KATHMANDU,

In recent years, the movement for the sexual and gender minorities’ rights has given legal recognition as "others" to them apart from men and women. But ironically, society has not yet been able to accept these 'others'. In sexploration episode 2 titled ‘Media Representation of Queer Community’ hosted by Nishma Choudhary, Angel Lama, who is also Miss Pink 2018 and Ankit Khadgi attended as the guests.

Angel Lama, an advocate for transgender women and sexual and reproductive health and rights, says, “There is still a lack of understanding in society that sexual and gender minorities need to be treated humanely and respectfully like women and men. The main problem is that society does not have much knowledge about LGBTIQ. The people of this community are viewed differently in society as they are presented as a medium of entertainment and not in the way they should be represented in the textbooks and media.

The Constitution of Nepal 2015 has given constitutional rights to sexual and gender minorities. Article 12 of the constitution has the provision for citizenship according to gender identity, while Article 18 has the provision for non-discrimination. Ankit Khadgi, a journalist and gay, says, “Some of the policies and programs of the state are not in the welfare of the people of the 'Queer' community. ‘Nepal does not have a law on marital equality, there is no good employment system, and citizenship does not include all genders. Khadgi says, "Rape is only defined in the law as the rape of a woman done by a man, the incidents of rape and sexual abuse of persons belonging to the 'queer' community is not explained."

Video Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ga8yHWbXno