Nepal Pride

Nepal Pride is the premier pride parade and festival for LGBT residents in Nepal. It was first launched by the Blue Diamond Society, an LGBT rights organization, in 2001, but most participants wore masks to prevent being identified by suspected homophobic people; in addition, the parade was purposefully scheduled to coincide with the Gaijatra festival.[1] All the parades since then have coincided with the Gaijatra festival. The parades end with a candle-light vigil in memories of those who died in the past year, promoting equality for all.

Association with GaiJatra festival

Gaijatra is one of the oldest festival celebrated by the Hindus and Buddhists of Kathmandu Valley. It is celebrated as a day remembering those who have died in the past year. The families and friends of the departed commemorate them in processions through the streets of the ancient Newar towns of Bhaktapur, Patan, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur, Bandipur, Gorkha, Dhulikhel.[2]

During the festival participants wear colourful and dramatic costumes, makeups,and masks and many people cross-dress extravagantly. Over the years the festival came to be associated with political expressions of the people, as on this day people could vent their frustration, in the form of music, dance, through political and social satire. The Blue Diamond society chose the festival for holding pride marches.[3]

2010

On 25 August 2010 the first Gaijatra International Pride Festival was held in Kathmandu. Organised by Blue Diamond Society, it saw the participation of around 2000 participants from various countries such as India, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark and Norway.[4] The march also saw the participation of Irish lawmaker Dominique Hanningan and British Ambassador to Nepal John Tucknott.[5]

The parade was led by Sunil Pant, first openly gay member of the Nepalese Parliament, and called for an end to all discrimination. .[4] Young men and women marched in the gay pride wearing costumes, animal ensembles and masks. The March was in stark contrast from the earlier marches when the participants hid their faces. The March also saw the participation of human rights organisations and politicians.[1]

2011

In August 2011, the annual pride parade took place in the town of Biratnagar in order to increase awareness of sexual rights in rural areas.[6] The same year Nepal became the first country in the world to include a third gender on its federal census.[7]

2012

On 3 August 2012, the 3rd Gaijatra International Pride Festival took place in Lakeside, Pokhara. The festival drew supporters from local people as well as the tourists.[8] The theme of the Gaijatra festival was “Bringing Friends and Families Together for Solidarity towards Equality, Protecting Mountain Eco-systems and Promoting ‘Visit Lumbini Year 2012’ in Nepal.” [9] The parade ended with the candle memorial in the memory of the victims of the Seti River flood.[10]

2013

4th Gai jatra pride festival in Nepal 2013

In 2013, the pride parade took place on 22nd August in Kathmandu. The parade saw a participation from around 1000 people, including gays, lesbians, transgenders and their supporters to demand rights for sexual minorities.[11]

2014

LGBT people and supporters joined a march in Kathmandu on 11th August 2014, to celebrate the fifth annual Gaijatra Pride Festival. People took to the streets demanding legalisation of same-sex marriage in Nepal, and was expected to change by the end of year.[12]

2015

The 6th International Pride Festival of Nepal took place on August 30 in Kathmandu. The theme for the parade was “The constitutions will cement the hopes cracked by the earthquake, Avoid gender-based discrimination while rebuilding the structures”.[13]

The event started from Thamel gateway and ended with cable light remembering the deceased of earthquake at Kumari Temple. One of the staff member of Blue Diamond Society and one transgender, who died during the 2015 Nepal earthquake, were remembered.[13]

2016

Almost a thousand people took part in the 2016 Pride Parade in Kathmandu on August 19. The parade demanded equality for LGBTQ people, as they were discriminated despite constitutional ban on discrimination based on sexuality and implementation of their rights under the country’s constitution. The parade also saw the US Ambassador of Nepal Alaina B Teplitz as one of the supporter.[14]

2017

A month before the 2017 Pride Parade took place on August 8, a transgender women and her husband were issued, by a district office, a marriage certificate.[15]

The 2017 Pride Parade took place in Kathmandu, with people wearing vibrant costumes and carrying rainbow balloons and flags. Around 1500 people took part and paid tribute to members of the LGTB community who had died in 2017, which included the American artist, Gilbert Baker, who designed the rainbow flag that is the emblem of the gay community.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 "Hundreds join Nepal's first gay pride parade". Times of India. Aug 25, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Gaijatra festival being observed today". The Himalayan Times. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  3. ↑ "Why Nepal May Never Call it a Gay Pride March? - Gaylaxy Magazine". www.gaylaxymag.com. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  4. 1 2 "Nepal Holds First Gay Pride Parade". 2010-08-25. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  5. ↑ "Hundreds join Nepal's first gay pride parade". Deccan Herald. 2010-08-25. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-07-24. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
  7. ↑ "What We Can Learn From Nepal's Inclusion of 'Third Gender' on Its 2011 Census". The New Republic. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  8. ↑ "Nepal to Celebrate Pride along with Gai Jatra Festival in August - Gaylaxy Magazine". www.gaylaxymag.com. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  9. ↑ "3rd International Gaijatra - Pride Festival Nepal-2012 | ILGA". ilga.org. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  10. ↑ "Nepal to Celebrate Pride along with Gai Jatra Festival in August - Gaylaxy Magazine". www.gaylaxymag.com. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  11. ↑ "In pictures: Gay pride march in Nepal". The Independent. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  12. ↑ "Nepal Celebrates as Country Verges on Marriage Equality". 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  13. 1 2 "YVC members proudly joined Nepalese LGBT Pride Festival - Youth voice Count". youthvoicescount.org. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  14. ↑ "Hundreds of LGBT supporters gather for Pride parade in Nepal". Global News. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  15. ↑ "Transgender woman, 40, becomes the first in Nepal to marry". Mail Online. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  16. ↑ "Nepal hosts gay pride parade demanding equal rights". https://www.hindustantimes.com/. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2018-06-30. External link in |work= (help)

See also

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