Nepal has elected Bhumika Shrestha as its first ever Trans lawmaker into office. The Nepal Election Commission recently confirmed Shrestha as a new member of Parliament. LGBTQ Nation reports she will take one of 182 seats in the country’s House of Representatives secured by centrist party Rastriya Swatantra. “Our constitution has provisions for our community, but they have not translated to laws and policies. Our community expects me to raise our issues,” Shrestha said.
Shrestha is a 37-year-old activist and actress who has been leading Nepal’s LGBTQ+ rights movement in recent years, working with local rights groups including Blue Diamond Society (BDS). She also helped establish a third gender category on official documents, after which she became the first Nepali citizen to travel with updated documents. After her win, she was celebrated at the BDS office in Kathmandu, receiving gifts and flowers. Her many professional accolades include a spot on Apolitical’s list of “Most Influential People in Global Policy” and a 2022 Women of Courage Award from the U.S. Department of State.
According to Equaldex, Nepal policy generally supports LGBTQ+ rights, but official recognition is still irresolute. The Human Rights Watch indicates Nepal officially recognized same-sex marriages between citizens in 2023, however, the country has seen “inconsistent bureaucracy” in court cases and the federal government that have made it “virtually impossible for most queer couples to marry.”
The country also doesn’t offer LGBTQ+ residents protection from discrimination in housing, hate crimes, and employment. Additionally, conversion therapy and intersex infant surgery are both still legal. In total Nepal’s House of Representatives holds 275 members and Shrestha will be the first LGBTQ+ person to hold public office in Nepal since 2008.
Last year, Nepal’s government faced a slew of anti-corruption protests led by Gen Z, which put the country’s first female prime minister, Balendra Shah, in office.
