Kathmandu, December 21

Bhumika Shrestha, a transgender, was taking part in a programme organised by the Youth Action Nepal when she heard about the Supreme Court’s verdict to recognise the “third sex and homosexuality”.

“When I heard it, I was just speechless,” she said.

“It took me to my schooldays when I was ousted from the school because I was transgender and I couldn’t change my behaviour,” a jubilant Shrestha recollected.

Shrestha is happy that she can now acquire her citizenship certificate.

“My photo in the citizenship certificate doesn’t match with my personality,” says Shrestha of Kalanki, who looks like a lady in her early twenties.

“With a Dhaka topi, I definitely do not look like a girl. I always have problems with the traffic police because even my driving licence says I am a man. Thank god, I won’t have trouble with that in the future,” she said.

Anjali Lama, also a homosexual, shares similar woes. She was often harassed when she applied for jobs.

“We feel liberated,” was the first thing Sunil Babu Panta, president of the Blue Diamond Society said. For years, he has been fighting for equal rights for homosexuals.

“This progressive decision is more than what we were expecting. This kind of decision is the first of its kind in the world. We are really proud of the judges who made such a landmark decision at such a difficult time,” said Panta.

“This verdict has paved the way for many reforms that the homosexual community dreamt of. They have now been recognised as a natural sex and all the discriminatory legal provision will be scrapped to give them equal opportunities,” Panta hoped.