“Buddha was born in Nepal”, a Nepalese might not know their ABCs but will know this statement with all of their heart. From what I can make of it, this statement symbolizes the ever so dull nature of Nepali identity. Particularly, the perception of Nepalese towards gender, the way our identity is molded to remain stagnant towards gender and sexuality outside the norm. Time leaves no stone unturned and Nepal is no exception; while countries have flourished from sand to urban marvels, people have transformed from creating fire to questioning the need of fire, mindsets have flourished to accept new horizons and endless possibilities, Nepalese identity has remained stagnant. Considering the sphere of gender and sexuality, I find gender identity in Nepal to be in a quicksand. On the surface, the legal acceptance makes Nepal seem as though it lies on the far left of the political spectrum; however, the reaction of most towards gender expression outside the norm is hateful, disguised as acceptance by legal boundaries. Hatred that was prevalent in the late 60s in the USA, hatred that fueled the derogatory of word for the gays, the same hatred is fueling Nepali identity to this date, making it ever so stagnant. I ask the readers if their parents would happily accept the fact that their child is a homosexual and would readily post pictures of them like they would if the partner was of the opposite sex. Now, let us look at it through the eyes of those that are indeed expressing their identities outside the norm. How do they feel? Now, as subjective as feelings are; for this case, they are relative too. Relative to other countries and how gender identity and its perception has changed over time. While efforts have been made to remove the stigma of being a homosexual, such as pride parades, communities and so on, they are redundant in removing the mindset that exists. The stagnant mindset attached to the Nepalese identity. Comfortable is one word that a Nepali queer person will never speak of when asked about how they feel expressing their sexuality to other people. People outside the subcultures that accept them of course. Outside the norm sexuality expression had to be kept a secret by the military in both the world wars, outside the norm sexuality expression had to be kept a secret in Nepal. Nepalese identity, ever so stagnant.

The discrepancies among legal framework, ideology, morality and societal acceptance towards alternate gender and sexuality expression are under the guise of the law, negligible movement and short lived acknowledgement. While legal protocols do make it necessary for people to accept alternate expressions, the thought of forcing people to accept a thing as trivial as expression itself is wrong at all levels. The acceptance is not innate, people are learning to hate but accept.  In and out of the quicksand, I find gender and sexuality expression in Nepal to be in a crisis.

Sakshat Pant, A2 level, Chelsea International Academy