Film screening at US embassy to commemorate LGBTI Pride Month

KATHMANDU, June 30

To commemorate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Pride Month, the US Embassy in Kathmandu today screened two short films about social as well as personal acceptance of gender and sexual minorities at its newly inaugurated Innovation Hub.

The screening of The Story of Nilu – Stories of Being Me and Samanayan (Togetherness) was followed by a discussion of the issues faced by the LGBTI community in Nepal, the US Embassy said in a statement.

Geoffrey Chanin, Human Rights Officer at the US Embassy, highlighted the US Supreme Court’s recent decision of declaring state laws legalising the same-sex marriage in the USA.

Film makers Govinda Siwakoti, Surath Giri and Nilu Doma Sherpa talked about the role of media in raising awareness and shared personal stories. Several LGBTI activists, including Pinky Gurung of the leading advocacy group Blue Diamond Society, as well as Bharat Shrestha of UNDP, contributed to the discussion about ensuring equal rights to LGBTI people in Nepal, according to the statement.

Former Miss Nepal Malvika Subba and actor Priyanka Karki discussed how they used their fame to combat stigma and discrimination.