Hundreds March In Nepal Gay Rights Parade

Kathmandu, Nepal (AHN) – Nepal’s prominent gay rights organization Blue Diamond Society (BDS) on Wednesday hosted the Ninth International Gay Parade, popularly known as the Nepal Pride Parade, with hundreds of gay men and women demonstrating their strength on the streets of Kathmandu.

The parade coincides with the country’s oldest Gaijatra festival, the “festival of cows,” a traditional event marked by ridiculing and playing tricks on important people in society.

People from the Newar expat community in the Kathmandu valley celebrated the festival. Hundreds of transgender, gay, lesbians, transvestites and transsexuals gathered from different part of the country and marched in the parade accompanied by live music. Some rode on elephants, cross-dressed in bright colors and wearing heavy face makeup.

Sunil Babu Panta, lawmaker and president of BDS, said the parade brought together more than 1,000 gays from 35 districts of the country.

“This occasion has been chosen as transgender can fulfill their desire of being gay when they appear up in woman’s attire on gaijatra,” said Panta, adding, “Gaijatra is also meant to make a tribute with candle-lit memorial service to those gays who died of HIV/AIDS in the past.”

He also hailed the parade for gaining international support, with the United Kingdom, the United States and an Irish senator supporting the initiative.

In a letter to Panta, the U.S. ambassador to Nepal, Scott H. De Lisi, expressed support for the festival’s aim to end discrimination of any kind, with a focus on ending discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“The United States recognizes the unflagging efforts and courage of advocates and organizations fighting to promotion equality and justice around the world, especially in countries where doing so puts their lives and their families at risk,” De Lisi said. He cited statements made by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in support of gay rights. Paralleling this work at home, the State Department will continue to advance a comprehensive human rights agenda abroad that includes the elimination of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the envoy wrote.

The British ambassador, John Tucknott, and embassy staff joined hands at the street parade in a show of support and solidarity with the sexual and gender minority communities of Nepal, a British Embassy release said. “The UK supports the right of sexual and gender minorities to march together in order to raise awareness of the specific issues that affect them,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, an Irish senator, Dominic Hannigan will serve as an adviser with the Blue Diamond Society (BDS). He will work with the organization in advocating for the rights of Nepal’s LGBT community.

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