Colombo International School Homophobic Bullying Saga: Victimised Student Goes Public – Activists Commend
Special Coverage by Colombo Telegraph Editorial Team –
Saakya Rajawasan, the student at Colombo International School who was subjected to blatantly homophobic bullying. “Saakya has issued a highly informative, diplomatic, dignified and in all senses of the term, an absolutely first-class public statement, said Dr Chamindra Weerawardhana.
Speaking to Colombo Telegraph Dr Weerawardhana said: “This statement, I believe, is a historic statement, made by a young Sri Lankan in public, for the very first time. This letter is an absolute eye-opener to many Sri Lankans stuck in Victorian conservatisms and colonial hangovers of ‘sticking to’ almighty rules. Future generations of non-cisnormative and non-heteronormative Sri Lankans and allies, and every Sri Lankan who stands for the fundamental rights and equality of all Sri Lankans will look up to the name Saakya Rajawasan, and take pride of this groundbreaking young pioneer who stood up, boldly, unbowed and unafraid, for the rights of all Sri Lankans in the SOGIESC spectrum”.
“I believe that the liberal LGBT+ rights organisations and individuals who initially sought to downgrade the entire issue, and ignored Saakya’s plight, will now desperately seek to capitalise upon Saakya, and ‘use’ her story for their advantage. We as intersectional gender justice activists will categorically condemn any such advances from LGBT+ NGOs and liberal LGBT+ leadership aspirants, and will call them out, vehemently”, Dr. Weerawardhana further added.
We publish below the statement issued by Saakya Rajawasan, with her permission, and with the consent of her father:
At the beginning of her statement, Rajawasan notes:
My name is Saakya Rajawasan and I am a final year student at CIS. This is my statement about recent events which lead me to be given demerits, detention and be banned from all extracurricular school activities. I am also being threatened with suspension despite my excellent academic record. Three years ago I left a local school to join CIS. I was very happy because I thought CIS would be a far more progressive environment. [emboldened emphasis ours].
This statement points at a harsh reality in the schooling system of Sri Lanka, where strict conformity to an outdated, colonially-imposed cis-hetero-normativity is expected from ALL pupils. There is a long way to go in changing such dogmatic structures and creating a modern schooling system that is welcoming and inclusive.
Rajawasan then narrates the exact incidents of intolerance, and visibly, homophobia and violent disposition of teachers towards herself, which we quote below in full: At that time I asked for permission to wear trousers instead of the girls’ uniform. I identify as bi-sexual and gender-fluid so wearing trousers is a way of expressing myself. Additionally, wearing trousers instead of a skirt gives me more freedom of movement, and protection from dengue. The school administration told me that changes in the uniform system were unlikely.
It goes without saying that the Colombo International School’s uniform policy is extremely archaic for a cosmopolitan and internationally-oriented school. The school’s attitude negates the reason why Rajawasan wanted to join CIS in the first place – assuming that “CIS would be a far more progressive environment.” This series of incidents has clearly demonstrated that CIS is just as socially conservative and repressive as the rest of the schools in Sri Lanka when it comes to non-cisnormative and non-heteronormative Students.
