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Nepal Wants a Lot of Gay People to Come Visit

by Michael A. Jones October 23, 2009 07:50 AM (PT) Topics: International Gay Rights

Nepal

What's the best way to recover after a Maoist insurgency leaves your economy in shambles? For Nepal, one way is to completely open the country up as a tourist destination for LGBT people throughout the world. The goal is to bring a million foreign tourists to the region over the next two years, and the hope is to have many of those tourists be sexual minorities -- members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population.

Nepal has become one of the more progressive countries in the world toward LGBT rights. Nearly a year ago, the country's Supreme Court ruled that all people in Nepal, regardless of sexual orientation, ought to have the right to get married. They ordered the government to come up with a commission to study same-sex marriage laws around the world, with the intent that based on this research, Nepal would draft its own marriage equality law. That process is churning at a snail's pace, making rush hour traffic on the Los Angeles Freeway seem like a piece of cake. But finally, after several months delay, the government enacted a commission to look at worldwide marriage equality laws earlier this summer.

Sunil Pant, one of the leading LGBT rights organizers and by many regards a father figure of the LGBT rights movement in Nepal, said that if the country could attract at least 10 percent of the global gay community to Nepal, it would drastically help the state's economy. "All the government has to do is welcome LGBT travelers," said Pant.

Pant is also on his way to the United States, where he will be speaking at the 10th annual International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism, held in Boston in early November.

Will Nepal become the next Provincetown? It certainly takes a longer ferry ride to get there. But in a region where many countries still criminalize homosexuality, Nepal is a bright spot. It's becoming a pioneering country for LGBT rights in Southeast Asia.

(Photo courtesy of judepics' photostream on Flickr.)

Vcygcorilljgafh-30x30-cropped Michael Jones

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor.

He is the former Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, as well as the former Director of Communications for Pax Christi USA, a national Catholic peace and justice organization. Mike is a graduate of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and he is also a proud sketch comedy writer.

Comments (6)

  • Reverend Boony
    Oct 23, 2009 @ 09:14AM PT
    Reverend Boony

    Aint it sad and ironic that so many other countries are doing what the u.s. oughta be doing in regards to equality even though the u.s. claims (falsely) to be the land of the free and the home of the brave ?

    I think so...

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    • Paul Hockhousen
      Oct 23, 2009 @ 10:33AM PT
      Paul Hockhousen

      I have to agree.  US promotes itself as "The land of the Free and home of the Brave".

      The free people are generally cowards, and the brave people, who fight for their rights, are resisted every step of the way.

      I guess we are the land of the free and home of the brave, just not at the same time.

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  • Caitlin Schmedlin
    Oct 23, 2009 @ 11:43AM PT
    Caitlin Schmedlin

    I am happy that Nepal is taking a step towards something that, like Thomas said, the U.S. ought to be doing. I always wanted to travel to Nepal and the rest of Southeast Asia at least once in my lifetime because I thinkthat area of the world is beautiful even though some political and economic systems need some work. And now since Nepal is giving the LGBT community the same rights as heterosexuals I have a new reason to go.

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  • Mr. Un Known
    Oct 23, 2009 @ 12:17PM PT
    Mr. Un Known

    I would like to point out that Nepal is a South-Asian country, not South-East Asian. It doesn't look like a big mistake, but it is, from a journalistic perspective (accurate reporting), and it is also geographically wrong. It is as wrong as calling Mexico a North-American country, to give you an example. 

    Having said that, I think it is amazing to see Nepal in a leading role in anything, not to mention addressing LGBT issues. Right on!

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    • Fred Frankenberg
      Oct 23, 2009 @ 01:46PM PT
      Fred Frankenberg

      Uh, according to Wikipedia, Mexico IS a north american country.

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    • Mr. Un Known
      Oct 23, 2009 @ 03:12PM PT
      Mr. Un Known

      Mexico is a Central American/South American country. The part bordering the US is South-North America. I don't think one should use Wikipedia as a reliable source. At any rate, that is a nonissue.

      I am still glad about this news from Nepal.

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    • Mr. Un Known
      Oct 23, 2009 @ 03:13PM PT
      Mr. Un Known

      Regardless, Nepal is still South Asia, not South-East Asia.

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    • Michael Jones
      Oct 23, 2009 @ 03:26PM PT
      Michael Jones

      Yes, for the record, Nepal is South Asia. I said Southeast Asia because in my other job, I've got Burma on the brain! My bad.

      Anyway, kudos Nepal!

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    • Mr. Un Known
      Oct 23, 2009 @ 03:58PM PT
      Mr. Un Known

      What work were you doing for Burma? I am from there. I am interested to find out. I am a Burmese-Nepali.

      You can write to me at davidboy388@hotmail.com if youw ant.

      Thanks.

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  • Fred Frankenberg
    Oct 23, 2009 @ 01:44PM PT
    Fred Frankenberg

    Again (& again & again), points of light around the world are flickering on & illuminating the path to Human Rights. Unfortunately, the USA - former leader of the 'free' world - continues to slumber in the dark. It is an inexcusable shame that we, as a nation, have managed to place and keep too many bigots in our legislative branch that lead with their religious morality (despite a supposed separation of church and state) rather than with ethical integrity.

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  • Edwin Bonilla
    Oct 23, 2009 @ 02:39PM PT
    Edwin Bonilla

    It's good that Nepal is encouraging more LGBT travelers to come to that country. It's unfortunate that the process of recognizing the important right of same-sex marriage in Nepal has been delayed, even with a commission. Right now, there should be a bill which would recognize same-sex marriage in the legislature of Nepal. However, at least that country is more tolerant towards LGBT people than other countries in Asia.

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  • hannah lynch
    Oct 23, 2009 @ 07:55PM PT
    hannah lynch

    This is such great news to the LGBT community! However it is unfortunate that there economy is not profiting as well as it should. I hope this wasn't a last resort thing however.Although its nice they are targeting their tourism industry to they LGBT community. Also, gay rights are not common in most countries in Asia so I'm glad Nepal is "stepping up" on that issue.

    I only wish America could be the same way...

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