Hundreds turn out for Pride festival in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu
Hundreds of people have gathered together for Nepal Pride parade. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
Hundreds of people have taken part in a Pride festival in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.
The annual parade, on Tuesday (20 August), was the first since gay couples have been able to legally register same-sex marriages, with a lesbian couple making history in February by becoming the first to have their marriages recognised by the government.
Crowds paraded through the capital to mark equal rights and to remember those who couldn’t join them – the date coincided with the festival of Gai Jatra, which celebrates those who have died in the past year.
Bhumika Shrestha, a gay rights activist and actress, said: “Gai Jatra festival is a festival that [has a long tradition, 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,” VOA News reported.
“We also celebrate the day as a Pride parade.”
Nepal is the second Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage, following Taiwan, whose parliament passed a law to legalise equality in 2019.
Thailand looks set become the third after its lower house passed a bill which gives legal recognition to same-sex marriage.
In June, the country’s senate passed a final reading of the bill. It now requires royal endorsement from King Vajiralongkorn before becoming law.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
How did this story make you feel?
