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This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Mātara to help improve its accuracy.
Top Contributors
- Unknownmiles 7 contributions
- JerofDoorhandle 3 contributions
- danlev 2 contributions
- JordanB3047 2 contributions
- Ro_Guy 2 contributions
- vviet93 1 contribution
- chae 1 contribution
- Samanthos 1 contribution
- Muhammadaji2022 1 contribution
- DerekCaldera 1 contribution
Mātara LGBT Organizations
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Common queries:
- Is it illegal to be gay in Mātara?
- Is homosexuality legal in Mātara?
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