Page 334 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

University of Ruhuna ISSN: 2706-0063
Matara, Sri Lanka

marginalised populations become more visible and well-known (McMillan &

Morrison, 2006; Sánchez & Magno, 2016). The study's other key result is that
social media gives LGBT+ people a platform to interact with like-minded

others and find support. The study discovered that social media gives LGBT+

people a secure area to create and maintain a sense of community, which can
improve their well-being and social inclusion. This conclusion is in line with

other research that showed how social media may help marginalised
populations by fostering supportive settings (Kavadias & Lerman, 2019; Rai,

2018).

The research did note, however, the difficulties and dangers of promoting

LGBT+ identities in Sri Lanka using social media. According to the survey,
LGBT+ people are at risk for mental health problems, are exposed to hate

speech and negative comments, and are in fear of being recognised and
subjected to discrimination. These results underline the requirement for laws

and other measures to address the difficulties and dangers of utilising social

media to promote LGBT+ identities in Sri Lanka. For instance, adopting anti-
discrimination laws and programmers, offering mental health care for LGBT+

people, and establishing safe spaces and friendly settings for LGBT+ people

on social media platforms. In a nutshell, this study offers a thorough
knowledge of how social media in Sri Lanka promotes the identification of

homosexuality. The results of this study have important policy and practice
ramifications because they emphasise how crucial it is to provide LGBT+

people in Sri Lanka with safe spaces and welcoming surroundings. By
exploring how LGBT+ people use social media to express their identities and
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