Third sex launches election campaign in east Nepal21 Mar 2008, 1615 hrs IST
,PTI
KATHMANDU:
Sexual minorities of an eastern Nepal town, Itahari kicked off their first
election rally wearing colourful dresses and playing music bands to canvass for
three gay candidates.
Dipak
Rai and Shrawan Chaudhari, both gay, are contesting the election under the
banner of Nepal Communist Party (United) and while the third, Suryanarayan
Chaudhari is contesting as an independent candidate.
The campaign jointly organized
by Blue Diamond Society and Human Welfare Society with a dancing group has
helped in warming up election climate in the district, a participant said.
Hundreds of demonstrators
participated in the rally carrying placard with the slogan "rights to sexual
minorities," "gay freedom" and "equal status to third sex in the constitution."
The three candidates are
representing some 4,000 lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans-sexual communities
residing in the district.
A
landmark ruling of Nepal Supreme Court in favour of third sex, which includes
lesbians, gays, bisexuals and intersexuals, in December last year granted them
recognition and directed the government to promulgate a new act or amend the
existing ones to ensure rights of the third sex
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Third_sex_launches_election_campaign_in_east_Nepal/articleshow/2887367.cms
