NEPALGUNJ, Feb 13: Anjudevi Shrestha,33, from Badhaiyatal-2, Bardiya and Suprita Gurung, also 33, from Bandipur-5, Tanahun began dating about five years ago and tied the knot according to their tradition. However, they did not receive a legal marriage certificate at that time.
Now, the couple has obtained a marriage registration certificate gaining legal recognition. Despite society’s tendency to reject same-sex marriage, they have successfully secured their legal status.
The marriage registration certificate was provided by Deepak Nepali, the local registrar and ward secretary of Baghaiyatal-2. Anju and Suprita applied for marriage registration at the ward office on January 18.
Arjun Subedi, the chief administrative officer of the rural municipality, sent a letter to the Department of National ID and Civil Registration requesting necessary opinion and instructions regarding the registration of same-sex marriage.
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The ward secretary Nepali issued the marriage registration certificate on Sunday after consulting with the technical branch of the department. The certificate is currently referred to as temporary marriage registration. Anju currently resides in Kohalpur-5 in Banke while Suprita is in the UK.
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Although born as a daughter, Anju had a different nature. After completing her SLC, her family members started talking about her marriage. She denied accepting their decision. Unable to bear the pressure of her family, she left her home. After staying at her sister's house for some time, she opened a beauty parlor and started living independently.
She got to know Suprita through social media. As their conversation progressed, they began dating and fell in love.
"We got married according to religious rituals and started living together," said Anju. They claim that they got married five years ago at the Changchangdi temple in Waling.
After marriage, Suprita went to the UK. Suprita came to Kohalpur twice within three years. Both of them built a two-storied house in Kohalpur with their earnings.
Anju has four brothers, two sisters and one sister along with her mother. She is the youngest daughter of the family.
The couple claim that despite living apart for a few years, they never had any quarrels.
“I got to know Anju while I was studying in class 12. After the relationship deepened, we reached a state of mind to get married,” said Suprita.
They said that even though they had to face rejection from their family and relatives, now they have full support. “Like Anju, I also had a hard time at home. I tried a lot to convince my mother. As I was independent, they did not say anything,”
Suprita has two brothers and one sister along with her mother. Her mother and one of her brothers live in the UK. She is the youngest daughter of the family. She stated that their marriage will last for a lifetime.
Suprita said that if they desired to have a child, they would explore alternative methods for childbirth. The Supreme Court had already issued an order to recognize same-sex marriage.
Sunil Babu Pant, a human rights activist and member of the Constituent Assembly, claimed that even though gay marriage was legally recognized earlier, the lesbian marriage between Anju and Suprita, was the first of its kind in South Asia.
“This marks the first lesbian couple in South Asia from Nepal,” Pant said. According to him, in accordance with the order issued by the Supreme Court on June 27, 2023, and the department's letter, Dordi Rural Municipality of Lamjung had granted a marriage registration certificate to Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey, marking the first gay marriage in South Asia.
Pant stated that the court's order has ensured the marital rights of couples belonging to sexual and gender minorities.
Parina Chaudhary of Nepalgunj, who has been advocating for the rights of the sexual and gender minorities, stated that after getting legal recognition, the sexual and gender minority community has gradually seen an increase in the process of obtaining marriage registration certificates.
“This is a very joyful moment for our community. Gradually, it will become easier for sexual and gender minority communities to integrate into the society,” she said.
