LGBTQ+ couples, activists rally in Nepal's capital during Pride parade

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Hundreds of LGBTQ+ people and their supporters rallied in Nepal's capital Tuesday during the annual Pride parade, the first since gay couples were able to register same-sex marriages officially in the Himalayan nation.


The event brought together the sexual minority community and its supporters in Kathmandu during the Gai Jatra festival. A government minister, diplomats and officials participated in the rally, which began at the city's tourist hub and went around its main streets.


"Gai Jatra festival is a festival that is a long tradition that has been carried for years, and we all are here to help preserve and continue the tradition, and as a sexual minority are doing our part to save the tradition. We also celebrate the day as a Pride parade," said Bhumika Shrestha, a gay rights activist who was at the parade.


The Gai Jatra festival is celebrated to remember family members who have passed away during the year but has long had colorful parades that brought in sexual minorities.


After years of struggle, gay couples were able to register same-sex marriages for the first time in November 2023 following a Supreme Court order. Rights activists had long sought to amend laws and end provisions that limited marriage to heterosexual couples.


Nepal has undergone a transformation since a court decision in 2007 asked the government to make changes in favor of LGBTQ+ people. People who do not identify as female or male are now able to choose "third gender" on their passports and other government documents. The 2015 constitution also states that there can be no discrimination based on sexual orientation.