Providing support for the Maldives
From his new home in New Zealand, Male-born Grant (name substituted) and his boyfriend recently formed the Maldives’ first gay rights lobby and support group.
We decided to found Rainbow Maldives as an online community that would support queer Maldivians and their allies, and help foster a sense of community, while maintaining enough anonymity to protect those who fear persecution or prosecution, Grant said.
Our group seeks to build and consolidate the Maldivian LGBTQ community, and increase queer visibility and awareness, with the eventual aim of making the Maldives a safer, more accepting place. The only platforms previously available online were focused solely on hooking up, so we’d like to move beyond that into slightly more productive areas.
For Grant, the online option was a second choice to a visible presence.
We tried to get to the heart of the queer community in the Maldives, before realising it couldn’t be done -鈥� the community was just too fragmented, too underground. In an Islamic nation with an increasingly radicalised religious community, it can be too dangerous for most people to be out. The Maldives enforces Sharia law, where convicted homosexuals generally serve a prison term, he said.
Pedophilia is also rampant in the Maldives, although until very recently no one really talked about it because there’s a stigma attached to homosexuality. Victims of sexual abuse where the abuser was of the same gender are often reluctant to talk about it for fear of being labelled gay. I was subjected to sexual abuse from age five to 16.
In launching Rainbow Maldives, Grant hopes to capitalise on the current mood for change. In October 2008 the country saw the first-ever multi-party election, ousting Maumoon Abdul Gayoom from the presidency, which he had held since 1978.
During the lead-up to the election a desire for change swept the entire country, with widespread political agitation taking place. After the success of the election, people felt change was within their grasp, Grant told SSO.
The queer reform movement is inextricably linked to the legal reform movement in general. Currently no defendant can be certain whether the case will be decided according to its merits, or according to the whim of the judge. Equality before the law and consistent application of the law are noticeably absent in the Maldives and until this is corrected, any lobbying for sexual rights is likely to be ineffective at best.
Grant is heartened by the recent parliamentary elections where the conservative Adhaalath Party failed to secure any seats, demonstrating that Maldivians are potentially more moderate than previously thought.
Ultimately, Grant believes the first step to overcoming homophobia is education.
Ignorance is rampant in the Maldives. The queer community needs to become more visible, and to educate the population at large about what it means to be queer. We’re trying to create an environment in which such a lobby group could be taken seriously, he said.
We feel even if the nation isn’t ready for change at a statutory level, dispelling gross ignorance will go a long way towards establishing a more positive environment for the queer community.
some people are gay, get over it, betty.
Regardless of what religion you are, homosexuality is still a sin against God. It is abnormal, repulsive, animal like, perverted, immoral. Most people agree with this however we have been forced into a situation where no one is allowed to voice their true feelings about gays. So many gay men that are still able to have sexual relations with women from time to time, I wonder why that is? People becoming gay while in prison then reverting back to a normal relationship with someone of the opposite sex, I wonder why this is?? The anus is for the removal of excrement, sorry if this offends, just stating a fact, marriage is between 2 people of the OPPOSITE sex.
You know the strange thing is that even though that these “strictly religious” and “true to faith” people who claim that they are straight have a very twisted mind… they say they hate LGBT people yet they can sit at home in their bed rooms and jack off to two girls making out porn movie….
Rainbow Maldives you have my full support
hey all … even if you are strongly religious, I think every religion says to love other people and I guess every god goes for the same …
It doesn’t matter what somebody does in the bedroom and with whom, that’s someone’s private life. An individual expression of its own, as religion is.
Next to that, Maldivian society too is in an evolution, just look around, also on the islands … strict religious rules will not change what is happening in real life.
Go for, Rainbow Maldives, all the best with !
Go Rainbow Maldives go
f*ck the hell off a$$holes! leave us alone. we’re muslims and we’re proud of it.
stop quoting the bible. we don’t care about christianity. we’re muslim. take your preaching elsewhere. good day sir.
THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD:
“THOU SHALT NOT LIE WITH MANKIND, AS WITH WOMANKIND: IT IS ABOMINATION.” LEV. 18/22. ALSO, 2 PET. 2/6 AND JUDE 7.
you are my hero! may the day that all homosexuals live in a peaceful life come soon. people need to realize that we are human beings as well.. and god made us this way.
Laany, are you a member of Rainbow Maldives?
Billoori, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Well done.
Rainbow Maldives has my full support.
Every Maldivian has a right to not be harassed because of their sexual orientation. Homosexuality has always been taboo in the Maldives, so its time to reach out and try to address the reasons why. We musnt accept the status quo, we have to try and better ourselves and our community.
Individuals like MaldivianEye and Maldivian_true use religion and culture as a thinly disguised veil for their homophobic views, but we will use reason and empathy to justify our beliefs.
Its not just tolerance that we should seek, but acceptance.
hi all, thanks the article. To all the biggots there definitely ARE Maldivians and Non-Maldivians supporting the LGBTQ community in Maldives, expect more activities and push to seek recognition and rights:) meahnwhile please join the cause (i.e. show us your support @ events and such ) thanks and cheers
Im maldivian and though I am straight, I have many friends who are gay and support them fully. I’d like to show my appreciation for the positive exposure of the rainbow maldives movement that you have shown us. I also want to make it known that it is not only LGBTQ maldivians that support this cause. I am quite ashamed to read what MaldivianEye and maldivian_true have said in response to ur article. Although it definitely serves as a pretty good example of what Grant disclosed about the attitudes of most Maldivians.
I hope WE have the courage to ‘fight back against the devils’. Amen to that.
please do come u are more than welcome to educate us on gay rights . because i m a maldivian and i m gay..yea right.
i want to walk in the streets with my bf hand in hand or what should i say go driving back in his motor cycle, kiss him on public ETc….. i can see maldives at its best,,
Far Out! But if you people are as straight and as religious as you say, why are you then hanging around on a LGBT related news site? Examine your own lives first and stop being such hypocrites!
On the other hand, look at Rainbow Maldives. They know how to be true to themselves. Keep of the good work fellas and keep it real.
Peace out.
Far Out! iF you guys are SO straight and religious, why do you hang out on a LGBT related news site?
Hypocrites!
Keep up the good work Rainbow Maldives. About time there was a community support system.
Far Out! iF you guys are SO straight and religious, why do you hang out on a LGBT related news site?
Hypocrites!
Keep up the good work Rainbow Maldives. About time there was community support system.
FAR OUT! If you guys are SO straight and religious, why do you hang out at a LGBT news site? Hypocrites!
Keep up the good work Rainbow Maldives.
Good for you! The above two commenters have no idea what they are talking about. I think we must go after the drug traffickers and paedophiles (many of who preach Islam). Private lives of individuals is nobodys business. A paradigm shift is taking place in our society we have taken our first step by electing a secular minded President over an Arabic sproutung kleptocrat…..this is a first step. I’m straight but I do have friends who are gay I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavours.
Hello hello….now what? I think this aint gona work. Maldives is Maldives…please leave us alone. I would very much appreciate if you could come up with something where we could see a world free of dirty, evil acts like homosex and lesbo. To me, i will not welcome what you are planning to do. I will fight back to kick anyone out of our community who works against our religion, Islam,Insha Allah! I make dhua for Almighty Allah to give us courage to fight back against the devils. Amen!!
Oh No… Now it’s only thing you cant do or don’t even try to do, cause we ain’t and bend such ridiculous way. Believe me, no one will ever stop your action , only you get corner and late kicked out from Maldives, we only welcome guest but not to spread gay and lesbian rights. Which Totally against our religion and culture.