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Nepal becomes first country in Asia to put LGBT rights into its constitution
Fri, 2015-09-18 17:57
#1
bagkitty
Nepal becomes first country in Asia to put LGBT rights into its constitution
Fri, 2015-09-18 17:58
#2
bagkitty
The Constituent Assembly of Nepal has overwhelmingly approved a groundbreaking new constitution that explicitly mentions the human rights of LGBT people. It is the first constitution in Asia to do so.
Under the new constitution:
- Citizens will be allowed to choose their preferred gender identity on citizenship documents
- Gender and sexual minorities (GSM) will not be discriminated against by the state.
- GSM have a right to participate in state mechanisms and public services to promote inclusion.
Fri, 2015-09-18 18:09
#3
Nice. Probably didn't hurt that Christians and Muslims together make up a mere 5% of the Nepalese population.
Fri, 2015-09-18 19:52
#4
swallow
Oh, you can find plenty of homophobes in Hinduism and Buddhism too, sadly.
Good for Nepel - we need more constituetn assemblies, people thinking about new constitutions instead of worshipping old ones so often leads to wise choices.
Fri, 2015-09-18 20:19
#5
Oh, you can find plenty of homophobes in Hinduism and Buddhism too, sadly.
And among atheists, and animists, and the Jedi, and anywhere else, I would expect.
But apparently, Hinduism doesn't make such a stubborn personal project of it as Abrahamic religions, and good on them for it.
Fri, 2015-09-18 21:34
#6
Upon arriving in Kathmandu last month I was struck by the landing card you had to fill in at the airport which provided three options in the section for Sex: M / F / Other.
So yes, - good on the Nepalis for (finally) getting a democratically approved constitution and for the LGBT prvision.
But its far from a perfect document: women's organizations in Nepal had been very active (but eventually unsuccessful) in campaigning against a clause which makes it more difficult for a Nepali woman who marries a foreigner to pass on Nepali citizenship to her children. There is of course no similar clause for men.
Sat, 2015-09-19 06:35
#7
Oh, you can find plenty of homophobes in Hinduism and Buddhism too, sadly.And among atheists, and animists, and the Jedi, and anywhere else, I would expect.
But apparently, Hinduism doesn't make such a stubborn personal project of it as Abrahamic religions, and good on them for it.
Actually, a couple of years ago, the Indian Surpreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the anti-gay laws. Among the biggest cheerleaders for this decision was the Hindu nationalist BJP.
(Can't get the link to print. Google "Homosexuality law: BJP says debate not yet over")