nepal
The Constitution of Nepal, which was ratified in 2015, took a courageous step by expressly outlawing discrimination amongst individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation.
A marriage between people of the same gender was officially registered in Nepal, making it the first South Asian nation to do so. In the Dordi Rural Municipality in Lamjung district in Western Nepal, this event took place.
It was there that the union between transgender lady Maya Gurung, who is 35 years old, and gay male Surendra Pandey, who is 27 years old, was officially acknowledged.
In Nepal, the legal status of same-sex marriage is progressing.
The Supreme Court of Nepal had already established the precedent by legalizing marriages between people of the same gender in 2007, so creating the groundwork for the most recent momentous move.
Moving forward in time to the 27th of June, 2023, the Supreme Court issued an interim order in response to a writ petition, which temporarily legalized marriages between people of the same gender.
It was a big step forward in the direction of the official acknowledgment of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in Nepal that this interim order established.
A Short-Term Slip-Up
The marriage application of Surendra Pandey and Maya Gurung was denied by the Kathmandu District Court four months ago, despite the fact that the Supreme Court had issued an interim order.
This presented a challenge to the process of same-sex marriage. The decision was based on the fact that there are no particular laws that handle marriages between people of the same gender, which highlights the importance of legislative support.
The resilient nature of Maya and Surendra
These two individuals, Surendra Pandey, a gay male from the Nawalparasi district who is 27 years old, and Maya Gurung, a transgender woman from the Lamjung district who is 35 years old, have shown that they are resilient and committed to their love.
The couple, who had been living together as husband and wife for the past six years, had to overcome the difficulties that society presented to them and seek acceptance from their families before they finally decided to marry in the conventional fashion.
Significance in the History of the Community of Third Gender Individuals
Sanjib Gurung (Pinky), the president of the Blue Diamond Society, which is a group that advocates for the rights and welfare of sexual minorities in Nepal, expressed a great deal of satisfaction at the historic milestone.
During the presentation, Pinky stressed that this accomplishment is not only a significant milestone for Nepal, but also for the entire South Asian region.
The gathering establishes a new standard for the acknowledgment and validation of the third-gender community, so offering hope and inspiration to those individuals who have been deprived of their identities and rights throughout their lives.
By Creating Opportunities for Legal Recognition
This first marriage registration between people of the same gender signifies the beginning of a positive transformation for the community of people who identify as third gender with a wider influence.
There will be the formulation of the necessary laws in order to give automatic and permanent recognition.
Because of this empowerment, a greater number of people within the LGBTQ+ community will be encouraged to seek legal recognition for their romantic partnerships.
