By According to Zee News Channel, nearly hundreds of members of gay community in Nepal hosted a pride parade on Tuesday August 8th, 2017’s evening.
They marched through Kathmandu wearing vibrant costumes and carrying rainbow flags and balloons to demand equal rights in society.
In recent years the gay community had started using the festival to call attention on the time of Hindu festival of Gai Jatra in which they criticized the royal system.
Gai Jatra brought about hundreds of people on the streets to pay tribute to those who passed away under the royal rule in the past year.
Around 1,500 people took part in the parade, paying tribute to members of LGBTI community who died during 2017, including American artist Gilbert Baker who designed rainbow flag – an emblem of the gay community.
President of the Blue Diamond Society, a gay rights organization in Nepal Pinky Gurrang said, “Every year we celebrate a pride festival to show that to be recognized in this society with our different identity, that we are part of this society.”
Kirti Gurrung a 21 year old transgender woman said, “The government has recognized us but should do more. People of third gender like us should be able to come out in the open, society should accept us.”
However, last month a transgender woman and her husband were issued a marriage certificate by a district office, a first in Nepal.
Reporter: Syeda Faiza Bukhari