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Politics now her cup of tea
KATHMANDU, JAN 28 -
Following in the footsteps of Sunil Babu Pant, the first open gay in politics in Nepal and Constituent Assembly member, Bhumika Shrestha, a transexual, has how joined politics as a proponent of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights.
Shrestha expressed her wish to make her foray into Nepali politics by joining the Nepali Congress (NC) and the party accepted her as a party member on
Jan. 22.
“Politics is an effective medium to raise a voice for the voiceless. I took this move as I want to speak up for the rights of our community members,” says Shrestha, adding that the political, social, and economic marginalisation of disadvantaged communities in Nepal prompted her decision to join the party.
Senior party leader Pradeep Giri and other members of the NC welcomed Shrestha to the party in what they called the spirit of inclusion.
Shrestha has her plans well thought out. She plans to use this platform to ensure that her community members enjoy their rights to the fullest without any kind of discrimination.
Shrestha, who draws inspiration from leaders like the late B.P. Koirala and Ganesh Man Singh, used to think that politics was not her cup of tea. “But I have realised that politics makes a difference when it comes to bringing about changes at the policy level,” goes Shrestha.
The year 2003 was a turning point in Shrestha’s life, when she came into contact with the Blue Diamond Society (BDS) -- an organisation founded by Pant, which workes for people who shared similar problems as a community marginalised on the grounds of sexuality and orientation. “It is sad that social discrimination, coupled with unemployment, has forced most of my friends to engage in the flesh trade, making them vulnerable to HIV/AIDS,” shares Shrestha.
Despite the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict in 2007, which stated that discrimination against the third gender was a crime punishable by law, the social mindset is yet to comply.
Sexual minorities in Nepal continue to be deprived of their rights. A case in point: Shrestha, who came into the limelight when she won the Miss Pink title, a pageant for the LGBT members in 2007, is yet to receive a citizenship certificate that recognises her gender.
While it is clear that Shrestha has her plans up her sleeve, it is yet to be seen how she uses politics as a tool to give voice to her community.
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