Activist have hailed a recent the recent union between Maya Gurung, 35, and Surenda Pandey, 27, as a win for the Asian nation of Nepal as a win for the countries LGBTQ+ community and queer rights internationally.
Coming after the historic Supreme Court interim order to allow same-sex marriages, the newly weds have hailed their union as a “big day” for not just them but for all sexual minorities. With Taiwan being the only other Asian nation to have legalised same-sex marriage, the couple believe their registration will open doors for future generations, noting the fight involved in securing their rights as a queer couple.
Despite being identifying and living as a transgender woman, Ms Gurung is still legally registered as a AMAB (assigned male at birth) and with her cisgender husband, they are registered as a ‘same-sex’ married couple. Despite this, the couple believe this will “open doors” for future extensions of rights in the country, as well as globally.
The couple have been together for over a decade and after getting wed in a temple ceremony 6 years ago, the district courts initially rejected their claims for registration, however after fierce backlash, Hem Haj Kafle, Dordi Rural Municipality’s chief administrative officer, awarded the couple their marriage certification quoting the Supreme Court Order and those of relevant government authorities.
Sunil Babal Pant, a leading Queer activist and founder of the Blue Diamond Society, Nepal’s leading queer rights organisation, called this a victory for sexual and gender minorities after telling the BBC “Now we can register our marriage as to the regular couples. But we still have to do more to get other rights.”. The activist and former lawmaker noted the doors that will open as a result of the win which will now give queer couples the rights to open joint accounts as well as own and transfer property just like other couples, something the newly weds are eager to start.