Nepal elects its first transgender woman to parliament

Bhumika Shrestha has become the first transgender woman in Nepal’s parliament. According to South China Morning Post, she was greeted by members of the LGBT community in Kathmandu.

On Monday, Shrestha, adorned with garlands, was officially sworn in as a lawmaker. For Nepal’s LGBT community, this marks a major political milestone.

Shrestha represents the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in parliament. Last week, the party won a majority, securing 182 seats.

“I am very excited, but I also feel the responsibility on my shoulders,” said Shrestha. According to her, Nepal’s constitution includes provisions concerning the LGBT community, but these have not yet been fully reflected in legislation and public policy. “Our community expects me to raise our issues [in parliament],” she added.

Shrestha joins the 275-member House of Representatives. She was elected on March 5 in the first elections since the anti-corruption protests that toppled the government last September.

The RSP advocates for a market economy, political freedoms, and equality.

Nepal has some of the most notable LGBT equality provisions in South Asia. In 2023, an interim Supreme Court ruling allowed same-sex and transgender couples to register their marriages.