“We always give love, and we don’t need to affect or attack any person because we are not like that. The people will realize that the queer community has really nice people. They can explore anything. They can be themselves and love to show themselves. They are really caring people. That’s the thing I hope to say.”  -Sathurshan

“I want everyone to know that even in Sri Lanka there are people like us. We also deserve respect, acknowledge our feelings. We want to be independent, and we want people to know that we are here as well.”  -Krishante

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“People have accept us and with that, I want parents who understand us. We are grown up now, but the next generation is still there and there are lots of queer people among us. They should be able to pursue whatever field that they want to live their lives in. This is what's important to me, that parents should change and understand us, and this is what I also pray for.”  -Harani

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“Even in Sri Lanka, the people need to understand queer family, queer community, then understanding and accepting, then everything will be changed I feel so if a work or study or family things everything can be a change as possible to understand it and accepting. That’s why I have to share here.”  -Nisha

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“Even in Sri Lanka, there are lots of queer people. It does not look like there is also a platform for us. Even if people come out, they limit themselves within a small community or environment. We need to be able to live within every walk of life in order to make it normal. Even when people come out, they often live on their own. Why do we have to do this? Just because we live on our own, does that mean that they are no longer our mother or father or brother? As long as we are with them is how we can create an understanding of the community.”  -Kamalarh

“The more we separate ourselves from them is why they would want to comment about us or make fun of us and so on and so forth. Another thing I want to say is that we do not want anything from y'all. Let us live and we will find a way to exist. You don't have to give or do anything for us. We will live our lives. You don't have to do anything for me to live. I will find a way to live and carry on my life and we just need the space for it.”  -Kamalarh

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“Everyone seems to be comfortable within small circles. If we look at a drop of rain, in there's a drop of rain that will eventually be can become a flood. Everyone in Sri Lanka needs to be able to understand these things. I am struggling for myself to create the space for myself. I want be able to make sure that the next generation has a platform for themselves, next generation within the queer community that has a platform for themselves.”  -Kamalarh

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“So, there's a thing I admire about [Sri Lanka’s queer community]. Any time when we have a community gathering, the happiness that we feel there, the freedom that we feel there, is inexplicable. There are no words to express the feeling of acceptance that you feel there.”  -Roshani

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“When I am being with my queer family and queer friends, I feel so happy and comfortable and safe, because that's the time we can talk more, we can travel somewhere, we can [enjoy] that moment. I feel that is the great, happy moment for me.”  -Theepsika

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“I basically want to be an advocate because past this age, and I don't want other people to go through the hard life that I've been through. I'll always support them, and anytime that they'll feel like they don't have anybody, I want to be there to advocate for them. Now, I've got the guts to be myself, who I feel inside. I want all the other people, transgender people, to feel the same. I will do anything in my power for them to make them have that home that they can be themselves as they are feeling themselves.”  -Sana

“People speak about us without getting to know us and they speak very badly about us without knowing someone, how could even speak for them? Speak about them. They say that we do these things for sex, we do these things for the sake of other people's money. I think we need to secure our rights to live safely and I want this for my country.”  -Amaya

“What I hope for is that one day we would have- the younger generation that they have here, the LGBTQ community, and the people that are outside but here. That it’s important for LGBTQ community to have financial support and a great education support. It's a very slow process, but this is what I want for my community to have. So that they will one day be enough. So that they have freedom and liberty.”  -Sutha

“Speak on our behalf and advocate for us. When I turned 20, that's when I found out about the LGBTQ community at large. That's where I found my freedom and within these groups, I start to flourish.”  -Sivene

“Right now, I have declared that this is my path and this my journey. People still tell me that Sri Lanka is not the place for you. You have to go out of here and live in a different society, in a different country to be able to achieve anything at all. This is also important because I don't know how many people in Karaitivu are currently gay or lesbians. Me, going out of my society, out of my country, and having these things, I will be able to affirm people's identities who are in my city and town.”  -Sivene

“I have to acknowledge the country that has fed me, raised me, and nurtured me, given me so many good qualities. It has given me this education that I have, which is Sri Lanka. Just because we have different gender identities, please, do not harass us. When people do, whether it is in a bus or whether it is by the police, pay attention to these things. We are all one mother's children. Among these children are of different kinds of ethnicities and even among these people, there are many of us. So, please try not to marginalize us. Even if we go somewhere else, we will contribute back to the country. We will help people, the future generation of this country. This is what I want for myself. To parents, I would like to say, please take care of your children, because these are your children. But unfortunately, we can't give much back to you, except our love.”  -Sivene

“The reason why I came here and why I wanted to be part of this is exactly the same reason why I admire this queer community, not just in Sri Lanka but everywhere. It's that we've got something to fight for, and they realize that they need to fight for it. So if everyone has this realization that we have to fight to get that, or at least we have to work together - fighting could be offensive. We have to work to get what we want. So this is what I admire.”  -Andru

“And as generations change, as we move up, it's changed a little bit. Things that we had as taboos are no longer serious taboos. Back at mummy's time, you never ever saw a person tattooed. Now, we've got these. It's no longer a taboo here. So one day, I'm going to be teaching my sons and daughters too. If he ever go and see a white person and ask me, "Why is that person different?" I've got this much heritage to teach him, "They are just the same, just different color." And if he ever sees two people, two gay couples or lesbian couples go in and have children, if he ever asks me why they're different, I would at least have the maturity to tell him that, "No, a family could be this, or this, or this." Basically, there is no definition defining anything. We are all like a very big circle, human. So I would be doing this to my children, and when they grow up, they'll be doing it. And as this generation grows up and up, one day, hopefully, it won't be a thing anymore.”  -Andru