Bhakti Shah(March 2011)

In an interview recorded on March 16, 2011, at Wellington Town Hall, Bhakti Shah from Nepal discusses attending a human rights conference and the significant progress made in LGBTQ+ rights in Nepal, particularly through the work of the Blue Diamond Society. The organization, formed in 2001, champions the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex individuals across Nepal and has empowered more than 350,000 people to stand up against injustices and discrimination.

Before the inception of the Blue Diamond Society and the landmark 2007 Supreme Court decision, LGBTQ+ individuals faced intense discrimination, were derogated publicly, and were without legal protections. The Supreme Court's directive in 2007, prompted by a petition from the Blue Diamond Society, represented a turning point, mandating the recognition of third-gender citizens as equals and instructing the government to amend discriminatory laws and draft potential same-sex marriage legislation.

The societal response varied initially, with some concerns that recognition of third-gender rights would promote negative behaviors. However, education and counseling from the Blue Diamond Society led to a gradual improvement in the public's attitude toward LGBTQ+ communities. Previously commonplace public harassment has diminished, and a sense of pride and recognition among the marginalized groups has grown.

Bhakti Shah expressed the ongoing struggle for the equal right to live and to have relationships legally recognized, paralleling the freedoms enjoyed by heterosexual couples. The goal is for LGBTQ+ individuals to live openly with full familial recognition and to achieve equality in all aspects of society.

With the backdrop of the human rights conference, Shah shares aspirations to continue learning, meeting new people, and deciding what knowledge and experiences to bring back to Nepal. Looking forward to a future where LGBTQ+ rights are assured globally, Shah hopes that in 30 years, people will look back at the recording and appreciate the hard-won struggles for equality, understanding the depth of the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, including third genders from Nepal.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Bhakti Shah

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