Nepal’s LGBT-rights organization Blue Diamond Society announced they’ll host the nation’s first-ever LGBT sporting event this September. From the organization’s Web site:
This event and the launch of the program represents a significant moment for Blue Diamond Society and the LGBTI rights movement in Nepal. As noted by regional activists and US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in her human rights day speech last year, Nepal is a regional and international leader on LGBTI rights. An important aspect of Blue Diamond Society’s work over the past eleven years has been partnering with local and international NGOs, INGOs, and programs in Nepal.
This event and the launch of the program represents a significant moment for Blue Diamond Society and the LGBTI rights movement in Nepal. As noted by regional activists and US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in her human rights day speech last year, Nepal is a regional and international leader on LGBTI rights. An important aspect of Blue Diamond Society’s work over the past eleven years has been partnering with local and international NGOs, INGOs, and programs in Nepal.
The aims for organizing this “Blue Diamond National Sport Competition – 2012” are to mainstream LGBTI into the larger society, promote healthy life styles, encourage physical fitness, and promote health mentally and spiritually so that one can serve humanity better.
The event is being referred to as “Nepal’s gay Olympics.” The Gay Games once tried to use that moniker and got slapped with a court case; We’ll see what the IOC does if they try to use that official name.
The mountain nation, nestled between China and India, legalized homosexuality in 2007; The country’s new constitution, set to be released in May, is expected to provide same-sex marriage rights. Sunil Babu Pant (above), the only openly gay parliamentarian in Nepal, is part of the organizing committee. Can’t wait to see how this ground-breaking event progresses.
