Nepal becomes first Asian country to register queer marriages
Nepal has become the first South Asian country to register a same-sex marriage, following a Supreme Court order that removed barriers to such unions. On Wednesday, Ram Bahadur (Maya) Gurung (36), who was born male but identifies as female, and Surendra Pandey (26), who identifies as male, registered their marriage. The legal recognition of their union comes five years after they tied the knot in a temple. Nepal is the second Asian country to legally recognize LGBTQ+ marriages after Taiwan.
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Nepal has grown more progressive since the end of the Maoist insurgency in 2006. "Like us, all others in our community are happy too," Pandey said. In comparison, India's Supreme Court on October 17 ruled against legally recognizing same-sex marriages, highlighting that the onus to amend the Special Marriage Act of 1954 was on Parliament. It also directed the Centre to set up a committee to decide on the rights and entitlements of queer persons in India
Nepali Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in June
The couple has been together for nine years and initially married in 2018, but they couldn't obtain a marriage registration certificate until the recent Supreme Court decision. In a historic verdict on June 27, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered the government to legally register LGBTQ+ marriages. Following this, Hem Raj Kafle, chief administrative officer of the Dordi rural municipality, confirmed that they had issued the marriage registration certificate to the couple in consideration.
Gender rights activist hails historic development
Sunil Babu Pant, founder of Nepal's leading gay rights organization, Blue Diamond Society, and former lawmaker, celebrated the marriage registration as a historic moment. He stated that it was a victory for sexual and gender minorities who have been fighting for equal rights and recognition of their marriages. Pant said, "It is historic," adding that it would enable couples to "jointly open bank accounts and own and transfer property like just any other couple."
Pandey and Gurung married in 2018
Talking about their unique love story, Gurung said that they had met in a restaurant and immediately liked each other, and after a couple of weeks of courtship, they moved in together. They revealed that they got married in a temple in 2018, but their marriage wasn't recognized until Wednesday. Per Kathmandu Post, Maya is also the president of a social organization that works for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. The non-government organization is called 'Maya ko Pahichan Nepal.'
