In a historic turn of events, Nepal has etched its name as the first country in South Asia to officially register a same-sex marriage following the landmark decision by the Supreme Court. The culmination of this progressive move was witnessed in the legal union of Maya Gurung, a 35-year-old transgender woman, and Surendra Pandey, a 27-year-old gay man, in Dordi Rural Municipality, Lamjung district.
Nepal’s journey toward recognizing same-sex unions traces back to 2007 when the Supreme Court first sanctioned such marriages. The 2015 constitution further solidified this stance by explicitly denouncing discrimination based on sexual orientation. However, it wasn’t until an interim order issued on June 27, 2023, that the legal framework for same-sex marriage was set in motion.
Despite a setback four months ago, when the Kathmandu District Court rejected a marriage application from Surendra Pandey and Maya Gurung due to the absence of specific legal frameworks, the recent union signals a momentous breakthrough. Pinky, a member of the third-gender community in Nepal, hailed the decision as not just a first for Nepal but for the entire South Asian region.
Surendra and Maya, hailing from Nawalparasi and Lamjung districts, respectively, had initially entered into a traditional marriage with family approval. Pinky emphasized the broader impact of this decision on the LGBTQ+ community, noting that it provides a pathway for other individuals to have their marriages legally recognized. While these unions have been provisionally registered, permanent recognition is anticipated once the requisite laws are formulated.
