A Nepali transgender woman and a man registered their marriage, a first in the country, the couple said Saturday, despite an absence of laws legalising same-sex or transgender unions.
Monika Shahi Nath, 40, who legally identifies as a third gender, married Ramesh Nath Yogi, 22, in May and was able to register it in their home district Dadeldhura in western Nepal last month.
“I have successfully registered my marriage with my husband,” Nath said at a press conference, where she showed her marriage certificate.
“This is also my attempt to awaken our government to make legal changes. Others like me should also have the right to marry the person they love,” she told .
Pinky Gurung, president of the Blue Diamond Society which works on behalf of sexual minorities in Nepal, said the wedding was an achievement for their movement.
