2020 Country Page - Nepal ~ may17.org

Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities, Nepal and Blue Diamond Society is planning to organize virtual panel discussion during the “International day against Homophobia, Trans phobia and Biphobia” in May 17th 2020 under “Make a Noise” campaign of the organization.

Speakers:
Hon’ Min Bahadur Shahi, National Planning Commission
Hon’ Mohna Ansari, NHRC
Ranju Darshana, Leader of Bibekshil Nepali Party
Anuskha Shrestha, Miss World Nepal 2019
Binda Magar, Gender and Inclusion Advisor UNDP
Pinky Gurung, BDS
Manisha Dhakal, FSGMN

Webinar will be at 3:00 P:M onwards.
Through Zoom Application
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/72574545469?pwd=WHIrNWdWSlF4aEJFd0ZlTUlpL010Zz09
#मिति = १७ मे २०२०, आईतबार 17 May 2020
#समय = दिउसो ३ बजेदेखी 3 pm onward
#Meeting_ID: 725 7454 5469
#Password: fsgmn

Nepal celebrates May 17 as International Day Against Queerphobia. May 17 began as International Day Against Homophobia since 2005. However as the celebration grew, it encorporated issues of Biphobia, Transphobia, Intersexphobia, Aphobia, Panphobia, Nbphobia, etc. The term ‘queer’ encompasses all the diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics beyond the social conventional norms of binary and opposite.

Charter of Demands on Legal Recognition of Gender Identity

A charter of demands on legal recognition of gender identity is being drafted since April by various organizations, loose networks, groups and networks led by queer people and are working for queer rights as well as individuals who identify in the queer spectrum, working nationally, regionally and internationally. This document is to be a landmark historical momentum because in Nepal the conversation around gender identity recognition has been limited to ‘third gender’ individuals only. This document will encompass issues of intersex individuals, binary transgender individuals as well as non-binary individuals. There is a collective voice to remove the “Others” gender category and the legal framework around it, because it not just forces non-cisgender people to compulsorily obtain citizenship as “Others” gender, but also mixes up sexual orientation that also obliges non-heterosexual people. The demand is strongly being raised to separate sexual orientation from gender identity and also replace problematic vocabularies such as samalingi, duilingi to samayaunik, duiyaunik inorder to refer homosexual and bisexual people respectively.

On 6 March 2020, for the first time in the country, a woman of trans experience has applied to amend her citizenship that mentions her gender as “Others” to mention it as “Female”. Hundreds of transgender men and women are awaiting the provision to be able to obtain and amend their citizenships to mention their gender identity and not “Others”. Non-binary individuals have also expressed their wish to mention “X” and not an othering vocabulary. The Ministry of Home Affairs already issue citizenships mentioning ‘third gender’ apart from Male, Female and Others.

Exploring many aspects of gender recognition, for the first time in Nepal, this historical document shall be released on May 17. Therefore the theme of May 17 in Nepal this year is “Solidarity For Recognition”.

Webinar

Body & Data, Queer Youth Group, Campaign For Change and Queer Rights Collective are collectively organizing a webinar on “Contemporary queer rights issues in Nepal” to bring in light about what is going on in Nepal right now. The webinar will go around :

1) Transgender Rights, the category of ‘others gender’ and recognition – Rukshana Kapali, Trans rights activist, Queer Youth Group

2) Intersex individuals in Nepal: Positioning within the queer rights movement (Esan Regmi, Intersex Rights Activist, Campaign For Change)

3) Marriage equality beyond heteronormativity, is it a possibility? (Shubha Kayastha, Queer Feminist, Body & Data)

4) Queering Mental Health (Raji Manjari, Mental Health Practitioner)

5) Young queer folks organising and what does it mean (Deepsh, Non-binary Activist, Queer Youth Group)

The ZOOM link of the webinar can be obtained by DMing Body & Data.

Pride Parade

An independent and autonomous pride parade has begun since 2019 and this year it is going online. While it has planned to use Twitter and Instagram as major platforms, the full details shall be released on May 17. The official website of Nepal Pride Parade is : https://nepalprideparade.com/

The social media hashtags for May 17 are :
For all years: क्वयेरद्वेषिताविरुद्ध #IDaQu
For this year : #IDaQu2020 #SolidarityForRecognition #मान्यताका_निम्ति_ऐक्यबद्धता
For the charter of demands on legal recognition of gender identity: #GRcharterNepal

May 17 is celebrated as International Day Against Queerphobia in Nepal. This day we fight against the hatred towards people of diverse queer spectrum. This year’s theme for Nepal is “Solidarity For Recognition”. Various national and international organizations, groups, networks as well as individuals who identify in the queer spectrum and work for rights of queer people are releasing a Charter of Demands on Legal Recognition of Gender Identity. This document marks a historic beginning of a broader movement for gender recognition as it brings forth those voices that have remained unheard in the past : gender identity of intersex individuals, binary transgender men and women who want to tick M and F respectively, and respectful addressing for non-binary individuals.

Meanwhile, some queer individuals and organisation working directly and in the intersection of queer issues (including Body & Data, Queer Youth Group, Queer Rights Collective and Campaign For Change) are organising a webinar.

Time : 1.30 PM to 3.30 PM

Webinar “Contemporary queer rights issues in Nepal”

1. Transgender Rights, the category of ‘others gender’ and recognition – Rukshana Kapali, Trans rights activist, Queer Youth Group

2. Intersex individuals in Nepal: Positioning within the queer rights movement (Esan Regmi, Intersex Rights Activist, Campaign For Change)

3. Marriage equality beyond heteronormativity, is it a possibility? (Shubha Kayastha, Queer Feminist, Body & Data)

4. Queering Mental Health (Raji Manjari, Mental Health Practitioner)

5. Young queer folks organising and what does it mean (Deepsh, Non-binary Activist, Queer Youth Group)Our social media hashtags are : #क्वयेरद्वेषिता_विरुद्ध #मान्यताका_निम्ति_ऐक्यबद्धता #IDaQu #IDaQu2020 #SolidarityForRecognition #GRcharterNepal

Event: Virtual panel discussion with stakeholders
Direction: Virtually via zoom
Date: 17 May
Time: 11 am to 12:30 pm Nepali Time
Info: With the theme “Breaking the silence’ Mitini Nepal is organizing a panel discussion with the stakeholders and community member. Since Mitini is working on a book of the theme IDAHOTB 2020 “Breaking the silence” where we have collected a story of lesbian, Gay, Tans man, Trans women, Intersex, Trans couple and lesbian couple regarding the theme where on this panel discussion our story characters will share their experiences how they feel when they break their silence with their family, friends, society or working place and also we will share the country context why people are still in their closet and what happen after they disclose their orientation & identity. After the situation goes well we will publish our IDAHOTB Book ‘Breaking the silence”.