We have received the following question from one of our website visitors through our Ask your question page.
Question – Are same-sex marriages allowed in Sri Lanka?
Marriage is a legal agreement between two people who are in love and committed to each other. It usually happened between a male and a female. It is the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex, as husband or wife, according to law, religion, custom, or agreement. In some cultures, this may also include same-sex marriage and polygamous marriages. Marriage is not only a tradition but also has a legal background.
Same-sex marriages occur between two males or two females. Explaining the reasons for them to fall in love is not the purpose of writing this article. However, it is happening and we have to accept their needs.
Same-sex marriages are increasingly becoming legal in many countries around the world. This has led to a redefinition of what marriage means and how it is viewed by society as a whole. Traditionally, marriage has been defined as being between a man and a woman but this definition has become more diverse with the legalization of same-sex marriage in many countries such as the United States on June 26th, 2015.
Sri Lanka is a country with a strict cultural and religious background and belief systems. At the moment Same-sex marriages are not legally possible in Sri Lanka. Same-sex relationships are reported in Sri Lanka. However, we can assume that it is not prevalent as in western countries.
Same-sex couples based in Sri Lanka will not be able to marry in Sri Lanka. Their option will be to go to a country where it is legal and get married.
Since Sri Lanka is a tourist destination some of the potential couples may want to come to Sri Lanka for their marriage and honeymoon. Please note that in Sri Lanka the process of marriage registration is complicated and same-sex marriages are not allowed.
Will it be allowed in the future? I am sure that I can safely say “No”. Sri Lanka is a country with great influence from religious leaders. Especially the Buddhist Monks are very sensitive to these types of issues and it will not be possible in Sri Lanka to get approval from the parliament.
Same-sex marriage is legal in many countries around the world. Most countries in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania allow same-sex marriage. Countries, where same-sex marriage is not legal, are mostly in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Sri Lanka is a very good destination for tourists. Hence it will be an ideal destination for your honeymoon period. However, there are no particular designated areas for same-sex couples in Sri Lanka. Further, it will be important not to engage in any intimacy in the public space.
In conclusion, same-sex marriages are not legally allowed in Sri Lanka. Further, it is hard to believe that it will be allowed ever in Sri Lanka considering the influence of all the religious groups.
