Sexual minorities in Sri Lanka have been counted in recent times as consisting of as little as 0.035% of the population to as high as 19.6%. It is likely that there are around 1,100,000 according to current mapping conventions.[1]
Article 365 of the Sri Lankan Penal Code, which criminalizes same-sex sexual acts remains on the books, though the law has not been enforced in recent times, and the Supreme Court has said it would not impose penalties over consensual homosexual sex.[2] Premnath C. Dolawatte submitted a Private Member Bill to Parliament on the 23rd August 2022 aiming to repeal the colonial-era law banning homosexual sex, to which the current President of Sri Lanka said "we are for it" and his government would not oppose the private members bill, but that "you have to get the support of individual members [for the bill to pass in parliament]."[3] It was later reported by media that the law is likely to be repealed in 2023 due to the cause gaining widespread consensus among said individual members of parliament.[4]
Sri Lanka has also been voted the top emerging travel destination in Asia by the gay-friendly travel website Travel Lemming, and several native companies and establishments offer tours and services to homosexuals.[5]