Nepal

I just read this and am swelling with joy!

The Nepali Supreme Court released a decision today granting protections and rights for sexual and gender minorities. The decision comes after four gay rights groups, including the Blue Diamond Society, filed a petition through the court. According to UK Gay News, the decision states:

– In relation to this matter, directive order has been issued to the Government of Nepal to enact new laws and amend all existing discriminatory laws so that all individuals with different sexual orientations and gender identities can exercise equal rights like any other citizens of Nepal.
– A seven-member committee to be formed by the government of Nepal to study the different same sex partnership/marriage bill/act in other countries and recommend the government to make same sex marriage/partnership act. Based on the recommendation of this committee, the government must introduce a same sex partnership/marriage act.
– The decision also addressed “cross dressing saying can’t be taken as “pollution” but should be taken as individual’s freedom of expression.
– All LGBTI must be defined as “natural persons” and their physical growth as well as sexual orientation, gender identity, expression are all part of natural growing process. Thus equal rights, identity and expression must be ensured regardless of their sex at birth.

Sunil Babu Pant, the nation’s only openly gay member of parliament and head of the Blue Diamond Society, celebrated the decision. “Reading this decision my eyes were filled with tears and I felt we are the most proud LGBTI citizens of Nepal in the world,” Pant said. “It is the most beautiful news.”