Kathmandu, July 9: Sudip Gautam, born as female, wanted to live as a man. To materialise his choice, Sudip from Makawanpur district, who has been advocating for the rights of homosexuals and third gender for two decades, underwent hormone therapy, but recently faced health issues due to the therapy, raising concerns within the SGM community.
Neel Hira Samaj (Blue Diamond Society), a non-governmental organisation advocating for the rights of sexual and gender minorities (SGMs), for which he works for almost two decades, has been promoting gender reassignment and hormone therapy. However, some other SGM organisations, including Mayako Pahichan Nepal (MKPN), have opposed these procedures due to potential health complications.
SGM activists advocating against these treatments claim that BDS uses people like Sudip to support their advocacy for gender reassignment and hormone therapy.
Sudip hides his health issues, possibly fearing dismissal from BDS, they claimed at an orientation on capacity development related to SGM community organised here by the Ministry of Social Development of Bagmati Province.
BDS has identified him as a transman, although he previously identified himself as third gender.
Expressing her concern about the statement of lawmakers, Ranju Jha and Sushila Shrestha, calling for banning hormone clinics, Bhumika Shrestha, a transwoman activist, demanded that SGM members should have the right to undergo these procedures if they choose.
Bhumika herself transitioned from their gender to female through surgery, and has obtained citizenship as female.
In 2069, following a Cabinet decision, the government started issuing citizenship for the SGM community under “other” category.
This year, the District Administration Offices, Rupandehi and Dang, issued citizenship to SGM members under “other” category. Subhash Ale (Zoya) of Rupandehi and Balibhadra Chaudhary of Dang have taken citizenship under “other” category.
Some activists argue that SGM members should not be forced into gender reassignment surgery or hormone therapy to qualify for citizenship under “other” category. There is no law in Nepal that allows those who identify as trans individuals through surgery or therapy to be recognised as SGMs.
However, Bhumika claims that trans individuals also belong to the SGM community.
SGM activists are even calling these procedures illegal and unnatural. Bhumika herself acquired citizenship under “other” category before her gender reassignment surgery.
When questioned about his health, Sudip confirmed past hospitalization but denied current health problems.
SGM members claimed that pressure from Bhumika prevented Sudip from openly discussing the therapy’s side effects. He is alleged to be involved in the embezzlement of funds relating to a hydropower project reportedly under the direction of Bhumika.
Liaison offices in four districts
Gopal Kandel, head of the social development division under the Ministry of Social Development of Bagmati Province, informed that budget has been allocated for the operation of liaison offices dedicated to SGM needs in Lalitpur, Kavre, Dhading and Hetauda.
He acknowledged the role of this community in securing their rights through their representation in the erstwhile Constituent Assembly. “Establishing the BDS 24 years ago was a revolution. This community was represented in the Constituent Assembly, playing a leadership role.”
Sunil Babu Pant, founder of BDS, and Asia’s first openly gay, represented SGMs in the first Constituent Assembly of Nepal.
Pant has played a crucial role in legalising same-sex marriage in Nepal.
On his initiatives, the government registered same-sex marriage of Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey, making Nepal the first country to recognise same-sex marriage in South Asia, and the second one in Asia behind Taiwan.
Basing on this landmark move, other same-sex marriages were registered. However, these marriages were registered in a temporary record until laws relating to SGMs are made, said the government.
The Bagmati provincial government has formulated a separate policy relating to SGMs and it is awaiting authentication, said Kandel.
The ministry is working with BDS for SGM initiatives, and BDS in Sindhuli district has been assigned to launch awareness programmes for the current fiscal year, 2024/25, he said. However, the local government in Sindhuli has not allocated any SGM-focused programmes in the budget.
Some in the event like Manindra Singh Danuwar, who won the title of Mr. Gay Nepal in 2017 and currently works for MKPN, criticised the government for working with only BDS for SGM programmes, neglecting other SGM organisations.
They accused the government of favouring a single organisation, hindering the effectiveness of SGM programmes.
