Pride Parades in Nepal
There are many parades for LGBTI residents in Nepal. Blue Diamond Society, an LGBT rights organization, in 2010 organized Gai Jatra Gay March, with most participants on masks to prevent being identified by suspected homophobic people. In recent years, many pride parades in different times of the years have been organized. Due to criticism of Blue Diamond Society for organizing pride parade in Gaijatra festival many organizations deviated into new rallies[1] All the parades by Blue Diamond Society 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. However, Pride Parades in Nepal has been led by different organizations in different dates of the year.
Nepal Pride Parade
Nepal Queer MOGAI Pride Parade has been organized in Kathmandu on 29 June. The June 29 has been declared as Nepal's Pride March Day. The Pride March was organized by Queer Youth Group in collaboration with Queer Rights Collective. This Pride March got to be known as first ever pride march in Nepal. While many other LGBT marches existed around the year, this has become the first pride march celebrated on pride month.[2] [3]
Mitini Nepal
Mitini Nepal began in 2005 and is an NGO working on lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women's rights and to guarantee the human rights, labour rights and sexual rights of LBT women.[4] Mitini Nepal organized Pride Parade along One Billion Rising on 14 Feb 2019.
Queer Womxn Pride
A Queer / MOGAI / LBTI women Pride was organized in 2019 by Queer Youth Group to voice women from diverse sexual orientations and inclusion of women who were assigned intersex at birth as well as transgender women. The term 'womxn' was used instead of ‘woman’ the rally in order to claim a language where ‘man’ does not become the central or by default gender.
A queer tree was also marked on the event.
Blue Diamond Society
Blue Diamond Society organizes an LGBT March on a Newar festival Gai Jatra(Saa Paaru), they don't call this as a Pride March. Technically being a pride march, Blue Diamond Society has actually been celebrating the festival of crossdressing. Blue Diamond Society organizes brings LGBT people to dance on the streets during this festival. Unlike other Pride March in Nepal, it isn't seen as a political movement, but a celebration of existing festival. [5]
Gallery
Mitini Gallery
Mitini Nepal initiated LGBTI Pride Parade in Kathmandu on 14th February 2019.
Queer Womxn Gallery
Queer Youth Group initiated Queer Womxn Pride at International Women's Day rally in Kathmandu, 2019.
- The Queer Tree of Kathmandu
Indigenous Pride gallery
Queer Youth Group initiated Queer Indigenous Pride March, August 9, 2019.
References
- "Hundreds join Nepal's first gay pride parade". Times of India. Aug 25, 2010.
- "Nepal hosts first- ever pride parade marking pride month". The Republica My City.
- "Nepal's Pride Parade". Nepal Queer MOGAI Pride Parade.
- "Mitini Nepal". www.womankind.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-06-15.
- "Why Nepal may never call it a Gay Pride March?". Medium.
See also
- LGBT rights in Nepal
- Blue Diamond Society
- National LGBTI Day (Nepal)