The inaugural international conference on LGBTIQ tourism took place in Nepal on Saturday. A portion of the multibillion dollar pink industry is what it seeks after last November’s astounding success of the first legally acknowledged same-sex marriage.”Ignore Nepal’s prejudiced past. Nowadays, our goal is to create societies that are more equal and just. Let there be equal economic opportunities for lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer people (LGBTIQ),” declared Sunil Babu Pant, the first openly gay former politician in Asia, during his speech at the Kathmandu conference.
Just a few years back, police beating gay and transgender individuals in the streets used to be a common sight.“After fighting legal battles for nearly two decades, the law and the society have accepted the LGBTIQ community. Now we are in the second phase—we need equal economic opportunities. For this we need to bring LGBTIQ tourists from the global market.” The conference was announced following the successful marriage registration of Surendra Pandey and Maya Gurung, the first same-sex couple to get legally recognised in Nepal, on November 29, 2023, after a years-long legal wrangling.
This interim arrangement remains valid until the legal provisions are made.Their legally recognised same-sex marriage is the first of its kind in South Asia and marks a milestone for LGBTIQ rights.“It is a privilege to stand before you and reflect on a pivotal moment in my career, one that underscores the importance of justice, equality, and the pursuit of human rights,” said Supreme Court Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal, who in 2007 as a lawyer argued in favour of laws guaranteeing full rights of LGBTIQ people and in defining gender minorities as “natural persons” under the law. They had the right to marry, he argued.
Eventually, in December 2007, the court issued a historic verdict ensuring the rights of the community.The verdict reads: “No one has the right to question how two adults perform sexual intercourse and whether this intercourse is natural or unnatural and that … the way the right to privacy is secured to two heterosexual individuals in sexual intercourse, it is equally secured to the people of third gender who have a different gender identity and sexual orientation.”
“In 2007, I found myself entrusted with a case… by Sunil Babu Pant that would leave an indelible mark on my journey. At the helm of Blue Diamond Society, Sunil brought forth a case that demanded not just representation, but a profound understanding of the struggle faced by the LGBTIQ community,” said Phuyal.“Admittedly, my initial knowledge was limited on the issue, but through dedicated learning and unwavering commitment, I found the confidence to evoke it, and here we have it. The outcome, a resounding decision of the Supreme Court, stands as a backbone of hope and progress not only for Nepal but the world at large.“We recognise that the civil and political rights are fundamental, but so are economic, social and cultural rights.”
He said that “rainbow tourism” not only promises economic growth but presents an opportunity to foster inclusion and empowerment in the LGBTIQ community. “By integrating them into the national economy, we not only create employment opportunities but also contribute to the overall prosperity of our nation.”He stressed that the decision made by Nepal’s Supreme Court is a precedent for other countries, including the neighbours.Diane Anderson-Minshall, CEO and chief storyteller of GO Magazine, in her presentation titled ‘LGBTI Tourism Global Overview and its Contribution to the Economy’, said that LGBTIQ or pink tourism are the segments of travellers that have a lot of wealth and purchasing power.
Source: Here
