Nepal Celebrates Milestone as First Same-Sex Marriage is Officially Recognized, Boosting LGBT Rights

After a lengthy legal battle, Nepal has recorded its first same-sex marriage, marking a significant victory for the LGBTQ+ community and activists. Maya Gurung, 36, and Surendra Pandey, 26, had their union formally registered in the western Lumjung district on Wednesday. This milestone comes five months after the Supreme Court issued an interim order permitting same-sex couples to register their marriages. As of now, Taiwan is the sole Asian nation to have legalized same-sex marriage. Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey have been together for almost ten years and celebrated their marriage in a temple ceremony in 2017. Since then, they had been striving for legal recognition of their relationship. Maya Gurung, a transgender woman, has chosen not to change her gender on official documents, while Surendra Pandey identifies as male. On July 13th, a district court in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, rejected the couple's marriage registration despite the Supreme Court's order. The district court argued that it was solely directed at the government and therefore not binding for lower courts. However, on Wednesday, Hem Raj Kafle, chief administrative officer of the Dordi rural municipality, confirmed that they had issued a marriage registration certificate to the couple, adhering to the Supreme Court's order and guidance provided by relevant government authorities. This historic moment has been celebrated by prominent LGBT rights activist Sunil Babu Pant, who hails it as a victory for sexual and gender minorities. Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey expressed their desire to open a joint bank account, share ownership of their land, and ultimately adopt a child once their financial situation stabilizes.