Gay men to contest polls in Nepal

KATHMANDU: At least five Nepali gay men are contesting this year’s elections in the hope of shattering taboos in the conservative nation, a gay candidate said.

Homosexuality is effectively illegal in Nepal under a law banning “unnatural sex’’.
 
Offenders can be jailed for up to a year. “It is a prejudiced society,’’ said Sunil Babu Pant, founder of a leading gay rights group, Blue Diamond Society. “We are standing in the elections to fight the discrimination against our community,’’ he said. “This is a very symbolic approach to tell all Nepalis that we have equal rights.’’

Pant and four other gay candidates are standing for public election on April 10 to become members of a new 601-seat constituent assembly. It will be Nepal’s first national vote since 1999. The five candidates have been fielded by the Nepal Communist Party (United), a junior partner in the ruling alliance. Pant feels he has a good chance of winning, saying there are hundreds of thousands of gay and transgender voters across the country to whom he will appeal.