Nepal has officially documented its first same-sex marriage, occurring five months after the Supreme Court legalized such unions. According to PTI, Maya Gurung, a 35-year-old trans woman, and Surendra Pandey, a 27-year-old gay man, legally tied the knot in Dordi Rural Municipality, Western Nepal. Sanjib Gurung (Pinky), the president of Blue Diamond Society an organization advocating for the rights of sexual minorities in Nepal confirmed the event.
This landmark development established Nepal as the first South Asian country to formally recognize and register a same-sex marriage following the Supreme Court’s decision. In 2007, the court had initially granted permission for same-sex marriage, a stance reinforced by the 2015 constitution, which explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
However, on June 27, 2023, the Supreme Court, prompted by a writ petition led by individuals like Gurung, issued an interim order to officially legalize same-sex marriage. Despite this progressive decision, the Kathmandu District Court rejected the move four months ago, citing the absence of necessary legal frameworks. PTI reported that Surendra Pandey and Maya’s marriage application was rejected at that time.
Pinky expressed joy at the news, stating, “It’s a great pleasure to learn about this, it is a great achievement for us, the third-gender community of Nepal. This is the first case not only in Nepal but also in the whole of South Asia, and we welcome the decision”.
Surendra and Maya, who have been living as a married couple for six years, entered into a traditional marriage with the consent of their families. Pinky believes that this historic step will help other third-gender couples in Nepal secure legal recognition for their marriages.
“Now their marriage has been temporarily registered, and after the formulation of necessary laws, it will get permanent recognition automatically”, Pinky added.
Maya, speaking to PTI after the ceremony, expressed gratitude, saying, “We both, Surendra and I, are here at Dordi in Lamjung to celebrate the occasion together. Aama Samuha or the local Mother’s Group is also joining together with us. We felt greatly honored by the decision to register our marriage”.
